About
Joseph Anthony Nekola, the son of Anton and Mary (Zigmund) Nekola, was born on May 12, 1892, in New York, New York. By 1905, he was residing in Schenectady with his family. Joseph was a well-known athlete in the community. He boxed and played baseball for the Old Mont Pleasants and Congress Athletic Sports. During the early half of 1917, Joseph joined the New York City police force.
On December 7, 1917, Joseph enlisted in the United States Army. On April 6, 1918, he was sent overseas aboard the Lapland. Joseph was a Private in Company A of the 308th Infantry Regiment. Joseph was wounded at the Battle of the Argonne Forest. He spent around three months in a base hospital in Tours, France. He died on December 9, 1918, as a result of his severe wounds and the mustard gas he inhaled during the conflict. He is buried in St. John the Baptist Cemetery, Schenectady, New York.
Sources: The Schenectady Gazette, Find A Grave, Ancestry