John Fiscus

Ancestors

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Biography

John Fiscus is a Military Veteran.
Served in the United States Army 1943-1951
Served in World War II in five major campaigns in France, Belgium and Germany with the 3rd Armored Division, 36th Armored Infantry as a medic. John was awarded the Bronze Star and Purple Heart. Subsequently served in Korea as part of the 439th Engineers. He was honorably discharged on 30 Aug 1951.^[1]

John graciously provided his own biography sometime before his first wife Ruth's death in 1976 (it has been lightly edited for readability):

I was born Johnnie Albert Fiscus on 15 Oct 1923 -- my father's birthday -- on a farm northeast of Urbana, Champaign County, Illinois. I am the first son and third child of Lillie Irene (Courson) and Frank Fiscus.

Our family moved to Paxton, Patton Township, Ford County, Illinois (27 miles north of Urbana) in Ford County around 1927.^[2][3] I attended the Paxton grade and high schools, and as a small boy became a member of the Presbyterian Church there. The family lived in Paxton 19 years, and after my mother's death in 1941, my father moved to his present address in Champaign.

I left high school in 1941 and was drafted in the Army in 1943^[4][5]; therefore, not completing my high school education. My service record is as follows:

• Entered 19 Apr 1943 and received Basic Training at Camp Grant, Illinois.
• Served in five major campigns in France, Belgium and Germany with the 3rd Armored Division, 36th Armored Infantry Regiment.
• Was awarded the Bronze Star for meritorious service, and the Purple Heart.
• After 22 months, returned home.
• Honorably discharged on 9 Dec 1945.
  

As a reservist in the Armed Forces after World War II, I was recalled for active duty during the Korean conflict where I also served in the Army, entering 9 Nov 1950. I served with the 439th Engineers in Korea, and was Honorably Discharged on 30 Aug 1951.

On 30 Mar 1952, I married Ruth Lucille Patterson, daughter of Albert and Iva (Houston) Patterson in the First Methodist Church of Champaign. She was a local girl, having been born and raised in this community. She also received her education here and at the time of our marriage was emplyed as secretary in a local brokerage office.

We have spent our 15 years of married life in and around this area. The first 2 years we spent tennant farming. Although I enjoyed many of the aspets of farming, I was not entirely satisfied. I took the GED tests offered by the University of Illinois in 1954 and passed them, therfore entitling me to a high school diploma.

John and Ruth never had children of their own, but he was an ever-present and loving uncle to his nieces and nephews. After Ruth's death in 1976, he married again in 1979 to Kay Hunter, and through that marriage officially became a grandpa to Kay's many grandchildren. They had a long and happy marriage for the next 35 years until his death in 2014. He is buried in Grandview Memorial Gardens in Champaign, Illinois.^[6]

Sources

1. ↑ The News-Gazette, Champaign, Illinois. Obituary for John Fiscus; published on 30 Dec 2014 : accessed on 2 Jan 2015 by J. Ricketts
2. ↑ "United States Census, 1930," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XSY8-CKY : accessed 15 August 2015), John Fiscus in household of Frank Fiscus, Patton, Ford, Illinois, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) 0015, sheet 7A, family 199, line 14, NARA microfilm publication T626 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 2002), roll 515; FHL microfilm 2,340,250.
3. ↑ "United States Census, 1940," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KW4B-VXP : accessed 16 August 2015), John Fiscus in household of Frank Fiscus, Paxton, Patton Township, Ford, Illinois, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) 27-14, sheet 13B, family 335, NARA digital publication T627 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 2012), roll 802.
4. ↑ Electronic Army Serial Number Merged File, ca. 1938 - 1946 (Enlistment Records). World War II Army Enlistment Records, created 6/1/2002 - 9/30/2002, documenting the period ca. 1938 - 1946. - Record Group 64. Record for John A. Fiscus.
5. ↑ "United States World War II Army Enlistment Records, 1938-1946," index, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/K8YT-TTN : accessed 06 Oct 2013), John A Fiscus, 29 Apr 1943.
6. ↑ Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com : accessed 13 May 2020), memorial page for John Fiscus (15 Oct 1923–28 Dec 2014), Find a Grave Memorial no. 140643217, citing Grandview Memorial Gardens, Champaign, Champaign County, Illinois, USA ; Maintained by Bob & Nancy Cannon (contributor 46739623).