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Contact Info
Home Town Utica, New York
Last Address Scotia, New York
Date of Passing Nov 12, 2014
Location of Interment Gerald B. H. Solomon Saratoga National Cemetery (VA) - Schuylerville, New York
Born in Utica, he was the son of the late Arthur and Phoebe Stadt Belfield. At age 19, he enlisted in the National Guard and served in Troop A as a bugler, rifleman, machine gunner and horse handler from 1936 to 1940, leaving when they removed the horses from service. He enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1943, serving in the 923rd Heavy Automotive Maintenance Co., and the 22nd Armored Division, in Belgium and France during World War II. He was honorable discharged as a master sergeant in 1946. He also served in the U.S. Army during the Korean War in the 1202nd Army Security Unit and the U.S. Army Reserves, being finally discharged in April 1963 as a warrant officer, W1. Following the service, Mr. Belfield worked as a quality control inspector, retiring from General Dynamics in Rochester. He was predeceased by a beloved grandson, Jason Allbright.
This is the story of my life starting at birth, June 27, 1916. My name is Justus R. Belfield. My first and vague memories are my father's death, Feb 14, 1920. He was 37 and got caught in the flu epidemic of 1919 - 1920. My mother never married again.
At age 19 I enlisted in the Cavalry, Troop "A" 121st Cavalry. I was the troop bugular and was discharged, honorably in 1940 after 5 years of service. I played TAPs many times at lights out and later in the American Legion in the Bugle Band over several who returned from Viet Nam.
I rode several horses as my horsemanship got better. The mounts knew the routine and as I learned it I got better mounts. My first mounts were Gringo, Grover, and Garwood, all from chasing Pancho Villa back into Mexico in 1914. Gringo was the only one left in 1940 to be put out to pasture. He was 33 years old!
I was riding "A" horse by that time and she was a beautiful brown mare called, "Angora." I rode her for about three years. To explain the "A" and "G," Troop "A" was "G" until redesignated "A" sometime in the early 1930s. I loved the Cavalry but when they took the horses away in 1940 I took discharge. By the way, I forgot to mention that Troop "G" was under the command of General Pershing before he was commander of the US Forces in WWI.
Back to my story ... I was now a young man looking for a wife and found one and married her Feb. 14, 1942. WWII had started and the US was in it as of Dec. 7, 1941. So I enlisted and went in as a Tech. 5, which is the same rating as Cpl. However, I rose in rank fast and was a Tech.Sgt. (E7) in less than a year. Spent 1945 in Europe, France and Belgium. Discharged in jan 1946.
I joined the reserve and in 1948 took a one year tour to help with the Berlin Airlift and ended up on recruiting duty as PINCO or public information non-commissioned officer. That was none of my doing so I rode it out and enjoyed it.
We had a radio program, newspaper column and we made street signs. We also gave speeches at high schools, clubs like the Lions Club, Kiwanis, Rotary, and other service clubs.
I re-enlisted Regular Army in 1949 and became a recruiter. In my first year I enlisted over 100 men and became a Star Recruiter. I also became an alcoholic. It was too much for to see the names of men I had enlisted who were killed in Korea. I was elevated to Sgt. in Charge of the Syracuse Examination Station and that didn't help matters either. So, once again I was discharged, honorably and joined the Army Reserve. They made me a Master Sgt. and a Warrant Officer. That is when I decided I had had enough.
How I became A Christian ... By Jay Belfield
Fifty years ago we were on vaction in New Jersey, visiting Lillian's two sisters who are married. They had a "Bible Study" and a "Prayer Meeting" while we were there and I joined in and received Jesus as my Savior. I was cured of alcoholism then and there. In fact, when I went home the next day and don't remember a thing until I woke up an Sunday morning and you can guess where I was as soon as I was able to get there. (church) I don't drink anymore .. So that is how it happened.
However, the devil wasn't going to let me off that easy. I had quite a struggle but with Jesus on my side I was a winner!
Since then there have been many changes in both our lives. I became not only a Bible reader but I have memorized several verses. I also have credentials with three different groups. (denominations)
At present we are members of a Dutch Reformed group. They seem to be the dominate one in this area and this one was on it's last legs. I told the Pastor I would bring REVIVAL. It has turned around and we are on the up swing.
Description The European-Mediterranean-Middle East Theater was a major theater of operations during the Second World War (between December 7, 1941, and March 2, 1946). The vast size of Europe, Mediterranean and Middle East theatre saw interconnected naval, land, and air campaigns fought for control of the Mediterranean, North Africa, the Horn of Africa, the Middle East, and Europe. The fighting in this theatre lasted from 10 June 1940, when Italy entered the war on the side of Germany, until 2 May 1945 when all Axis forces in Italy surrendered. However, fighting would continue in Greece – where British troops had been dispatched to aid the Greek government – during the early stages of the Greek Civil War.
The British referred to this theatre as the Mediterranean and Middle East Theatre (so called due to the location of the fighting and the name of the headquarters that controlled the initial fighting: Middle East Command) while the Americans called the theatre of operations the Mediterranean Theatre of War. The German official history of the fighting is dubbed 'The Mediterranean, South-East Europe, and North Africa 1939–1942'. Regardless of the size of the theatre, the various campaigns were not seen as neatly separated areas of operations but part of one vast theatre of war.
Fascist Italy aimed to carve out a new Roman Empire, while British forces aimed initially to retain the status quo. Italy launched various attacks around the Mediterranean, which were largely unsuccessful. With the introduction of German forces, Yugoslavia and Greece were overrun. Allied and Axis forces engaged in back and forth fighting across North Africa, with Axis interference in the Middle East causing fighting to spread there. With confidence high from early gains, German forces planned elaborate attacks to be launched to capture the Middle East and then to possibly attack the southern border of the Soviet Union. However, following three years of fighting, Axis forces were defeated in North Africa and their interference in the Middle East was halted. Allied forces then commenced an invasion of Southern Europe, resulting in the Italians switching sides and deposing Mussolini. A prolonged battle for Italy took place, and as the strategic situation changed in southeast Europe, British troops returned to Greece.
The theatre of war, the longest during the Second World War, resulted in the destruction of the Italian Empire and altered the strategic position of Germany resulting in numerous German divisions being deployed to Africa and Italy and total losses (including those captured upon final surrender) being over half a million. Italian losses, in the theatre, amount to around to 177,000 men with a further several hundred thousand captured during the process of the various campaigns. British losses amount to over 300,000 men killed, wounded, or captured, and total American losses in the region amounted to 130,000.
