Jake McNiece enlisted on September 1, 1942 and was assigned to the demolition saboteur section of what was then the 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment. This section became the known as the "Filthy Thirteen," and was first led by Lt. Charles Mellen, who was killed in action on June 6, 1944, during the Invasion of Normandy. Following Mellen's death, Private McNiece led the unit.
McNiece's deliberate disobedience and disrespect during training prevented him from being promoted past Private when most Paratroopers were promoted to Private First Class after 30 days. He earned his famous nickname, "McNasty," from the men in his unit due to his unorthodox, hell-raising leadership style. McNiece would act as section sergeant and first sergeant through various missions. His first sergeant and company commanders knew he was the man the regiment could count on during combat. His escapades are documented in his words in The Filthy Thirteen, Fighting With the Filthy Thirteen, and War Paint: The Filthy Thirteen Jump Into Normandy.
McNiece went on to make a total of four combat jumps, the first as part of the Invasion of Normandy in 1944. In the same year he jumped as part of Operation Market Garden in the Netherlands, and at the Siege of Bastogne, part of the larger Battle of the Bulge. During fighting in the Netherlands, he acted as the demolition platoon sergeant.
He would volunteer for pathfinder training, then in December, his pathfinder stick was called upon to jump into Bastogne to guide in resupply drops. His last jump was on 13 February 1945, near Prüm, Germany to resupply the cut-off 90th Infantry Division. In recognition of his natural leadership abilities, he ended the war as the acting first sergeant for Headquarters Company, 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment. McNiece would be kicked out of the military in February 1946 after one last fight with MP’s.
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