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| James Drexler Michel
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| NO. 17954 • 19 June 1927 – 26 March 1951
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| Died March 26, 1951, of Wounds Received in Action, in Korea. Aged 23 Years.
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Those of us who were the friends of Jim Michel, and his friends were
legion, were shocked and bewildered to learn of his death from wounds received
in action in Korea. It is incomprehensible to realize that this wonderful youth
is no longer mortally with us. In his brief lifetime, he left a tapestry of
memories that those of us who were privileged to know him will never forget.
Jim was born June 19th, 1927, in Saint Paul, Minnesota, the son of
Clarence B. and Alice Michel. He was christened James Drexler Michel, the third
son of his beloved parents. Saint Paul, which was his home until he entered the
Service, was to him more than a city; it was a way of life. Here he passed the
formative years of his life with his family and his friends. Away from home, in
the service, his life was a mirror of associations and memories of Saint Paul.
One did
not have to know Jim long to realize that his whole character and being were
shaped and guided by his family and his Church. He received his elementary
schooling in the Parochial Schools of the Church, and coupled with his
wholesome and happy family life, it was inevitable that he matured into a kind,
self-sacrificing
young gentleman who loved life in all of its
manifestations. A devout Catholic, he
practiced his religion by living it, and achieved a peace of mind that was the
essence of a Christian. It was natural that he entered a life of service.
In 1941, Jim followed his brothers and entered Saint Thomas Military
Academy in Saint Paul. His years there were spent preparing for the United
States Military Academy. After graduation in June 1945, he entered the Regular
Army as a Private. He took his basic training at Camp Roberts, California, and
served with the Air Force at Stephenville, Newfoundland, until he returned to
the States to enter West Point in July of 1946.
The Point produced no startling changes in Jim's character. His
effervescent personality and sound sense of values made him one of the better
known cadets in his class. He was engrossed with sports, and played Corps Squad
Football and Hockey, in addition to all the intramural sports. His weekly
written reports to the Tactical 0fficer, on Athletic Affairs in Company B-1,
became required reading for all.
Perhaps his greatest love was music. He could, and would, listen to any
kind of music for hours. Any musical instrument small enough (and some not
small enough) for a cadet room, he possessed and played. He sang in the
Catholic Choir and the Cadet Glee Club. He often stated that the most enjoyment
he experienced at the Academy was singing with these groups in their practices
and presentations. He also played in the Hundredth Night Shows. On trips away,
he would go to musicals and the opera. To live with him was to live with a
song.
Jim was a good student, but there were so many more interesting things to
do that he never gave the books more than slight attention after plebe year,
and he still graduated some distance from the bottom of the class. Any subject
he was interested in, he excelled in, with seemingly little effort.
His ability to get along with people and to make friends was fascinating.
If ever a man had no enemies, it was Jim Michel. His hearty laugh and ready wit
enlivened every minute, and in moments of adversity his calm, kind words and
succor would be forthcoming. He gave himself to his friends, and to him
everyone was his friend.
Jim chose the Coast Artillery when he graduated. He spent his graduation
leave in Saint Paul and in Northern Minnesota with his family and friends. When
his leave was over, he sailed for Japan, and he stayed there until early in
1951, when he went to Korea. He served with AAA units until the middle of
March, when he transferred to the 159th Field Artillery Battalion.
On March 21st, 1951, he was promoted to First Lieutenant, and the next
day he was walking along a mountain path near Kum-gong-ni, Korea, when a
soldier in front of him tripped a booby-trapped grenade. The fragments
from this grenade wounded him in the head and he was immediately evacuated. On
March 26tb, he passed away, leaving his parents; two brothers, Ted and Charles;
two sisters, Crescence and Rita; a host of other relatives and a myriad of
friends.
Although four years is not a long time, the impression that Jim left upon
us, his friends, will last a lifetime. None of us will ever forget the constant
kindnesses and the lovable nature, that coupled with an inquisitive mind and
peaceful spirit made living near and with him such a wonderful adventure. He
set high standards for himself, lived by them, and was a credit to himself, to
his family, and to his Church. He was truthfully a cavalier and a Christian. Those
who were denied the privilege of knowing him in this life have missed a rich
and satisfying experience, while those of us who did know him have been shown a
way to joy and peace.
-Lieutenant R. G. Trefry.
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USMA 1950