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Written by: Michael A. Milton 3/30/2008 6:48 PM
The Last Ridge and Heroes in the Pew If you were to take a stroll through East Norwalk, Connecticut, and go through the hallowed grounds of the Revolutionary War cemetery in the midst of that great American town, you would come across the resting place of a Congressional Medal of Honor recipient, John Magrath. This intrepid warrior fell at Mount della Spe in Italy in World War II as our boys attacked the infamous Gothic Line. Perhaps you have never heard of this young Episcopalian acolyte turned soldier from the famed Tenth Mountain Division. Maybe you are not familiar with the story of Magrath’s heroic leadership as he almost single handedly took Hill 909 in that famed battle. But you should be. Running right into seemingly impenetrable machine gun fire, this brave 19 year old former Boy Scout ran like a Yankee banshee into the fire and killed Nazi defenders, took others captive, and utterly destroyed a deadly German machine gun nest. When he was found by his superior, he had commandeered the Nazi machine gun and was aiming their own killing device at the fierce but retreating Nazi enemy. Moments later John Magrath was killed by mortar fire. But he had already done the work that would secure Allied victory. One Christian boy, one divine moment, and one epic story. I am thankful that McKay Jenkins in his commendable work, The Last Ridge: The Epic Story of America’s First Mountain Soldiers and the Assault on Hitler’s Europe, helps us to remember: He was the only man in the 10th Mountain Division awarded a Congressional Medal of Honor. During Magrath’s burial ceremony. ‘Taps” was played by a blind thirteen-year-old boy whom Magrath had mentored as a young Boy Scout (p. 219). As I read this book, a gift from my son, I was reminded again of everyday heroes all around us. If you are a pastor or a seminarian, remember that our greatest heroes are not just theologians and other preachers, but our heroes are the extraordinary human beings that occupy the pews. And some of them are acolytes. And some are Boy Scouts who will one day defend our right to preach the Gospel.
The Last Ridge and Heroes in the Pew
If you were to take a stroll through East Norwalk, Connecticut, and go through the hallowed grounds of the Revolutionary War cemetery in the midst of that great American town, you would come across the resting place of a Congressional Medal of Honor recipient, John Magrath. This intrepid warrior fell at Mount della Spe in Italy in World War II as our boys attacked the infamous Gothic Line.
Perhaps you have never heard of this young Episcopalian acolyte turned soldier from the famed Tenth Mountain Division. Maybe you are not familiar with the story of Magrath’s heroic leadership as he almost single handedly took Hill 909 in that famed battle. But you should be. Running right into seemingly impenetrable machine gun fire, this brave 19 year old former Boy Scout ran like a Yankee banshee into the fire and killed Nazi defenders, took others captive, and utterly destroyed a deadly German machine gun nest. When he was found by his superior, he had commandeered the Nazi machine gun and was aiming their own killing device at the fierce but retreating Nazi enemy. Moments later John Magrath was killed by mortar fire. But he had already done the work that would secure Allied victory. One Christian boy, one divine moment, and one epic story.
I am thankful that McKay Jenkins in his commendable work, The Last Ridge: The Epic Story of America’s First Mountain Soldiers and the Assault on Hitler’s Europe, helps us to remember:
He was the only man in the 10th Mountain Division awarded a Congressional Medal of Honor. During Magrath’s burial ceremony. ‘Taps” was played by a blind thirteen-year-old boy whom Magrath had mentored as a young Boy Scout (p. 219).
As I read this book, a gift from my son, I was reminded again of everyday heroes all around us. If you are a pastor or a seminarian, remember that our greatest heroes are not just theologians and other preachers, but our heroes are the extraordinary human beings that occupy the pews. And some of them are acolytes. And some are Boy Scouts who will one day defend our right to preach the Gospel.
Read Mike's story about God's hand on his life and how God fulfills His promises to His children.
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