“Congratulations, Mr. Augustine. Thank you for your service.”
—Editor of the Civilian Conservation Corps Legacy Journal
“I’m absolutely filled with life and soul. It’s so satisfactory to see…[Mr. Augustine’s] personal service to others.”
—NJ Freeholder Albert Cifelli
My dad lived a simple but charmed life in many ways, in spite of being orphaned at the tender age of six through 18 at St. Joseph’s Hospital Orphanage and St. Michael’s School for Boys in Scranton and Hoban Heights, PA. In the fall of 2013, at the ripe old age of 96, my sister Josephine Mcallister and I had the pleasure of witnessing our dad being recognized for his lifetime achievements by former mayor of Hoboken, Dawn Zimmer, the NJ Board of Chosen Freeholders, chaired by Anthony Romano, and NJ State senator Brian Stack. On April 15, 2014, dad was honored at a Veteran’s Ceremony along with approximately 80 other Vets (and family of Vets that had passed away) in the grand rotunda of the iconic Justice Brennan Courthouse in Jersey City, NJ. He was the oldest living veteran in attendance.
Our dad received two Hudson County Military Service Medals and a Citation Certificate for his many years of service in the US Army. He served as a personal aide to friend and mentor, Army Chaplain, Capt. William Walsh in San Antonio, TX and Walter Reed Army Medical Center in MD, until September 15, 1942, when he was given an Honorable Discharge just before the attack on Pearl Harbor.
The event was a joint effort by Hudson County Executive, Thomas A. DeGise, the Officer of Veteran Affairs, and the Hudson County Board of Chosen Freeholders chaired by Anthony Romano. The medals and Citations denoted the people of Hudson County’s thanks for their service to our nation.
Dad died on December 18, 2017, almost three weeks shy of his 101 birthday. He was one of a kind and will always be remembered. Though he was a conservative, he was very touched after receiving an autographed portrait of the Obama family after reaching 99 years of age.
Back History: In 1935, dad hitchhiked across the country to San Antonio, TX to follow in the footsteps of his brothers Joseph and Anthony Augustine in the Army, where they served in the 23rd Infantry and later the 15th Field Artillery at Fort Sam Houston (Photos).
Postscript: Our nephew Andrew Augustine, has proudly served his country in the United States Air Force for the last 10 years. He is currently an F-15 Crew Chief stationed in Okinawa, Japan with his lovely wife Kaylyn, a former Airman in the US Air Force now working in the private sector (Photo). Our late cousin, Nicholas Girone was a US navy veteran and his son Carmine Girone is a veteran. Finally, my sister Josephine's husband Joseph Mcallister is a Navy Veteran. He was stationed in San Diego, CA and Manilla, Philippines. He took many of the photos at the Veteran’s ceremony.
Thanks dad, for gifting me your medals before you died. I will treasure them forever.
