James Legee, World War II Honoree.

By William Tauro

Life long Somerville resident and retired former City of Somerville health and building inspector James Legee, a World War II Honoree, was recently presented a long awaited Belgian Meritorious Cross from Belgium which Somerville Director of Veteran’s Service Jay Weaver was able to obtain for Legee’s efforts and service of duty during the Battle of the Bulge.

Legee never received the decoration after coming home from Europe, but after all these years he is proud and honored to finally have this well deserved and long awaited for medal in his possession.

When drafted by the United States Department of the Army as a nineteen-year-old Somerville boy, Legee served during WWII and was awarded three battle stars for his activity in the war.

Legee served in the Ardennes, Rhineland and Central Europe Campaigns and was honored by the 280th Engineer Combat Battalion.

Along with his new recently presented metal from the Battle of the Bulge, Legee in the past was also presented the Good Conduct Medal, the European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal and the World War II Victory Medal.