Posts

Willibold A. Stefan

Image
Branch: ARMY Service Number: 32267190 Rank: Private Unit: 36th Infantry Div, 141st Infantry Reg, Co. “L”    Willibold Adolph Stefan, “Willy” was born on March 19th, 1913 to parents Adam and Marie Stefan in Neumarkt, Czechoslovakia, now known as Úterý, Czechia. This town is located 60 miles east of the city of Prague. Willy was the eldest child of the family. Josef “Joe” was born in 1915, Johann “John” in 1920, and Rudolf “Rudy” the next year. While in Czechoslovakia, Willibold would attend school up to end of 8th grade. Former Stefan residence 132 Baird Avenue, Mt. Ephraim, NJ. Adam Stefan emigrated to the United States in November of 1923. His sister, Marie (Stefan) Biederman had moved to America with her husband in 1913. Adam would find long-time employment at the Hinde & Dauch Paper Company at 5th and Jersey Avenues in Gloucester City. He was able to purchase a house at 132 Baird Avenue in Mount Ephraim.  On the evening of February 26, 1930, Adam was visiting

George J. Ocavage

Image
Branch: Army Air Force Service Number: 32077440 Rank: Staff Sergeant Unit: 14 th  Air Force, 308 th  Bombardment Group, 425 th  Bombardment Squadron  George John Ocavage was born on March 2, 1919 in New Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He was the youngest child of Lithuanian immigrants John and Margaret  (Juodzius) Ocavage . His parents had a total of 14 children, but sadly five had perished at a very young age. George had several sisters (Helen, Mary, Margaret, Agnes, Frances, Marcella, and Anna) and a brother, Anthony. The family lived at 6 Wiggan Street in  New Philadelphia, located  approximately 70 miles northwest of Philadelphia. This was  a small coal-mining community located in Schuylkill County. Most of the town residents at that time were also of Lithuanian descent. His father was employed as a miner at the nearby Silver Creek Coal Mine. John passed at the age of 55, due to lung and kidney disease just prior to George's second birthday.   The Ocavage child