BlairAndCernyFamilie..

JOHN VINCENT BLAIR
Vince was born Decsnber 27r l9l7 at Illiopolis, Illinois.
He rrprked for a grain company in Calumet City, Illinois
as a grain tester. He also was employed in the spare parts
divislon of Allis-Chalmers Hanufacturing Cornpany in Springffeld,
Illinois. In addition he and his brother, Jerome
farmed with our father.
He entered the army August 27r l94l as a selectee. He went
to Fort Sheridan and from there was sent to a military post
in San Francisco and a little later he was stationed at a
South Pacific base. He was in the 34th. infantry battalion
and Conpany rrcil of which he was a menber was sent deep behind
enefiry lines to block a route which offered the Japanese access
to our flanks. In 28 days of fighting in steady rain they
defeated a program to blow up our artillery, motor pools and
supply dumps which had been outlined in secret orders by
General Imashita found on the body of a dead Jap officer. The
company flushed 15 suicide squads, all of r*rich they dispersed.
Only one man was killed and ten werewounded. As a foot soldier
many times used bayonets and grenades to protect himsel f.
fhile in the army he served in Leyte and |lanila which are in
the Philippinese Nen Guinea in the East Indies and Okinawap the
largest of the Ryukyu Islands in the l{est Paci fic. }l}rile he
was in New Guinea he had to rest and try to sleep many nights
in foxholes for cover in a war area and they were very damp and
sornetimes had water in thern and he often said the mosquitos
$rere as large as a sparrow bird at home. He participated in the
Hollandia, Dutch Neur Guinea campaigns and saw action on Biake
where he served with the Sixth Army. His division was the first
to land in the Philippins on D-Day and served 78 consecutive
days. His regiment was recormended for a Presidential Unit
Ci tation.
In llay of 1945 he was discharged after serving 4l months ov€Fseas
in the Southwest Pacific area and received an Honorable
discharge. He wore five C*npaign Starse the Infantryman Combat
Badgel the Liberation of the Philippine Islands Ribbon, the
Asiatic Pacific Theatre of Operation Ribbon, the National
Defense Ribbon and the Good Conduct l,ledal.