John Mirando
John Mirando John Mirando John Mirando was born in East New York, Queens on September 16, 1918. He was the son of John and Jennie (Giordano) Mirando. Before enlisting in the Army he served in the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) from October 1936 through October, 1939 working on projects in Belton, Montana and Reno, Nevada. He enlisted in the Army on December 26, 1939 at Jamaica after briefly residing in Coram. After enlisting, he was assigned to the 580th Coastal Artillery unit at Fort Hancock, New Jersey and was transferred for further training to Camp Polk, Louisiana. On October 9, 1940 his unit was transferred to Taboguilla Island in Panama. He was transferred back to the United States arriving at Camp Stewart, Georgia where he was assigned to the 551st Anti-Aircraft Battery C Battalion. On December 16, 1944 he left for Europe aboard the Queen Mary and arrived in England. On July 26, 1944 his battalion landed in France and saw action in Barnvill-sur-Mer. During the months of August and September the unit advanced East across France approaching the Moselle River in the upper Lorraine Valley. In January and February, 1945 the battalion supported units of the XX Corps and provided anti-aircraft defense for the Moselle River crossings. March, 1945 the unit moved through the Saar Basin in the vicinity of Bad Kreuznachm and was assigned to the Third United States Army under General Patton The battalion saw additional action in the engagements of the Ruhr, Elbe River and the Rhine Valley as well as liberating a concentration camp and investigating Adolf Hitler’s Berlin Bunker. During the war he served as a mechanic and driver for half-tracks and other military equipment John Mirando received the American Defense Service Medal, the American Service Medal and a Good Conduct Medal and was designated an Expert Marksman with the M-1 rifle. He was discharged from the service on October 2, 1945 as a Technician 4th Grade at Fort Dix, New Jersey. Written by
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