‘Triple CIB’ Recipient Who Fought in 3 Wars Dies
Retired Lt. Col. James “Jacques” Michienzi
Thu, 08/14/2025 - 08:45
Retired Lt. Col. James “Jacques” Michienzi, who fought in World War II, Korea and Vietnam, earning the Distinguished Service Cross, five Silver Stars and six Purple Hearts, has died. He was 101.
Described in a tribute by the National Infantry Museum and Soldier Center as one of the last “Triple CIB” warriors, Michienzi also had the rare distinction of earning the Combat Infantryman Badge three times in three separate wars, “a rare honor few in history have achieved,” the museum wrote in its online tribute.
The son of immigrants from Calabria, Italy, Michienzi’s father earned U.S. citizenship because of his service in World War I, according to Michienzi’s obituary. Inspired by his father’s service, Michienzi, who grew up in St. Paul, Minnesota, joined the Army’s 17th Airborne Division at the outset of World War II.
According to his obituary, Michienzi’s “noteworthy exploits” during the war included “parachuting over the Rhine River, his second combat jump of the war, and as part of Operation Varsity, he fought and narrowly survived the Battle of the Bulge, the Allies' final push to defeat the Nazis.”
https://www.ausa.org/news/triple-cib-recipient-who-fought-3-wars-dies
