Downs, John Jr.

Description

John Downs Jr.

John Downs was born on April 19, 1921, in Airdrie, Lanarkshire, Scotland, to Annie Taylor Hamilton, age 29, and John Downs, age 34. In Rye his family lived at 55 Meadow Place. John was raised by his father John Sr., his mother Anne, and his older sister Margaret. John’s father had a high school education, and worked as a butcher. John’s mother had a high school education, and was a homemaker.

John was a proud member of the Rye High School class of 1938. In high school, John was a 3 sport athlete, consisting of football, baseball, and basketball. John would find time to actively participate in the ping-pong club, and athletic club.

After high school, John took up a job as a handyman, he enlisted in 1942 and served in the U.S. Army during World War II.

John served his country in WWII as a First Lieutenant, with the 2759th Army Engineer Combat Battalion(Pictures). The unit supported the 7th Army in fighting in France and Germany.

On the attack or on the defense, engineers led the way!
During World War II, U.S. Army combat engineers were at the spearhead of fighting in all theaters, whether the battlefield was North Africa’s desert sands, Normandy’s fire-swept Omaha Beach, the Ardennes’ snowclad forest, or the Pacific’s jungle-covered islands.

The 700 engineer battalions mobilized during the war repeatedly proved to be vital components to Allied victory on all fronts. Both on the attack and on the defense, engineers led the way. During John’s military career, he had obtained the rank of First lieutenant.

Following the war John married the love of his life, Margaret Johnson in 1947. They would have two children.

John put in 30 years of exceptional work at Combustion Engineering Inc. in Windsor CT. John and his wife moved to Irvine CA, where John would put in 12 more years working for Fluor Constructors, Inc. of Irvine.

John retired, and enjoyed a peaceful life until he passed away on September 7, 1991. At the time he was survived by his wife, Margaret, and his 2 sons, John and James.