Catie Keogh - Irish American News

August 2011 Irish American News “We’ve Always Been Green!” 19He Was One of Those Kids...He was one of those kids thatyears later you say “Oh, yeah! Nicequiet kid. Never did much.”John P. Fardy was the son ofChicago Fireman Martin Fardy andhousewife Mary Fardy and lived inSt. Clothilde Parish at 8144 SouthCalumet Avenue (Telephone Radcliffe5771) John Fardy attendedLeo High School, then conductedby the Irish Christian Brothers andlike nearly all of his classmateswas an Irish American Kid.He was less than an exceptionalstudent. His 1940 Class Rankwas 138 out of 184 with an averagecumulative percentage score(contemporary method) of 77%.However, John Fardy was learningto be a hero—one of America’sSaints—Congressional Medal ofHonor recipient.John Fardy was not a schoolathlete and played on no teams.His only activity listed on hissenior page is Public Speaking.After Leo, “He took a course intyping at the Fox Secretarial Collegethe same year and entered theIllinois Institute of Technologythe following year. He majored inmechanical engineering but leftafter the first year. He had beendoing time study work previously,so he went to work at the CornellForge Company as a time studyman and draftsman.” Then camemilitary service - America wasattacked by Japan.Inducted into the Marine Corpson May 8, 1943, he went throughrecruit training at the MarineCorps Recruit Depot, San Diego,California, upon completion ofwhich he was assigned to theJapanese Language School at hisown request. He was promoted toprivate first class in July, about twoweeks before the start of school.After one month of attendance atthe language school at Camp Elliott,San Diego, PFC Fardy wastransferred to the Infantry Battalionwhere he was trained as anautomatic rifleman.Private First Class Fardy joinedthe 29th Replacement Battalionshortly before the unit left theUnited States on October 28, 1943.He journeyed to Nouméa, NewCaledonia, and was reassigned tothe 27th Replacement Battalion,which was leaving to join the 1stMarine Division.Attached to Company C, 1stBattalion, 1st Marines upon hisarrival at Goodenough Island,D’Entrecasteaux Islands, early inDecember 1943, PFC Fardy leftwith that unit about a week laterfor Nascing, Alatu, New Guinea.The stay there was a short one also,for the 1st Marines left Finschaffenon Christmas Day 1943, for theirDecember 26 landing on enemyheldCape Gloucester, New Britain.Within two months of the time heleft his home shores, the formerdraftsman was involved in a battlefor an enemy airdrome on an islandrarely heard of before.Following the Cape Gloucesteroperation, and the return of the1st Marine Division to the RussellIslands for over three months training,the division left for Peleliu.After practice landings at Guadalcanal,the division landed on thecoral-studded, shadeless Peleliu.PFC Fardy participated in thecapture of the airport and the attackon the coral hills overlookingit before returning to the RussellIslands with his regiment in earlyOctober.Promoted to Corporal on December21, 1944, the veteran of twocampaigns became a squad leaderas the reorganized division startedtraining for the next operation. Thetraining ashore ended in Februaryand the Marines embarked aboardthe ships that took them for practicelandings at Baniki (RussellIslands), Guadalcanal, and UlithiAtoll in the Caroline Islands. Thelanding on Okinawa occurred onEaster Sunday, April 1, 1945 andthe division’s sweep across theisland up to the northern tip wasaccomplished with comparativeease. Later, Marines were movedsouth to help hard-pressed Armytroops.It was on May 6, 1945 whenCompany C was advancing againsta strongly fortified, fanaticallydefendedJapanese position thatCpl Fardy’s squad was suddenlybrought under heavy small-armsfire. Cpl Fardy temporarily deployedhis men along a convenientdrainage ditch. Shortly afterwards,an enemy hand grenade landedin the ditch, falling among thepinned-down Marines. Instantly,the 21-year-old corporal flunghimself upon the grenade andabsorbed the exploding chargewith his own body. Taken to afield hospital, Cpl Fardy died thenext day.The Medal of Honor was presentedto Corporal Fardy’s parentsat ceremonies conducted by theMarine Corps League in Chicago,September 15, 1946.Re-interment services for CplFardy, with military honors by theChicago Detachment of the MarineCorps League, were held onApril 7, 1949, at Holy SepulcherCemetery.Author and University of NorthDakota (Fargo) professor of psychologyTerrence Barrett contactedLeo High School about his forthcomingbook—a study of Marinerecipients of the CongressionalMedal of Honor. Cpl. John Fardy’svalor is focused in Dr. Barrett’sstudy. Not only that, Dr. Barrettsuggested that Cpl. Fardy’s gravemarker be upgraded and replaced.The current marker makes no mentionof Cpl. John Fardy’s Medal ofHonor. Thanks to the efforts of Dr.Terry Barrett, The Alumni Associationis fixing that and on August 8at 10am at Holy Sepulcher Cemeteryin Chicago, we are having arededication ceremony with thenewly engraved headstone thatshows the Medal of Honor Badgeand the words “Medal of Honor.”Medal ofHonor CitationThe President of the UnitedStates takes pride in presentingthe MEDAL OF HONOR posthumouslytoCORPORAL JOHN P. FARDYUNITED STATES MARINE CORPSfor service as set forth in thefollowing CITATION:For conspicuous gallantry andintrepidity at the risk of his lifeabove and beyond the call of dutyas a Squad Leader, serving withCompany C, First Battalion, FirstMarines, First Marine Division, inaction against enemy Japanese forceson Okinawa Shima in the RyukyuIslands, 7 May 1945. When his squadwas suddenly assailed by extremelyheavy small-arms fire from the frontduring a determined advance againststrongly fortified, fiercely defendedJapanese positions, Corporal Fardytemporarily deployed his men along anear-by drainage ditch. Shortly thereafter,an enemy grenade fell amongthe Marines in theditch. Instantlythrowing himselfupon the deadlymissile, CorporalFardy absorbedthe exploding blastin his own body,thereby protectinghis comrades fromcertain and perhapsfatal injuries. Concerned solelyfor the welfare of his men, he willinglyrelinquished his own hope of survivalthat his fellow Marines might live tocarry on the fight against a fanaticenemy. A stouthearted leader andindomitable fighter, Corporal Fardy,by his prompt decision and resolutespirit of self-sacrifice in the face ofcertain death, had rendered valiantservice, and his conduct throughoutreflects the highest credit uponhimself and the United States NavalService. He gallantly gave his life forhis country.The Leo Alumni was contacted bya Marine and professional psychologistTerrence Barrett of University ofNorth Dakota at Fargo. Mr. Barrettis writing a book on Valor and JohnFardy is a key focus among otherCMH Marines.The Leo High School AlumsVietnam Hero Jim Furlong and thebrother of fallen Chicago PoliceOfficer/Marine and Leo Man EricLee, Mr. Mark Lee, are heading upa search for any relatives of Cpl.John Fardy.On August 8, 2011, at 10:00am,The Leo Alumni, an honor guardof The U.S. Marine Corps, MarineCorps League Detachment 73, andMarine Corps League Detachment553, members of Cpl. Fardy’s familyand officials of the CongressionalMedal of Honor Foundation willplace a new and more appropriategrave marker for this fallen Americanhero.Call Pat Hickey at Leo HighSchool for more information – (773)224-9600.Young musicians come together to play Irish Music...and have a great time too!The Academy of Irish Music students meet once a week at the Irish-AmericanHeritage Center in Chicago. Students are divided into beginner, intermediate, andsenior groups based on ability and experience. The children come from all overthe the Metropolitan area. Most of them participate in school bands andorchestras; many are Suzuki trained. These kids enjoy playing Irish music andmaking new friends.GROUP LESSONS & PRIVATE CLASSESFlute | Whistle | Bodhran |Fiddle | Viola |CelloFor more information contact: Noel Rice, Director(847) 564-1338 • nrice@interaccess.comwww.academyofirishmusic.orgat the Irish American Heritage Center |4626 North Knox Ave., Chicago,IL