PFC John Jukas 117th Inf Reg 30 Inf Div Old Hickory

Joel Jukus · May 29, 2017

LRusso216 said: ↑

I think this is his draft card.
View attachment 26945

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It's interesting that he signed it with "as" and the 1940's census that way. In the 1930 census, it was listed as Gukas which is also strange. I will call my grandfather tomorrow and ask what the deal is. I remember I asked him when I was quite young why his brother's name was spelled that way on the military items and he said it was listed incorrectly or something to that effect. It is funny because you will never find another mention of any of his siblings having the last name Jukas after that 1940 census. His older sister Frances born in 1923 Kaska, PA died at 85 in 2008. The obituary listed her as Frances (Jukus) Urbanowicz, daughter of John and Frances Jukus. It lists all of her siblings including John Jukus (it states he died in WW2
) and Bernie Kozla who was mentioned as a grandmother of a previous poster on this forum. Frances was my father's aunt and lived in the town next where I grew up in New Jersey. Here is a link to her obituary: Frances Urbanowicz's Obituary on MyCentralJersey

As I mentioned, John's younger brother Raymond Jukus passed this year and his obituary lists my grandfather Leonard, Norman, and Jean as his living siblings. All of them are John's siblings. Raymond Jukus, Saint Petersburg | Florida USA Obituaries

Also, if you check out this page on familysearch, you will see all of Frances' siblings listed (sisters with their married names) and all her brothers as "Jukus" including both her older brother John and her father John. All of the siblings match the 1940 census. Frances Jukus Urbanowicz, "United States, GenealogyBank Obituaries, 1980-2014"

Joel Jukus · May 29, 2017

KodiakBeer said: ↑

Welcome to the forum, Joel!

To give you some perspective on the weeks leading up to January 22nd, the 30th Division (including 117th IR) was in a (somewhat) static position north, dug in across the German border trading artillery, patrols and sporadic fire with German forces also dug in just east of them. When the Germans broke in to the south, in the Ardennes, the 30th (which was a highly regarded and experienced fighting division) was trucked south overnight on the night of 16/17th of December to try and plug the hole created by the German 6th Panzer Army, headed by the infamous 1st Waffen SS Panzer Division, and this they managed to do (along with assorted forces which joined them). There was an incredibly bloody battle along the Ambleve river which thwarted the German spearpoint which was trying to get to the flat country along the Meuse, then on to Antwerp which would have been a disaster for the allies.

The bad terrain and weather in the Ardennes (deep snow, narrow valleys, narrow roads and river crossings) allowed the thin mix of American forces to put up a much better fight than the German plans had counted on, which delayed their advance by several days, and that flatter terrain to the north and west of the penetration allowed the allies to move countering forces much faster than the Germans slugging their way through the hills. At any rate, by the time the Germans had slugged their way through that thinly defended hill country, they now faced a new wall of fresh American divisions, still blocking their way to the Meuse.

The 117th was in place in and around Stavelot, the main bridge across the Ambleve river, while 119th and 120th IRs were flanking that center as far east (or NE) as Malmedy, and west along the Ambleve. In the next day or so, collections of miscellaneous armor were thrown together as Task Forces which began hitting the Germans everywhere they had penetrated north of the Ambleve and in country they tried to bypass in the east toward Malmedy.

That was the end of the battle for the 6th Panzer Army, though the other wing (the 5th Panzer Army) continued to try and break through to the south (Bastogne).

When the German advance was completely broken, the American army was left with the task of pushing the Germans back to the lines they had held prior to the attack. For the 30th Division this was remembered as the most miserable period of the war. Their task was to advance as far as Saint Vith. For some reason, they had never been issued winter clothing and yet they had to advance through many miles of deep snow, and each good piece of defensive terrain, each little village of stone houses, each overlooking hill, was defended by a German rear guard with a few mortars, a 75, a 20mm gun, flanked with a platoon or company soldiers. It was miserable fighting. Men lost hands and feet to frostbite. Men died of hypothermia each night. Few dead comrades were carried back to the Battalion, their bodies bodies just marked in the snow with an upright rifle with a helmet on top. Recht and Rodt were just milestones in that push. Even the date maybe incorrect - January 22nd might just be the date he was recovered by the graves registration people.
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Thank you for the information. Sounds brutal. Next time I vist my grandfather, I will see if I can take a picture of the flag and medals.

Joel Jukus · Jul 31, 2017

I just visted my grandfather. Here is a picture of John Jukas' purple heart, bronze star, the letter from the federal government to his mother explaining why he was awarded the bronze star and some pictures of him in uniform

John Jukas medals by Joel Jukus posted Jul 31, 2017 at 3:22 PM

John Jukas letter by Joel Jukus posted Jul 31, 2017 at 3:22 PM

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Joel Jukus · Jul 31, 2017

The letter states he received the bronze star for actions on November 19th, 1944 in Germany but some notes written by a family member in the box that contained his bronze star say he died Jan 22, 1945. He received the star for actions prior to his death. The notes also state that he was 117th infantry 30th division and buried at Henri Chapelle Belgium

Joel Jukus · Aug 3, 2017

John Jukas 117th inf 30 div by Joel Jukus posted Aug 3, 2017 at 9:13 AM

John Jukas 117th inf 30 Div by Joel Jukus posted Aug 3, 2017 at 9:13 AM

KodiakBeer said: ↑

Then he almost certainly died taking Rodt, Belgium. That is the only action listed for the 2nd Battalion that day.

Here is a photo of E Company at Rodt - it's protected or something so that I can't link the picture directly: http://www.wwiiarchives.net/servlet...0;jsessionid=72B751B84BA88D04CF32158931F4D8FF
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KodiakBeer said: ↑

Then he almost certainly died taking Rodt, Belgium. That is the only action listed for the 2nd Battalion that day.

Here is a photo of E Company at Rodt - it's protected or something so that I can't link the picture directly: http://www.wwiiarchives.net/servlet...0;jsessionid=72B751B84BA88D04CF32158931F4D8FF
Click to expand...

Joel Jukus · Aug 3, 2017

John Jukas purplr heart letter by Joel Jukus posted Aug 3, 2017 at 9:13 AM

John Jukas purple heart by Joel Jukus posted Aug 3, 2017 at 9:13 AM

John Jukas bronze star by Joel Jukus posted Aug 3, 2017 at 9:13 AM

Indy Tim · Feb 1, 2023

KodiakBeer said: ↑

Welcome to the forum, Joel!

To give you some perspective on the weeks leading up to January 22nd, the 30th Division (including 117th IR) was in a (somewhat) static position north, dug in across the German border trading artillery, patrols and sporadic fire with German forces also dug in just east of them. When the Germans broke in to the south, in the Ardennes, the 30th (which was a highly regarded and experienced fighting division) was trucked south overnight on the night of 16/17th of December to try and plug the hole created by the German 6th Panzer Army, headed by the infamous 1st Waffen SS Panzer Division, and this they managed to do (along with assorted forces which joined them). There was an incredibly bloody battle along the Ambleve river which thwarted the German spearpoint which was trying to get to the flat country along the Meuse, then on to Antwerp which would have been a disaster for the allies.

The bad terrain and weather in the Ardennes (deep snow, narrow valleys, narrow roads and river crossings) allowed the thin mix of American forces to put up a much better fight than the German plans had counted on, which delayed their advance by several days, and that flatter terrain to the north and west of the penetration allowed the allies to move countering forces much faster than the Germans slugging their way through the hills. At any rate, by the time the Germans had slugged their way through that thinly defended hill country, they now faced a new wall of fresh American divisions, still blocking their way to the Meuse.

The 117th was in place in and around Stavelot, the main bridge across the Ambleve river, while 119th and 120th IRs were flanking that center as far east (or NE) as Malmedy, and west along the Ambleve. In the next day or so, collections of miscellaneous armor were thrown together as Task Forces which began hitting the Germans everywhere they had penetrated north of the Ambleve and in country they tried to bypass in the east toward Malmedy.

That was the end of the battle for the 6th Panzer Army, though the other wing (the 5th Panzer Army) continued to try and break through to the south (Bastogne).

When the German advance was completely broken, the American army was left with the task of pushing the Germans back to the lines they had held prior to the attack. For the 30th Division this was remembered as the most miserable period of the war. Their task was to advance as far as Saint Vith. For some reason, they had never been issued winter clothing and yet they had to advance through many miles of deep snow, and each good piece of defensive terrain, each little village of stone houses, each overlooking hill, was defended by a German rear guard with a few mortars, a 75, a 20mm gun, flanked with a platoon or company soldiers. It was miserable fighting. Men lost hands and feet to frostbite. Men died of hypothermia each night. Few dead comrades were carried back to the Battalion, their bodies bodies just marked in the snow with an upright rifle with a helmet on top. Recht and Rodt were just milestones in that push. Even the date maybe incorrect - January 22nd might just be the date he was recovered by the graves registration people.
Click to expand...

My Father Robert Childers was in E company of the 117th. He was wounded in Recht on January 22rd 1945. I remember him telling me he got shot through the arm by a sniper. He told his Sargent he had been shot and got a response "There aren't any dam snipers around here", to which he showed him the hole in his arm.

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