the editorial team
Juvin J. Mungle, TFC of the 361st Infantry Regiment of the 91st “Powder River” Division, was born on September 24, 1922, in Atoka, Oklahoma, USA, to Paul Milton and Ethie Malinda. A cattle rancher by trade, he demonstrated a strong sense of duty and service to his country from an early age. At just 19, he married Rebekah Loy Stephens and, at the same time, made the decision to serve his country by enlisting in the U.S. Army.
He participated in World War II on the Italian front with the 91st Division, also known as "The Wild West Division." This unit was primarily composed of soldiers from the western United States who, in 1944, took part in significant military operations during the Italian Campaign. Notably, they were engaged in the battles in Mugello following the liberation of Florence, aimed at securing the Passo del Giogo. During the week of September 12 to 18, 1944, Allied forces sought to break through German defenses along the Gothic Line in the central sector under the command of the U.S. Fifth Army, led by General Mark Clark.
Medical Orderly
Juvin “Jene” Mungle was a “TFC or T/5 – Technician Fifth Grade,” essentially a medic. His duty was to first aid, namely, caring for the wounded on the battlefield and within his unit. To this end, in 1943, he received specialized training in first aid, field medicine, and emergency management. This training prepared medics to intervene in combat situations and provide aid to the injured. They learned how to treat wounds, administer medications, and handle emergency scenarios. Medics were trained to evacuate the wounded safely from the battlefield, using stretchers and other equipment. This role was far from risk-free; during infantry assaults, medics operated on the front lines, under fire from automatic weapons, mortars, and enemy artillery.
The story of Juvin Jene Mungle is the story of a medal for valor—the Silver Star Medal he earned in one of the early, brutal battles in the Apennines on September 18, 1944, the final day of a grueling week of fighting to secure the Passo del Giogo, held by German paratroopers entrenched along the Gothic Line.
Mungle’s Actions on the Battlefield
Reports place the 361st Infantry Regiment during the battle days west of Monticelli, along the ridge north of the village of Sant'Agata, above the town of Scarperia. On September 18, 1944, the last day of battle, there was an artillery attack by German forces in the Mulinaccio area (441-451 meters above sea level) in front of Montaccianico Castle, near the confluence of the “Borro del Cavallo” and “Borro de’ Nicchi” with the Levisone stream. In just a few minutes, the attack left many soldiers on the field. Mungle did not hesitate to rush to their aid, providing assistance to numerous wounded comrades.
His dog tag, lost amid the chaos of battle, was accidentally discovered in a field during plowing. It was handed over to the volunteers of the Gotica Toscana APS association, who, after thorough archival research, returned it to the Mungle family in Oklahoma.
Citation for the Silver Star Medal
With great honor, the United States, authorized by an Act of Congress on July 9, 1918, presents the Silver Star to Technician Fifth Grade Juvin J. Mungle (ASN: 38400414) of the United States Army, for gallantry in action while serving as a medic with Company G, 361st Infantry Regiment, 91st Infantry Division, on September 18, 1944, near Nicchi, Italy.
When his company came under heavy enemy artillery and mortar fire, resulting in numerous casualties within minutes, Technician Fifth Grade Mungle, the only medic available at the time, left his sheltered position to administer aid to his comrades. Despite grenades exploding around him, he provided expert care to each wounded soldier and supervised the construction of stretchers for their evacuation. Technician Fifth Grade Mungle did not cease his work until every injured man had been treated. Later that day, the company once again endured intense enemy artillery fire, which caused additional casualties and ignited an ammunition stockpile containing a large supply of small arms ammunition, mortar shells, and grenades. Seeing a man incapacitated by wounds lying only a few feet from the burning munitions, Technician Fifth Grade Mungle exposed himself once more to heavy enemy fire and extinguished the flames. He then moved from one man to the next, providing aid and organizing the evacuation of each. Finally, due to exhaustion and shock, it became necessary to order him—against his will—to move to the rear for medical assistance. Technician Fifth Grade Mungle’s exceptional dedication to duty, medical skill, and extraordinary courage exemplify the highest traditions of the United States Army Medical Department.
His Life After the War
Although the war continued for many more months and involved numerous bloody battles for the men of the 361st, J. Mungle managed to survive and returned home to Oklahoma, where he resumed his work on the family farm in the town of Atoka. There, he specialized in dairy cattle breeding, excelling in the selection of the English Guernsey breed, and earned national recognition in the field of epigenetics. His bull, ‘Sabian Saturn,’ was crowned National All-American Champion in 1963-64.
Mungle passed away on September 1, 1993, in Atoka, Oklahoma, at the age of 70. He is buried in Westview Cemetery in Atoka.
The Family Donates Mungle’s Personal Belongings to MuGot
In a gesture of great significance, Mungle’s family donated several of his personal belongings to the Museo Gotica Toscana (MuGot), including his identification tag—which had been returned to the family after its recovery—and the three medals he received for his service.
Today, these artifacts are displayed at MuGot to honor the memory of Juvin Mungle, who fought on our mountains, serving with honor in the cause of Freedom.
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