BY KELLY URBAN
JOHNSTOWN — Stanley Gimza was born with an ear condition that affects his hearing.
Because of it, he didn’t need to risk his life and serve in World War II. But he wanted to do his part for the war effort.
“I thought it was the right thing to do,” the 88-year-old said from his room in McCullough House in Southmont Borough. “I love my country. I’d do anything for it.”
Gimza was born and raised in Parkhill and graduated from the former East Conemaugh High School. Following graduation, he enrolled in the Civilian Conservation Corps, which was a public work relief program that came out of President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s New Deal legislation.
“I grew up in the Great Depression and nobody had any jobs and I needed something to do,” Gimza said. “I was in the Pavia camp for six months and worked in the stone quarries.”
Following his stint in the CCC, Gimza took a four-month job working on constructing what is now Route 271 through Parkhill. From there he went to work for a year at Bethlehem Steel Corp. until he was drafted into the Army in 1942.
“I had to go to Altoona for a physical. That’s where I was told I didn’t need to go because of my ears, but I wanted to go,” he said.
Gimza was sent to Abilene, Texas, where he spent three months in basic training.
Then, in January 1943, he boarded the HMS Queen Elizabeth, bound for Britain.
“We were the first troops on that ship, some 22,000 people,” Gimza recalled. “There were so many guys we couldn’t do much, and it was so cold and snowy so we couldn’t go outside.”
He first was stationed in North Africa where, as a quartermaster, he was in charge of supplying food to the troops.
“I was just a kid and everything was new,” Gimza said. “I liked being in Africa because I’ve always liked geography and history, so this place was right up my alley. I loved that trip.”
But he needed to keep in mind that he was in a war zone and if the fighting got close to camp, he’d have to fight.
“We all had the training. We were ready to go,” Gimza said.
Following a year in Italy, Gimza was sent to France in 1945. He not only supplied food to U.S. troops, but to French forces as well.
“I just remember in France you saw no young people because they were all drafted and had been fighting for a long time. It was really something,” he said. “I will say I really liked Paris. I was stationed 50 miles from the city, and every chance I had I was in Paris. I knew Paris better than Johnstown.”
When the war ended, Gimza had been serving overseas for three years straight. He never had a furlough.
“I just got used to it, but I always thought about home,” he reminisced. “We were all so happy to see it end, there was a lot of hugs and kisses.”
Gimza was honorably discharged from the Army on
Oct. 19, 1945. For his service, he was awarded four Bronze Stars, the Good Conduct Medal and the European African Middle Eastern Campaign Service Medal.
Once back home, he joined a local National Guard unit and served for two years before the Korean War broke out.
“Well, this time the doctor told me that I couldn’t go because of my ear problem, but I still wanted to go,” Gimza said. “My wife said if I went she’d divorce me, so that ended that.”
In 1951, Gimza officially retired from the military.
“Being in the service was hard, but I would have volunteered to do anything,” he said matter-of-factly. “I wanted to do whatever needed to be done.”
Once again he went to work at Bethlehem Steel, this time in the open hearth area, and spent 43 years doing backbreaking work. Because of the strain, Gimza is wheelchair bound and unable to walk.
“I really hurt my back, there was so much heavy lifting. And sometimes you would shovel all day long,” he said. “It was so hot. Imagine going to work when it was 90 degrees outside and going into that.”
But it wasn’t all work. Gimza spent a lot of time traveling throughout the U.S., a favorite pastime of his.
“I’ve been to every state except Alaska,” he said. “There is so much to see, but I’ll stick with Pennsylvania. It is my favorite state.”
Gimza’s wife, Jean, passed away in 1988. He has three children, Dennis, Barron and Diana, and two grandchildren.
