About
World War II (1939-1945)
John Henry Vanderwerken was born in Schenectady, New York, on February 5, 1916. He grew up in the city of Schenectady and attended public schools. Before entering the military, he worked for the Maqua printing company.
John enlisted in the United States Army. He completed his basic training at Camp Croft in South Carolina and his paratrooper training at Lawson Field, Fort Benning, in Georgia. He was a private serving with the 507th Parachute Infantry Regiment. In December 1943, he was sent overseas. On June 7, 1944, in Normandy, France, John was killed in combat. He is buried in the Normandy American Cemetery in France.
Sources: The Schenectady Gazette, Find A Grave, Ancestry