Veterans Day in Marion County: The stories of four local men who served
John DeFrancesco always makes sure his American flag is flying.
“Every day,” he said about displaying the flag on a 20-foot flagpole in front of his east Marion home.
DeFrancesco, 98, still lives independently although he will tell you he’s “slowed down a bit.”
On this Veterans Day, the Star-Banner tells the stories of four local veterans who served the nation during different eras. For DeFrancesco, that era was World War II.
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John DeFrancesco
DeFrancesco, a native of Waterbury, Connecticut, joined the Army at age 18 right out of high school in 1942.
Following flight training in Florida at Sebring and Avon Park, he was shipped to England when he was still 19 as a B-17 pilot (or aircraft commander) in the Army Air Corp‘s U.S. Eighth Air Force, 384th Bomb Group.
DeFrancesco completed 34 10-hour-plus bombing missions where temperatures reached -40 degrees Fahrenheit.
On his 35th mission in January 1945 – the final mission before a rotation home – a bomb stuck in a rack and he ordered the crew to bail out. Then he parachuted out over Germany.
When DeFrancesco landed he was joined by another crew member and they were picked up by a Red Cross transport, which took them to Stalag VII-A, a German prisoner of war camp.
DeFrancesco received decorations including the Air Medal and POW medal.
In 2021 he received the French Legion of Honor medal for his World War II service.
DeFrancesco had a civilian career as a mechanical engineer and moved to Marion County over 40 years ago. He was married to his wife, Jill, for 70 years. She died in 2017.
He feels veterans of his era were able to “take things in stride.”
Robert Shaw Jr.
Robert Shaw Jr., who died on Sept. 23 at age 101, was a native of the Pedro area who refused to let a vision impairment stop him from serving in WW II.
Shaw's son Jack, 63, said his father was blind in one eye and was turned down for service in the Army. He persisted and joined the Army in October 1942 and served at Camp Blanding as a cook.
Robert Shaw Jr. was honorably discharged after serving for the duration of the war. He was a heavy equipment operator and motorcyclist, according to an obituary from Forest Lawn Funeral Home & Memory Garden.
Ron Oppliger
Ron Oppliger served with the U.S. Marines from 1964 to 1970, including service in artillery in the Vietnam War.
“I didn’t even know what Vietnam was when I went,” he said.
Oppliger said he was inspired by his brother, who served in the Korean War.
Oppliger said his welcome home from Vietnam was not positive and “that’s the sad part.” But he said over time Vietnam veterans have been shown appreciation for their service.
Al Lugo
Lt. Col. Al Lugo, director of the Veterans of Foreign Wars Veterans Village, a retirement community for VFW members, served 25 years in the Army prior to coming to the VFW facility in 2008.
He turned down a “six figure” salary executive position with a major retailer in favor of assisting veterans and growing the facility.
Lugo was in the Army when the 9/11 terrorist attacks occurred.
“The actions of 9/11 brought our country together, regardless of political parties, or social economics, and for the troops already serving, it solidified the reason why we wear the uniform, and it reminded all our military and civilian personnel, that freedom is not free,” Lugo wrote in an email.
He was deployed to Afghanistan during the Global War on Terrorism in 2006 as a member of an analysis team for the 10th Mountain Division, doing research for the incoming 82nd Airborne.
Lugo recounted meeting Pat Tillman at Fort Benning, Georgia in 2003.
Tillman, according to History.com, was 27 and a recipient of the Purple Heart and Silver Star. He was an NFL football player with the Arizona Cardinals who joined the Army after the 9/11 attacks. He was deployed to Afghanistan and reportedly killed in a friendly fire accident on April 22, 2004.
“(Tillman) walked away from millions of dollars to protect and defend this country and he paid the ultimate sacrifice fir all of us to be free,” Lugo wrote.
“Let us not forget …American veterans that stood up and said ‘freedom is not free’ and stood up to defend it,” he wrote.
This article originally appeared on Ocala Star-Banner: The stories of four Marion County, Florida veterans who served
