Obituary of John V. Pisarick

John V. Pisarick, Sr., 95, of Hamilton passed away on February 22, 2019. He was a lifelong area resident. John was a parishioner of St. Raphael-Holy Angels Parish, and was an usher for over 50 years. He is retired from John A. Roebling and Sons, and Mercer County Community College. He was a member of the Whitehorse Volunteer Fire Department. John loved being with his family, supporting them in all that they do. He enjoyed the beach and the ocean. In his younger years, he enjoyed basketball, bowling, softball, and boxing. He was a member of SACO (Sino-American Cooperative Organization - saconavy.net). He was also a member of the Armed Guard and the Hump Pilot Association. He is a recipient of the Distinguished Service Medal. He is also a recipient of the SACO Service Medal awarded by the Republic of China, and many other honorable awards. Son of the late John and Mary (Gelak) Pisarick, husband of the late Mildred (Sikowski) Pisarick, brother of the late Mary Cook. Surviving are his children and spouses Deborah and Dr. Thomas Paglione of Robbinsville, Daire and Craig Goettler esq. of Solbury, PA, and John V. and Kelly Pisarick, Jr., of Hamilton, Grandchildren Erika Dunbar (Parker), Courtney Woodhull (Timothy), Christopher Paglione, and Samantha Pisarick (Fiance Matthew DeGraw), Great Grandchildren Blake Woodhull, Adalynd Dunbar, and Taylor Rhen Woodhull, and his beloved dog Zippy. The funeral will begin at 8:00am on Wednesday February 27, 2019 at Knott's Colonial Funeral Home 2946 South Broad St., Hamilton. Funeral Mass will be celebrated at 9:30am at St. Raphael Church 3500 South Broad St. Interment will be held in Our Lady of Lourdes Cemetery. Relatives and friends may call on Tuesday, February 26, from 5:00pm to 8:00pm at the funeral home. In lieu of flowers the family requests donations to Mercer County Community College Foundation to help establish a memorial scholarship in memory of John V. Pisarick Sr. Please make donation online at www.mccc.edu/give in memory of John V. Pisarick Sr. Or if you prefer to mail your donation payable to MCCC Foundation, indicate in memory of John V. Pisarick Sr. to MCCC Foundation, 1200 Old Trenton Road, West Windsor, NJ 08550 or call 609-570-3607 or email foundation@mccc.edu Luck & Prayers by John V. Pisarick, Gunners Mate First Class War had broken out. I went to enlist with the Trenton gang into the Marines. I was rejected - color blind. While working in the steel plant I was called and drafted for service at Newark, NJ draft board. They told me that I was going into the Marines. I told the officer in charge if I can go Navy, as all my friends are in the Marines, and I failed, hurt me very much. Spent Navy boot camp at was set for us. All unit personnel rec eived dysentery from water we drank from the canals. At camp (which was called No. 7) we lived in a Chinese temple. We were brought to teach Chinese gunnery and arts of war. After teaching Chinese, I volunteered for duty behind Japanese Lines. Leaving Camp No. 7, I marched and hid across Japanese lines into Mayshein, China, which was an American Mission run by Maryknoll Fathers. Maryknoll Fathers: Bishop Ford and Father Donovan had lived at the mission for years. We had intelligence training here. We lived with the Maryknoll household for a number of weeks, until training was over. Thirteen of the Navy men who trained were going out behind Japanese lines to be stationed at different points. Our first couple of days out, Chinese Bandits held us up. We bluffed them telling them more Americans are on the way. We encountered many Japanese who were sleeping at camp and we were going on hands and knees past - while their dogs barked. Pairings were sent one radio man and Navy personal with Interpreter. After two days out, my buddy Rudy Rossomano was captured. Placing men at stations we met U.S. Army Para- Troopers who were here, if the bombs did not work, for the invasion of China. I had enough points and was sent by plane to Kunming. I went back to Bombay and boarded the troop ship General Hodges. This was the ship that was to take me through the Indian Ocean, Arabian Sea, Gulf Newport, Rhode Island. After boot camp was sent to gunnery school at Little Creek, Va. After schooling was sent to pick up Liberty Ship (Colin P. Kelleg). Named after World War Hero Pilot who dove plane into Japanese war ship. My first trip across the Atlantic Ocean from the U.S.A. On board was cargo of tanks and trucks with U.S. Troops. Over to Europe second trip was the same. Stops in Africa, Oran- Casablanca. Trip from first return brought back German and Italian prisoners. Third trip was to Naples, Italy, loaded with troops and 500 lb. bombs. Luck was with me as the same convoy was destroyed in Bari, Italy. All convoys had torpedoing. After coming home was granted a 30 day leave. After leave I was to report back to Little Creek, Va. Then I was assigned to a Small Craft L.S.M. Small crafts were landing barges. I saw a sign for Hazardous Duty Volunteers and I wanted to sign up for duty. Was shipped to Washington, D.C., and was paid to live at the Hotel Ritz while others were reporting. All we did was report every morning to the Navy building to muster, after day was Liberty. We were called together after one week to report to the Pentagon building. In the Pentagon building we were photopictured, fingerprinted for tattoos and other features. Leaving Washington, D.C., we boarded the troops transport (ship General Anderson) with Marines and troops aboard. Leaving Virginia out to sea - going past Cuba, Haiti - through the Caribbean Sea - through the Panama Canal - National Date Line - New Zealand of Edan, Red Sea, Suez Canal, back into the Mediterranean Sea -- into the Atlantic Ocean into New York from New York to the Philadelphia Navy Yard. I received a 30 day leave. After leave I reported to New York for discharge December 24, 1945. 600 planes were lost in the Himalayan Mountains. I was given a one shot pistol (for me). Virginia, U.S.A. to India 37 days at sea. India to U.S.A. 32 days at sea. Convoy sailings to Africa - Italy- Sicily 20 to 25 days. Ships always (were zigzagging) in ocean. Trip was made around the world by sea. Lucky! John V. Pisarick, Gunners Mate First Class U.S. Navy, S.A.C.O. China