Tiernan, James F.

Description

James F. Tiernan was was born June 5, 1919 in Harrison, NY the son of James and Elizabeth Scanlon Tiernan. He attended the Resurrection School and graduated from Rye High School. Before entering the service in June 1942, he played football on the Harrison Huskies’ team and for the Mamaroneck All Stars. In Rye his family lived at 82 Purchase Street.

James enlisted July 2, 1942 and served in the U.S. Army during World War II. He first took medical training at Camp Pickett, Va., and at the Army War College in Washington, and later transferred to the paratroops, receiving training at Fort Benning, Ga. He served with the 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment of the 82nd Airborne Division during World War II.

The 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment (PIR), nicknamed the “Red Devils,” was an elite airborne unit activated on October 20, 1942, at Camp Blanding, Florida. During World War II, the regiment served as a detached unit attached to the 82nd Airborne Division and participated in three of the European Theater’s most significant operations.

D-Day (Operation Overlord): On June 6, 1944, the 508th jumped into Normandy behind enemy lines. Despite being scattered widely into the flooded Merderet River valley, the “Red Devils” fought for 33 continuous days to secure key river crossings and disrupt German communications. The regiment suffered 1,061 casualties during this campaign.

Operation Market Garden: In September 1944, the regiment participated in the largest airborne assault in history, jumping into the Netherlands. They secured the ground approaches to the vital Nijmegen Bridge and defended a 12,000-yard line against heavy German counter-attacks.

Battle of the Bulge: In December 1944, the 508th was rushed to the Ardennes to counter the German winter offensive. They were instrumental in screening the withdrawal of approximately 20,000 Allied troops from St. Vith and held defensive positions against German Panzer divisions in freezing conditions.

The 508th PIR was awarded the Presidential Unit Citation for their valor during the Normandy campaign on the Cotentin Peninsula. James rose to the rank of sergeant and was honorably discharged December 1, 1945. He was a member of the Military Order of the Purple Heart, for wounds suffered in battle.

He married Miss Helen Baio on Sunday January 20,1946. The Rev. George McGrath officiated at the double ring ceremony in St. Gabriel’s Church, New Rochelle and a reception followed at the Post Lodge in Larchmont.

James was employed as custodian for the New Rochelle School District for 30 years. He was a referee for sporting events in New Rochelle for many years and served as president of the New Rochelle Umpires and Referees Association. The longtime New Rochelle resident was working at Stephenson School when he retired in 1977. In New Rochelle, he was a communicant of St. Gabriel’s Church.

James and his wife, Helen, moved to West Palm Beach, Fla. after his retirement.
He was visiting his son Dennis in New Rochelle at the time of his death.

James F. Tiernan, a custodian for the New Rochelle School District for 30 years, died Monday at New Rochelle Hospital Medical Center. He was 64 years old.

At the time of his death, he was survived by wife and son Dennis, two other sons, James of North Carolina and Steven of South Carolina, and a daughter, U.S. Army Major Sandra Tiernan, who is stationed in Germany.
He is also survived by two brothers, Hugh McGinley of the Bronx and Raymond McGinley of South Salem, and five grandchildren..