George Cuy

George Cuy was born on September 12, 1919 in Cleveland, Ohio to his father Stephen Cuy (1886-1938) and his mother Paulina (Apolania) “Gancarczyk” Cuy (1890-1944). George lived with his mother and father in their small home in Cleveland’s 12th Ward along with his six siblings: Mary Chewey (1912-1989), Anna Chewey (1914-1953), Michael Cuy (1916-1990), Cecelia Cuy (1918-2002), John Cuy (1923-1983), and Pauline Cuy who passed away as an infant in 1927. Growing up in Cleveland George met his future girlfriend and wife Agnes Matey (1923-2013) while walking to class at Benjamin Franklin Elementary School in Cleveland and went on to start dating when they began attending James Ford Rhodes High School in Cleveland with George graduating in 1939. In his free time George would often take the streetcar with Agnes to watch the Cleveland Air Races and played sandlot baseball for the teams Modern Merchants and Stouffer’s. Before entering the service George would also be employed by Siebenhar Sheet Metal Company on Pearl Road in Cleveland as an installer and repairman for their hot air furnaces from February of 1940 to May of 1942. On October 16, 1940 George would register with his local selective service board at a height of 5 '10 and weight of approximately 150 pounds. 

George from a young age always had an affinity for aircraft and flight, often visiting the Cleveland airport in his free time and attending the Cleveland Air Show regularly photographing many of the aircraft he saw which inspired him to enlist with the US Army Air Corps on February 5, 1943 and would be assigned to the 4000th Army Air Forces Base Unit for Air Corps Basic Training as well as technical training at the Metropolitan Technical School in New York City receiving training in electricity, house wiring, motors, and generators in hopes of serving alongside aircraft during the war. While still completing his training George would also continue to meet with and date Agnes while on leave from training.

However, out of military necessity George was then transferred to an army infantry unit and received training as a mortar gunner for approximately 9 months and would finally be transferred to the 6th Ranger Battalion and would serve in the Pacific Theater as a “Refrigeration Mechanic” for 9 months installing and repairing refrigeration equipment to be used as coolers for soft drinks and ice cream as well as air conditioning units. Following his notification that he would be going overseas George would marry Agnes on April 30, 1945  while on temporary leave shortly before being shipped out. 

On May 23, 1945 George left the United States for the Pacific Theater arriving in theater on June 23, 1945 and would take part in the final two months of the battle of Luzon. George would also spend time at other locations in the Pacific theater including Manila and the Philippines until following the conclusion of the war in the Pacific with the defeat of the Empire of Japan when he was then transferred to occupation duty on the Japanese home islands being stationed at Camp Fisher in Kyoto City beginning around early November 1945. It was during this time in Japan that George would trade for multiple souvenirs as shown here including a Type 99 Japanese Arisaka rifle, a Type 30 Japanese rifle bayonet, and a Japanese winter flight jacket as well as a Japanese Type 30 officers sword not currently on display. After spending 3 months in Kyoto City with the 6th Ranger Battalion George would then be shipped home on approximately February 2, 1946 out of Nagoya Port and arrived home on February 15, 1946 later being discharged from military service on February 23, 1946 at the rank of Staff Sergeant. For his service George would receive the Philippine Liberation Medal with 1 bronze star, the Asiatic Pacific Campaign Medal with 1 bronze star, the American Campaign Medal, the Army Good Conduct Medal, and the WWII Victory Medal. 

Following his military service George would continue to live in Cleveland with his family for a short time where he would see the birth of his first son Larry Cuy on September 9, 1951 and would move to the suburbs in Parma, Ohio 1956. Not long after moving to Parma, George and Agnes would have their second son Michael Cuy on July 12, 1959. George would live out the rest of his life in Parma, Ohio until passing away on June 2, 1989 and was buried in the Holy Cross Cemetery in Brook Park, Ohio where he remains today alongside his wife.

Image Source: CNN.com

Army Service Number: 35534176 

Enlistment Rank: Private

Final Rank: Staff Sergeant

Unit(s): Company B, 6th Ranger Battalion

Date of Selective Service Registration: 10/16/1940

Date of Enlistment: 2/5/1943

Date of Discharge: 2/23/1946

Awards: Philippine Liberation Medal w/ 1 bronze star, Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal w/ 1 bronze star, American Campaign Medal, Army Good Conduct Medal, WWII Victory Medal

Notes of Importance: Involved in the final two months of the Battle of Luzon

Company B, 6th Ranger Battalion

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Image Source: arsof-history.org