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John L. Guercio was born in Vandergrift on May 12, 1936. He was born to his mother Betty Younkins and his father who passed away when John was months old. After finishing his junior year of high school, John had just turned 17 that May, when on June 22, 195 he enlisted in the United States Army in Pittsburgh; in order for him to join his mother had to sign a paper allowing him to enlist. He was first stationed in Kentucky before being sent overseas to Germany where he attended combat engineering school. Staying in Germany was for a short time as he spent most of his three years of active service in France. While in France John jumped out of planes, earning his wings, until getting injured in which he was transferred from the airborne to the regular army. After being transferred he was sent to 97th Engineer Battalion, Company B where he managed all the of the ammunition in Europe and maintained the buildings the ammo was stored in; the ammo was stored there in case of a war breakout or any military action in Europe. His company was like a nomad engineering co., where they would also build barracks for the French Army, put in a pipeline through France, and built an airfield in Metz, France. While overseas John received his GED diploma from Vandergrift High School since he did not attend his senior year of high school. Although he lived in France, John did not live a barracks. He lived in potbelly stove heated, wooden framed tents that slept 6 men. The tents had 6 wall lockers and 6 footlockers at the bottom of each bed where they stored their toiletries. Since John came from the airborne where they were very organized he decided to bring the organization into his tent by painting the interior, and placing wooden slats with each man’s name painted on to help keep their things organized. Their tent was so nice that their commanding officer even said it was the nicest. He ended his military duty with the rank of Specialist V equivalent to a Staff Sergeant. His active service ended June 2, 1956 but, did not end there as he spent five years in the inactive reserves. This means he was on on record and could be called back into active service if need be. Shortly after he got out of the army John married Mary Margaret Szalanski and had three kids Mary, John, and Christine. While in the army he received the Expert Rifleman and the Good Conduct awards. John now resides in East Vandergrift with his lovely wife and his kids grown with kids of their own. John said that he really enjoyed being in the army and it prepared him for life. He did things that he might have never done if had not been for the army like going up the Eiffel Tower or being in Lourdes, France for a candlelight procession.
John L. Guercio was born in Vandergrift on May 12, 1936. He was born to his mother Betty Younkins and his father who passed away when John was months old. After finishing his junior year of high school, John had just turned 17 that May, when on June 22, 195 he enlisted in the United States Army in Pittsburgh; in order for him to join his mother had to sign a paper allowing him to enlist. He was first stationed in Kentucky before being sent overseas to Germany where he attended combat engineering school. Staying in Germany was for a short time as he spent most of his three years of active service in France. While in France John jumped out of planes, earning his wings, until getting injured in which he was transferred from the airborne to the regular army. After being transferred he was sent to 97th Engineer Battalion, Company B where he managed all the of the ammunition in Europe and maintained the buildings the ammo was stored in; the ammo was stored there in case of a war breakout or any military action in Europe. His company was like a nomad engineering co., where they would also build barracks for the French Army, put in a pipeline through France, and built an airfield in Metz, France. While overseas John received his GED diploma from Vandergrift High School since he did not attend his senior year of high school. Although he lived in France, John did not live a barracks. He lived in potbelly stove heated, wooden framed tents that slept 6 men. The tents had 6 wall lockers and 6 footlockers at the bottom of each bed where they stored their toiletries. Since John came from the airborne where they were very organized he decided to bring the organization into his tent by painting the interior, and placing wooden slats with each man’s name painted on to help keep their things organized. Their tent was so nice that their commanding officer even said it was the nicest. He ended his military duty with the rank of Specialist V equivalent to a Staff Sergeant. His active service ended June 2, 1956 but, did not end there as he spent five years in the inactive reserves. This means he was on on record and could be called back into active service if need be. Shortly after he got out of the army John married Mary Margaret Szalanski and had three kids Mary, John, and Christine. While in the army he received the Expert Rifleman and the Good Conduct awards. John now resides in East Vandergrift with his lovely wife and his kids grown with kids of their own. John said that he really enjoyed being in the army and it prepared him for life. He did things that he might have never done if had not been for the army like going up the Eiffel Tower or being in Lourdes, France for a candlelight procession.
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