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. John Neilson, U. S. Army
In 1944, John Neilson was a family man with four children who lived on 7th Ave. just 2 doors south of Nick Polumbo’s grocery on the corner of Hoosick St. in Troy. Customers often found him in the store facing his f riend Nick across a well-worn checker board. He worked as a teller at the Manufacturer’s National Bank which was situated in the building that now houses the Franklin Plaza Banquet Hall. Their massive vault is still there and now doubles as a cloakroom.
John and sixty thousand others were inducted into the U. S. Army in the first half of that year and after an accelerated basic training course of six weeks they departed for France.
They were called to duty in anticipation of an allout last ditch offensive by Hitler’s army, which came in November of that year and is known today as the Battle of The Bulge. John froze and fought alongside his comrades until he was felled by sniper fire on November 20th. He was 30 years old.
To learn more about the Battle of the Bulge click on this link: https:// en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_the_Bulge
Neilson’s banner is located at 342 5th Ave.
2. Christopher Reardon, U.S. Marine Corps
Christopher Reardon was born in Troy, NY
July of 1969. Christopher grew up in Sycaway. He enlisted in the United States Marine Corps during his senior year of high school at
Troy High.
He served as a heavy equipment mechanic from 1988- 1994. Christopher fought in Desert Storm where he received the Kuwait Liberation Medal.
Reardon’s banner is located at 745 Pawling Ave.
3. Russell Kolody, U. S. Navy
Russell Kolody was a veteran of the United States Navy during World War II. While serving in the Navy, he was involved in several major campaigns, including:
Asia, t he Pacific, the Philippines, and the European Theater. Upon r e t ur ni ng home to South Troy, he became a member of the Ukrainian-American Veterans. He aided many Ukrainian immigrants in gaining their U. S. citizenship which earned him the reputation of “godfather” of his hometown of South
Troy, as he was repeatedly asked to be the godfather to children of those he aided. He was a member of St. Nicholas Ukrainian Church and showed the spirit of ecumenism by showing support of neighboring South Troy parishes. He was a member of the Children’s Day Committee comprised of members of South Troy parishes, St Michael’s, St. Joseph’s, and Woodside Presbyterian. Russell was a strong supporter of many other community organizations including South Troy Little League, South Troy Community Center and The Patroon Club. He retired from Allegheny Ludlum Steel Corp to start an insurance agency in his beloved South Troy.
Kolody’s banner is located at 413 1st St.
4. Clifton E. Sawyer Sr., U.S. Army
Clifton E. Sawyer Sr. was born in Ausable forks, NY on April 17, 1923 to Ida and Frank Sawyer.
He ent ered t he
U.S. Army in
1943, where he served as an MP
PFC guardi ng German Prisoners in Colorado. He also served in the Philippines. He was part of the 275th Combat Battalion.
Clifton was the recipient of many medals, not limited to: • WWII Victory Medal • American Service Medal,
• Philippines Liberation Medal
• The Asiatic-Pacific Service Medal
He was honorably discharged on February 4, 1946.
Clifton was married to his beloved wife, Arlene Lawrence, on October 22, 1942 for (in his own words) “almost 52 ½ years”.
During their marriage, they had 12 children (7 boys & 5 girls).
He was a self- employed as a painter and worked with his brothers for many years.
Clifton resided in Troy, NY until his passing on January 14, 2016. He is loved and missed dearly by all his family and friends.
Sawyer’s banner is located at 2nd Ave & 103rd St.
5. Donald J. Rockefeller Sr., U.S. Army
Donald J. Rockefeller Sr. served in the United States Army Company D 10th Infantry December 1939- October 1940. After serving overseas he was discharged in March 1951 as a Sergeant of the
105th Infantry. He married Mary
E. Cody in December
1 941, t ogether they raised 5 children. Donald was e mployed for 40 years as GAF in Rensselaer, New York until passing September 18th, 1974
Rockefeller’s banner is located at 523 Pawling Ave.