Remembering and immigrant hero

James Vincent Mallamici was born on Feb. 14, 1893 in Reggio Calabria, a picturesque seaside community on the Strait of Messina between the western tip of Italy and Sicily. In 1911, at the age of 18, he left his parent’s home, boarded the Italian passenger liner S. S. Ancona, and arrived at the port of New York. He then travelled on to join his older brother, Paolo (Paul), who had immigrated to the United States a few years earlier. They both changed their last names from Mallamici to Mallamas, became residents of the small mining town of Red Jacket, West Virginnia, and worked in the local coal mine.

The war in Europe had been in the forefront of national news since its beginning in 1914. In April of 1917 the United States joined the fight to stop the Kaiser’s vision of a new world empire. James, now a U.S. citizen and wanting to show his allegiance to his new home, enlisted in the U.S. Army, completed basic training, and was assigned to the 59th infantry, part of the recently formed 4th Division (in December, 1917).

By April of 1918, the 4th Division was on its way to Camp Mills, N.Y, and Camp Merritt, N.J., preparing for its journey to the war in Europe. Some of the division passed over the stateside stops and went directly to either France or England to continue training. Within a short time, all the 4th’s soldiers would join in the hellish battles fought in France.

On July 15, the 59th infantry, along with soldiers from the 58th infantry, 10th and 12th machine gun battalions and engineers from the 4th Division received their first trial by fire at the second battle of the Marne. This decisive counterattack was seen as the beginning of the end for the German Army, which was then marked by a series of retreats from which they would never recover. While viewing the heroic actions taken by the U.S. soldiers, renowned General Leon Gaucher, commander of the French 164th Division, commented that the Americans had captured the village of Chevillon “in a splendid dash”. The Americans would continue to fight alongside the French, enduring violent attacks by enemy artillery and machine gun fire, but succeeding in taking multiple villages and other strategic areas, pushing the Germans ever backwards.

On Sept. 6, American soldiers from the 4th were sent to relieve French troops in the quiet Toulon sector southeast of Verdun. This area suddenly erupted when the First American Army went on the offensive and began the St. Mihiel drive. The 59th infantry and other members of the 4th Division did not extensively participate in a main push, but had the responsibility of holding the extreme left of the salient. Nonetheless, its soldiers were kept busy with constant patrols and pockets of smaller skirmishes.

On Sept. 26, at 5:30 a.m., after a three-hour Allied artillery barrage, the 4th Division attacked the German lines, going northward from Rau de Forges. This began the Meuse-Argonne offensive, the first strike in the last great battle of the war. Allied soldiers “went over the top with a great yell”, running across no-man’s land while relentless artillery fire devastated the opposing German lines. When reaching their planned objectives, the Allied troops stopped and secured their areas. This preordered halt, unfortunately, gave the enemy time to reorganize and strengthen its defensive positions and artillery emplacements. The following days saw hard-fought resistance as small sections of formerly held German land was taken at great costs on both sides. Again, on Oct. 4, a major infantry attack with accompanying artillery barrage was repeated when wave after wave of soldiers ran into the enemy lines under a hail of continuous shelling. Village after village was devastated and captured by the incessant fighting, street by street and house by house. By Oct. 11, though sections of the battlefield still raged, the 4th division was pulled from the fight, with the exceptions of the field artillery brigade and ammunition train. These units would continue to serve in the front until war’s end with the signing of the armistice in November.

When tested in actual combat, the 4th division proved itself as a well-trained and disciplined fighting force. This was seen as they were faced with battling determined enemy troops, bad roads, poor weather, and terrain lending to the concealment of German machine guns and ambushes. At the end of the conflict, all or parts of the division had endured 83 horrific days in deadly combat and four days in reserve, with more than 12,948 officers and men losing their lives. The division’s accomplishments included penetrating the enemy defenses for 32 kilometers and capturing 2,856 prisoners, 61 field pieces, 10 minenwerfer, 239 machine guns, two tanks, and a vast amount of ammunition for various artillery and arms.

After being withdrawn from the Meuse-Argonne battlefield, the bulk of the 4th division went into reserve status and continued to train until the armistice was signed on Nov. 11. Thereafter, it was designated as part of the Army of Occupation. As such, members marched from the vicinity of Boucq, France through the French and Luxemburg countryside and across the Moselle River into Germany.

James V. Mallamas, of company “B” in the 59th infantry, fought bravely in three of the major engagements that the 4th division took part in. He was promoted to the rank of sergeant on Nov. 7, 1918 after participating in the decisive battles to end the “War to end all Wars”. For his heroic service, he was awarded two Croix de Guerre’s (one unit and one personal), four bronze battle stars and a silver citation star for gallantry in action. His United States Victory Medal proudly displayed bar devices for three major battles, and his subsequent participation in the occupation forces of a defeated Germany.

After his service, Mallamas returned to West Virginia and resumed his mining career. In 1923, he married Mary Agnes Kalapaj, and together they had five sons, all of whom served in the military as their father had done. In 1970, James’ valiant heart finally failed, and an immigrant hero was laid to rest with honors in Mills Cemetery, Mercer County, W.V.