1st Battalion 22nd Infantry
Soldier Profile: William J. Gervasio
Company A 1st Battalion 22nd Infantry
1941-1944
William J. Gervasio is
second from the left.
Date and location unknown.
Courtesy of John Gervasio, son of William Gervasio
Article from The Herald Statesman Yonkers, N.Y., Friday, March 23, 1945
Courtesy of Julien Woestyn
William J. Gervasio
sitting in front center.
Date and location unknown but believed to have been taken after
his liberation
from Stalag IIIc and while on his journey home.
Courtesy of John Gervasio, son of William Gervasio
Photo from the New York Times showing liberated prisoners from Stalag IIIc.
Courtesy of John Gervasio, son of William Gervasio
Article from the New York Times about liberated prisoners from Stalag IIIc.
Courtesy of John Gervasio, son of William Gervasio
April 21, 1945 Yonkers,
New York - American former prisoners of war meet with local
official.
William J. Gervasio is second from the right.
Courtesy of John Gervasio, son of William Gervasio
Luba and William
"Bill" Gervasio in their wedding portrait 1945.
Bill is wearing his uniform with 4th Infantry Division insignia
on
his left shoulder sleeve and 22nd Infantry insignia on his coat
lapel.
Courtesy of John Gervasio, son of William Gervasio
Bill and Luba Gervasio in their later years.
Courtesy of John Gervasio, son of William Gervasio
Article courtesy of John Gervasio, son of William Gervasio
William Joseph (Bill) Gervasio,
89, of Danbury, husband of Luba Gervasio, passed away surrounded
by his loving family
on Tuesday July 4, 2006, at his home.
Born in Yonkers, N.Y. on August
13, 1916, he was the son of the late Edward and Helen Gervasio.
He had been a longtime
Yonkers resident before moving to Danbury in 1969. In his youth,
Bill was an avid skater, bowler, golfer and fisherman
and enjoyed spending time with his family and friends.
Bill was a World War II veteran, having proudly served as
Sergeant in the U.S. Army, Infantry 22, Fourth Division.
He fought on Utah Beach during the D-Day Invasion and was later
held captive in several German POW camps.
He received the Bronze Star for heroism, the Combat Infantry
Badge and The Purple Heart. Upon his arrival home,
he married Luba Duda in 1945.
In 1954, Bill began his career as a railroad conductor on the
Brewster to NYC Penn Central line. He enjoyed telling his family
stories about the many commuters who became his friends over the
27 years of his employment. He was a member of the
National 4th Infantry Division Association, Catholic War Veterans
Post 1042-CT, AARP, St. Gregory's Seniors, The Holy Name
Society and was a volunteer for the Danbury Police Athletic
League.
In addition to his wife, Luba of 61 years, Bill is survived by
his two sons, William J. Gervasio Jr. and his wife, Eleanor, of
Ormond Beach, Fla., and John Gervasio and his wife, Sally, of
Wallingford; his daughter, Carolyn Reifers and her husband,
Mark of Wilton; a brother, Edward Gervase of Ormond Beach, Fla.;
six grandchildren, six great-grandchildren;
three nieces and one nephew.
His strong work ethic, love of God, country and family will be
remembered and cherished by all who knew him.
Bill's family welcomes you to share in the celebration of his
life at a Mass of Christian Burial on Saturday July 8, 2006
at 10:00 a.m. at St. Gregory the Great Church, 85 Great Plain
Road, Danbury. Burial with military honors at St. Peter's
Cemetery
on Lake Avenue Extension, Danbury, will imediately follow the
Mass.
Obituary from the Find A Grave website
Grave marker for William J. Gervasio
Photo by Linda Burton Kochanov from the Find A Grave website
Grave monument for William J. Gervasio and Luba D. Gervasio
Photo by Linda Burton Kochanov from the Find A Grave website
Above: Certificate for the award of the Bronze Star Medal to William J. Gervasio
Courtesy of John Gervasio, son of William Gervasio
Decorations for Sergeant William J. Gervasio
Top: Combat Infantryman Badge
Center left to right:
Bronze Star Medal, Purple Heart, Prisoner of War Medal, Good
Conduct Medal,
American Defense Medal, American Campaign Medal, European-African-Middle
Eastern Campaign Medal
with arrowhead and two bronze service stars, World War II Victory
Medal, State of New York Conspicuous
Service Cross
Bottom: Presidential Unit Citation
(Note: It could not be
confirmed if William Gervasio ever applied for the State of New
York Conspicuous Service Cross.
This decoration has been added to the above graphic by the
website editor because he meets the eligibility
requirements for this award.)
To view photos of William J.
Gervasio with the 22nd Infantry click on the following link
to view his pages in the photo section of the 1st Battalion 22nd
Infantry website:
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