U - Uncle Jay

Uncle Jay 

1922-2003

This is a picture of my husband's Uncle Jay, who was a brave soldier in World War II. My husband has always been fascinated by his uncle's heroic deeds and wanted to know more about them. He said that his dad and Uncle Jay used to talk for hours about their experiences during the war, but only with each other. As a boy, my husband was very curious and would hide behind the stairs to listen to their shocking stories.

The military records housed at the National Archives can be unreliable and incomplete. Unfortunately, many records were destroyed in a fire that took place in St. Louis, MO in 1973. This fire led to the loss of over 80 percent of Army personnel records from 1912 to 1960, as well as roughly half of the Air Force records. This loss had a significant impact on millions of people across the country, and the staff at NPRC still grapple with the aftermath of this disaster daily.

It was a difficult task to locate Uncle Jay's records and some of them might not ever be found. However, I was finally able to tie up some loose ends related to his military career. 

Uncle Jay served in the 82nd Airborne Infantry Division and fought in North Africa, Italy, and was part of the D-Day operation where his division parachuted into Normandy. Later on, he was deployed to the Battle of the Bulge and took part in Operation Market Garden in the Netherlands. To add to his already impressive record, Uncle Jay was also part of the liberation of the Neuengamme Concentration Camp on May 2, 1945. My husband recalls the photos of this liberation that Uncle Jay had taken during his time in Europe. These photos had a profound impact on him, even as a young boy who did not fully comprehend the gravity of the situation. And even as adults, can we ever truly understand the horrors of war and the atrocities that were committed?

The 82nd Airborne Division was recognized as a liberating unit by the US Army's Center of Military History and the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in 1991. 

Uncle Jay had four children who have all passed away. However, his nephew still holds a special place for him in his heart, and always will, due to his service to our country. It was a great pleasure to explore Uncle Jay's life, and the sense of accomplishment is truly satisfying.  Although I never knew Uncle Jay, he has managed to find a place in my heart that will stay with me forever. 

I am almost emotional that this part of Uncle Jay's story is now complete as it stands today - I have gathered all the information available to me and now it's up to future generations to discover more.

 Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.

John 15;13