His story: Pvt John F. McAtee
I offer the following look at the span of the few years that defined the
life of my Uncle Jack McAtee.
"John F. McAtee, the youngest of 8 children by Charles and Mary McAtee, was
still in high school when the attack on Pearl Harbor occurred. His mother had already passed away and
his father an invalid due to an accident, required the signatures of an older brother and sister to enlist
in the armed forces. This he did and spent Christmas '41 in an Army camp outside St. Louis, Missouri.
John's two older brothers, Charles and Howard, were also in the Army Air Corps. Howard served in the
Pacific Theater and Charles in the European and he would meet up with Charles later in Italy prior to the
jump into Southern France.
At this time the training system was overwhelmed by all the volunteers entering service so the new
recruits had little to do except exercise and paperwork. Looking for some action, John volunteered for the
Airborne and enrolled for jump school at Ft. Benning July 1942. He dropped a rank to get into the airborne
but thought it was worth it. After earning his jump wings was sent to Panama December 1942. Convoy
lost 2 ships to German U-boats along the way.
Becomes part of the original Panama 551st PIB, 'A' Company, second platoon. Best part of John's story is
the time he came back from leave home with a uniform full of hunting type knives, including a machette
life of my Uncle Jack McAtee.
"John F. McAtee, the youngest of 8 children by Charles and Mary McAtee, was
still in high school when the attack on Pearl Harbor occurred. His mother had already passed away and
his father an invalid due to an accident, required the signatures of an older brother and sister to enlist
in the armed forces. This he did and spent Christmas '41 in an Army camp outside St. Louis, Missouri.
John's two older brothers, Charles and Howard, were also in the Army Air Corps. Howard served in the
Pacific Theater and Charles in the European and he would meet up with Charles later in Italy prior to the
jump into Southern France.
At this time the training system was overwhelmed by all the volunteers entering service so the new
recruits had little to do except exercise and paperwork. Looking for some action, John volunteered for the
Airborne and enrolled for jump school at Ft. Benning July 1942. He dropped a rank to get into the airborne
but thought it was worth it. After earning his jump wings was sent to Panama December 1942. Convoy
lost 2 ships to German U-
Becomes part of the original Panama 551st PIB, 'A' Company, second platoon. Best part of John's story is
distinctive 551st PIB shoulder patch. Was this the inspiration to use the machette in the shoulder
patch design? Leaving Panama third week in August 1943 and arriving Camp Mackall, North Carolina
end of first week of September, 1943 the Battalion was granted a three week furlough. At this time
John went home and married his high school girl friend Mary Mathias, known as Mitzi by the family.
This marriage didn't last long as Mitzi filed for divorce and sent a "Dear John" letter but it is not
known if he ever received it before he was killed. The last mail call for the battalion was the evening
of 6 January.
The photo of John in this web site was taken shortly before the battalion left Camp Mackall for Italy,
April 1944. That convoy to Italy suffered U-boat losses and was also attacked by German bombers off
the coast of Gibraltar.
patch design? Leaving Panama third week in August 1943 and arriving Camp Mackall, North Carolina
end of first week of September, 1943 the Battalion was granted a three week furlough. At this time
John went home and married his high school girl friend Mary Mathias, known as Mitzi by the family.
This marriage didn't last long as Mitzi filed for divorce and sent a "Dear John" letter but it is not
known if he ever received it before he was killed. The last mail call for the battalion was the evening
of 6 January.
The photo of John in this web site was taken shortly before the battalion left Camp Mackall for Italy,
April 1944. That convoy to Italy suffered U-
After spending 1-1/2 months in Sicily training, the 551st PIB moved to the resort Lido di Roma, south
of Rome July 1944. The next move was to the Mont Alto airfield north of Rome about a week prior to the
15 August jump into Southern France. Transport to the airfield went through Rome where John's brother
Charles was standing on a street corner and saw his younger brother in the back of one of the trucks.
Charles found out where they were going and later met up with his brother at the airfield for a short
reunion.
John's letters home always asked how everyone was doing and said little of his own conditions, only
that he was doing fine and not to worry about him. He did mention in a letter dated Nov 14, while in
the French Maritime Alps, that the weather was getting cold around those parts and he longed for the
heat of Panama, saying that is where he belonged. In his last letter home, dated December 13 he said
it looked like he wouldn't be home for Christmas, but maybe next year…
There is no mention of John's combat exploits in either Dan Morgan's or Gregory Orfalea's books. Harry
Renick, 'A' Company radio man, provides the account of seeing him go down in 2nd platoon's attack on
January 7th. Lieutenant Dick Durkee, platoon leader, says the men knew they probably wouldn't come
out of this mission alive, but stood up and went forward anyway. That says a lot about what kind of
soldier Pvt. John F. McAtee was, along with the others. May they rest in peace in a warm place in heaven.
Written by: Frank Gahagen, nephew of Jack McAtee
Photos: Gahagen/McAtee family
15 August jump into Southern France. Transport to the airfield went through Rome where John's brother
Charles was standing on a street corner and saw his younger brother in the back of one of the trucks.
Charles found out where they were going and later met up with his brother at the airfield for a short
reunion.
John's letters home always asked how everyone was doing and said little of his own conditions, only
that he was doing fine and not to worry about him. He did mention in a letter dated Nov 14, while in
the French Maritime Alps, that the weather was getting cold around those parts and he longed for the
heat of Panama, saying that is where he belonged. In his last letter home, dated December 13 he said
it looked like he wouldn't be home for Christmas, but maybe next year…
There is no mention of John's combat exploits in either Dan Morgan's or Gregory Orfalea's books. Harry
Renick, 'A' Company radio man, provides the account of seeing him go down in 2nd platoon's attack on
January 7th. Lieutenant Dick Durkee, platoon leader, says the men knew they probably wouldn't come
out of this mission alive, but stood up and went forward anyway. That says a lot about what kind of
soldier Pvt. John F. McAtee was, along with the others. May they rest in peace in a warm place in heaven.
Written by: Frank Gahagen, nephew of Jack McAtee
Photos: Gahagen/McAtee family
donated by local citizens of his home town. Equipment
shortages at this time required some initiative by the
troops to be well armed for their mission. Doug Dillard
says he remembers when John returned to camp with
the knives. A machette was lncorporated into the
shortages at this time required some initiative by the
troops to be well armed for their mission. Doug Dillard
says he remembers when John returned to camp with
the knives. A machette was lncorporated into the
