Biographies from Troy Military Banners
EDITOR’S NOTE: The following is a weekly series that will appear in print every Sunday until Veterans Day. Each week, five military members featured on a Troy Military Banner will be highlighted.
1. James J. Farley Sr., U.S. Army
James J. Farley Sr. grew up on 3rd Avenue in North Troy. He enrolled into the U. S. Army in April of
1942.
Before being deployed, James, in f ul l milit ary uniform, married Mary
W. McGrady on May 30th
1942. The reception was held in the backyard of their Forest Avenue home on the east side of Troy.
James served in battle in WWII in the Southern Philippines and the Western Pacific.
His military occupations included being an Amphibious Tractor Operator and Tank Driver. He later went on to become a Tech. Sergeant and Tank Mechanic.
His decorations and citations include, American Service Medal, Asiatic Pacific Service Medal w/ Bronze Arrowhead, Good Conduct Medal, Philippines Liberation Ribbon w/ Bronze Star, and Presidential Unit Citation. Upon his Honorable Discharge from the Army, James returned home to Troy in October 1945. It wasn’t until then that he was introduced to his first child, Mary Patricia, who was born after his induction into the Army.
James went on to utilize the driving skills that he learned as a heavy machine operator in the Army and followed his father’s footsteps who was a Trolley Car Conductor for the D&H Railroad, by becoming a Bus Operator for the United Traction Company and later CDTA, where he worked for over 40 years.
James & Mary have 7 children, 18 Grandchildren, 30 great grandchildren, and counting.
James J. Farley Sr’s military banner is proudly displayed just a few blocks from where he grew up, on the #80 Albia/5th Ave. bus route, at 112th St., in front of Jimmy’s Pizzeria, his son James J. Farley Jr.’s establishment
Farley’s banner is located at 475 5th Ave.
2. Anthony “Tony” Buchanan, U.S. Army
Anthony “Tony” Buchanan joined the New York Army National Guard on September 21, 2001. Ten days after 9-11. September 11, 2001 is what made him join the military.
Tony left for basic training in January 2002 to Fort Benning, Georgia for 14 weeks of Infantry training. In May of 2002,
Tony graduated Infantry training.
He reported to his unit
D Co 1-105th
Inf, located at 99 South Lake Ave in Troy, N.Y.
As a member of that unit, he served three deployments. A 10 month deployment to New York City performing homeland security,