A little something that my father James J. McGrath wrote about his father, my grandfather, whom I never met. Thought it would be appropriate to post on Veterans day...Thanks Penni June JAMES ALOYSIUS MCGRATH - James was born in Brooklyn, New York on 19 Oct 1908 to Patrick McGrath and Ellen Malony, who were born in Ennis and Agoon Tulla respectively in Clare, Ireland. He had an older sister Catherine McGrath VanNostrand and a younger brother John (Jay). He was the oldest brother and protective of the family according to Jay. He never graduated High School. I believe he graduated 14 Holy Martyrs Grammar School. He married Anna Marie Katen on 13 July 1931 in Valley Stream, New York even though they were residents of Brooklyn and lived at 115 Logan St. At some time the family moved to an apartment on Green Avenue and then to Menahan St, with Anna’s parents Charles Says Katen and Angelina Bauer Schmidt Katen. Thereafter , they moved to 78 Covert St with James’ Parents. He had two sons, James John, born on 19 Feb 1937 and Richard William, born on 18 July 1940 in Brooklyn. James sr was an accountant who was employed at Laird, Bissell & Meeds of 120 Broadway, NY, NY. World War 2 broke out with the sneak attack on Pearl Harbor on 7 Dec 1941 and turned a pacifist nation into a patriotic nation. James tried to enlist but was turned down a number of times. Eventually he succeeded and signed up 11 Jan 1944 and entered active service on 1 Feb 1944. At the time he was 36 and had a wife and two children. It was a different time. Men who were not in uniform were looked at in a very negative way. Patriotism was at its height and everyone had a relative in the service. Little flags were placed in the windows to represent a son, daughter or husband in the service. The flags were everywhere and there were many that were gold in honor of fallen loved ones. It was a different time. The Army sent him to Fort Dix and then to Fort Blanding, Florida on 18 February 1944 for basic training . His first eight weeks ended about 15 Apr 1944. He then went into the second 8 weeks of basic that ended 19 June 1944. He came home for leave on 23 or 24 of June. His next assignment was to report to Fort Meade, Maryland to get ready to go overseas. He sailed to Europe on about 30 July 1944 and arrived in Italy 14 Aug 1944 somewhere near Firenze (Florence) in the Appinnines. His letter hinted at that when he called himself “Mountain Jimmy”. The Appinnines is a mountain chain that extends the length of Italy but goes in an East West direction in the area of the fighting. It is notable in this area for an Livergano Escarpment that had to be scaled to reach the German defensive lines. At this time of the year there was much rain and mud and often the only means of transport was mules. By 3 Sept 1944 he was sent to a 5th Army Replacement Center for assignment to the front. In the interim, he was able to visit Rome and Naples. He was a Private ASN 42065206 and he was assigned to Company C 361st Infantry Regiment of the 5th Army II Corps. He died from Mortar fire while on guard duty in Livergnano on 24 Oct 1944 and was interred at Pietramala, Italy. His cause of death is listed as “WIA-Pen W. in chest”. At the time of his death his assigned unit was approaching Pianora just south of Bologna. However, he may have been with another unit, 363rd Infantry, as he was not on the roster of the 361st and was buried between two casualties of the 363rd Infantry Regiment. Ironically, six days after his death on the Gothic Line(Green Line) the Winter offensive was suspended till Spring. After the war he was brought back to the USA and reinterred at the Long Island National Cemetery at Farmingdale, NY on 15 June 1949 where he rests today. His descendants include his two sons James and Richard, a granddaughter Laura Jean McGrath VonKampen, a Great-grandaughter Kathryn Joanna VonKampen, Great-grandsons Peter James and Trevor John VonKampen, a grandson James Patrick McGrath, a Great-grandson Hunter James McGrath, a granddaughter Susan McGrath LoGuidice, , and Great-grandaughters Vienna and Tierra LoGuidice and a grandson Michael McGrath. He came from a time of patriotism, when it was needed, and that time no longer exists.
Posted on: Tue, 11 Nov 2014 14:12:46 +0000
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