The Devil in Baggy Pants

By | January 22, 2022

[January 22, 2022]  A message for men.  You have only two choices in life.  Be a real man and walk with the Devil or be a wimp and live a life of hatred and misery.  There is no in-between.  American hero James Megellas of the 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment decided that walking with the Devil was not enough.  He and his men would become the Devil to the Nazi war machine of World War 2.

A dead German’s journal described a fierce American airborne enemy capable of striking anywhere and anytime as the “devils in baggy pants.”  That enemy was the 82nd Airborne Division.  No other paratrooper was as efficient at dispatching Nazis as bilingual Lt. Col. James “Maggie” Megellas, the son of Greek immigrants and recipient of the Medal of Honor.   The story of Megellas and his men is recounted here (see link); I recommend it.  These men were “devils” in their way.

“Share your foxhole only with someone who can fight like the devil.” – Dougism #3

I learned quickly that being around, so many great Americans in the U.S. military made my life better.  It is difficult for ordinary people to find those strong, great Americans, so my advice is to be around good men; they will emerge for you to see.  But, these men are not what you might expect.  They are extraordinarily tough physically and mentally, suffer no fools, and are laser focused on their jobs.  They will make you better too.  You will be tested.

Can you take a joke, a little harassment, a whack upside the head (when you do something stupid), or survive a fistfight.  If you can, you might prove yourself to be one of these American devils.  Easy?  No way.  Rare is the man who can walk with the Devil and survive the experience without the awe that accompanies what we have in real heroes.  I’ve recounted the lives of many in my mini-series on heroes (link for searching my website here).

Will those “devils accept you?”  Assuming you can find them, you most likely will be rejected or simply shunned for your apparent weaknesses.  So my advice is to be prepared to meet these men.  If you ever do, and you are not ready, shame on you.  You will have failed one of the critical tests of manhood; there is no going back.

I was fortunate that I grew up around great Americans and had a clue what these heroes expected of other men.  For example, if you were not a combat veteran, you would find yourself on the outs with them.  Harsh?  Yep.  But that is life.  What to do?  Join the military, prove yourself in combat, and never forget the American Devil.

—————

Please read my new book, “Our Longest Year in Iraq,” at Amazon (link here).

Author: Douglas R. Satterfield

Hello. I provide one article every day. My writings are influenced by great thinkers such as Friedrich Nietzsche, Karl Jung, Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn, Jean Piaget, Erich Neumann, and Jordan Peterson, whose insight and brilliance have gotten millions worldwide to think about improving ourselves. Thank you for reading my blog.

21 thoughts on “The Devil in Baggy Pants

  1. Tompkins

    Excellent article and timely for those of us who love to read about heroes.

    Reply
  2. Edward G.

    This is a great story of heroes. Learn to tell these stories to others and you will grow as a human being.

    Reply
  3. Bryan Z. Lee

    Gen. Satterfield tells us something important here.
    “Can you take a joke, a little harassment, a whack upside the head (when you do something stupid), or survive a fistfight. If you can, you might prove yourself to be one of these American devils. Easy? No way. Rare is the man who can walk with the Devil and survive the experience without the awe that accompanies what we have in real heroes.”

    Reply
    1. MrJohn22

      Yes, Bryan, something not to be overlooked or downplayed. A little humility here is okay.

      Reply
  4. Idiot Savant

    Will those devils (strong, wild, courageous men) accept you? Yes, yes, yes. I never gave this much real thought.

    Reply
    1. Don Snow

      Kind of gets you! Yes! We all want to be accepted into the group. This is a biological trait built into all humans, as we are a social lot.

      Reply
      1. Dale Paul Fox

        Right but this view is not compatible with the Marxists in our mist.

        Reply
  5. Joe Omerrod

    Walking with the devil also means not letting the devil determine or convince you what to do or not do. But the devil becomes a metaphor for strength that is uncontrolled. A good man can control that strength.

    Reply
  6. Greg Heyman

    Gen. Satterfield wrote, Will those “devils accept you?” Assuming you can find them, you most likely will be rejected or simply shunned for your apparent weaknesses. So my advice is to be prepared to meet these men. If you ever do, and you are not ready, shame on you. You will have failed one of the critical tests of manhood; there is no going back.
    I hope that there is ultimately redemption at the end of our lives. Esp. for those who failed the real test of manhood.

    Reply
        1. North of Austin

          Tom, I would suggest a better response to Commie Red. Perhaps this, tell the truth and be sure you know the truth. You know the truth by those around you who will convince you of it. Then, be sure to practice the truth, else you will be corrupted by your lies.

          Reply
  7. Erleldech

    Just a side note for us all. Remember to read Gen. Satterfield’s “Daily Favorites.” These are two articles per day and each one is typically a great read in itself. They follow similar ideas that Gen. Satterfield is putting forth in his articles. Don’t miss it.

    Reply
  8. Purse 5

    Life is not fair and it takes a bit of hurting to find it.
    “Can you take a joke, a little harassment, a whack upside the head (when you do something stupid), or survive a fistfight. If you can, you might prove yourself to be one of these American devils.” Another ‘Dougism.’

    Reply
    1. José Luis Rodriguez

      Want to read more on this, then read his book ‘Our Longest Year in Iraq.” Still available.

      Reply
  9. Albert Ayer

    Lt. Col. James “Maggie” Megellas ….. real American hero. I watched a few documentaries about him and his Infantry soldiers. Worthwhile doing so. I gained some insight into the man and his views of fighting the enemy.

    Reply
    1. Greg NH

      American could use more men like him. Today we train our young folks to be victims; weak and effete. Too bad for us all.

      Reply
      1. Dog Man

        I think that might be changing. See how many are rebelling against the lockdowns and shutdowns. Our politicians, as a class, utterly failed us.

        Reply
      2. Willie Strumburger

        Will we pay a heavy price? Yes, in the short term. The longer term is up to men like us.

        Reply

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.