About
World War II (1939-1945)
John (Jack) Edmund Thelen was born in Schenectady, New York, on November 13, 1922. He grew up in the city of Schenectady and graduated from Mont Pleasant High School in 1941, where he played varsity football. After graduating he attended Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, where he participated in ROTC.
On July 10, 1943, John enlisted in the United States Marines. He underwent his initial flight training in Hutchinson, Kansas, and his advanced training in Corpus Christi, Texas. He spent nine months flying in the South Pacific, and on May 28, 1944, his F4U-1 Corsair collided with another F4U-1 Corsair in Makin Atoll while returning from a combat mission. Although he was rescued, he died just a few hours later. He is buried in St. Joseph’s Cemetery in Schenectady, New York.
*Second Lieutenant
Sources: The Schenectady Gazette, Find A Grave, Ancestry,