John Joseph Corso Jr.

Posted by: Bill Reynolds - KHTS Director of Veteran Affairs in Hometown Heroes - Our Veterans, Santa Clarita Latest News October 24, 2019 - 9:22 am

https://www.hometownstation.com/santa-clarita-news/hometown-heroes-our-veterans/hometown-heroes-template-2-297931

Veterans Center

Recently while visiting our Veterans Center at 23222 Lyons Avenue, I met John Corso who was volunteering at the front desk as greeter to Veterans who sporadically stop in for information and donated food supplies. John was the very first volunteer at our Veterans Center, including helping to paint the walls. The only time John took time off was when his wife passed away. Our Veterans Collaborative recognized John’s volunteerism by creating a Linda Joy Corso Memorial Fund which we contribute to regularly.

Between chatting with several veterans who popped in, we managed to fit in John’s interview that led to this veteran’s page.

John J. Corso, Jr. Teenage Valet

Strong Work Ethic

John J. Corso, Jr. was born September 14, 1943 in Holden, Massachusetts, spending his first 11 years living in nearby Barre, Massachusetts when his family moved to a much warmer climate in Pompano Beach, Florida.

During his school days, John played Little League Baseball and Pop Warner Youth Football before graduating from Pompano Beach High School June 16, 1961.

During high school, John’s strong work ethic evolved while working part time as a valet at Fort Lauderdale Yacht Club and a major Pompano Beach steakhouse.

Following high school, John joined his father to work at Chris-Craft Boat Corporation for 18 months as a clerk in the engineering department. When his dad was transferred in 1963 to Chris-Craft’s facility at Salisbury, Maryland, John also joined him there.

Air Force Bound

At age 20, John received Uncle Sam’s greeting letter drafting him into the U.S. Army, but John had other ideas, as he determined being an infantryman was not his cup of tea, so he promptly enlisted in the U.S. Air Force on July 1, 1964.

John took his six weeks of basic training at Lackland Air Force Base near San Antonio, Texas and then transferred to Amarillo Air Force Base, Texas for six more weeks of schooling in supply.

Following graduation in November 1964, 75 percent of his squadron deployed to Vietnam, but out of the clear blue, John was sent to Chateauroux Air Depot in France, a North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Air Base.

836th Air Division Patch

John and his pals had numerous opportunities to visit much of France, patronizing as many bistros as possible. John said, “During our off hours, we enjoyed France immensely, but visiting Normandy’s D-Day landing sites were quite sobering.”

However in 1966, French President Charles de Gaulle surprisingly withdrew France from NATO, thus removing all of its members.

To close the air base, John’s supply unit began sending equipment and parts to bases all over Europe and the United States until John was transferred to a British Royal Air Force Base at West Ruislip near London, England.

Sword & Wheel Club

While still working in supply at West Ruislip in late 1966, John happened to notice a beautiful civilian female working on base, and to his good fortune, he later met her at the base’s dance hall, the Sword and Wheel Club.

John J. Corso, Jr. Family

Once John mustered up his courage, he asked Linda Joy Andrews to dance, and lo and behold, they immediately hit it off. They began regularly dating each other, leading Linda to invite John to meet her family over dinner, and they too embraced him.

Though, as John and Linda’s relationship blossomed, her mother and father became apprehensive about John’s next assignment, wondering if it would take their daughter away.

Meanwhile, they too fell in love with John, and during an evening of drinks at a local pub, Linda’s mother goaded him into proposing marriage to her daughter.

Once John secured approval from Linda’s father, he proposed to Linda, and they were soon married at West Ruislip’s base chapel on September 23, 1967.

John said, “Our Justice of the Peace came across as a boring mortician, leading one of (the) guests to chuckle, which immediately caused our entire entourage to burst out laughing hysterically. Man, was that hilarious. Though our Justice of Peace was not at all amused.”

John J. Corso, Jr. & Linda Wedding

Saddest Day Ever

On March 20, 1969, John and Linda’s sweet baby daughter, Dawn, was born at the base hospital, but in June that year, John received orders for McCoy Air Base in Orlando, Florida.

John said, “The day I received those orders was just the saddest day ever. Linda’s parents were simply devastated even though they knew that fateful day was bound to come.”

John J. Corso, Jr. Portrait

John went on to serve a total of 20 years with the U.S. Air Force. His assignments included Thailand’s Udorn Air Base during the Vietnam War, California’s Travis Air Force Base, South Carolina’s Myrtle Beach Air Force Base, another Royal Air Force Base in England and finally to Davis-Monthan Air Force Base in Tucson, Arizona.

Meanwhile, John and Linda’s second daughter, Andrea, was born February 27, 1979 at Myrtle Beach Air Force Base.

At Travis Air Force Base, a huge opportunity resulted in John transferring into a procurement position, which served him very well following his service.

In 1982, John was promoted to Master Sergeant E-7 while serving in England. At Davis-Monthan, John retired, receiving his honorable discharge in July 1984.

John J Corso, Jr. Air Force Achievement Medal

Perseverance and Dedication

Immediately following his discharge, John landed a lucrative procurement position for two years with Hughes Aircraft in Tucson, which led to another position with Allied Signal Corporation until September 1990.

Following an unexpected layoff, John landed a job with Bendix Corporation in Sylmar, Calif. for the next seven years. After securing his job with Bendix, John moved his family to Valencia, where he lives to this day.

John retired in 2016, but not before working stints with Viking Electronics, Meggitt Controls Company and Implant Direct Company.

Shortly after John retired, various medical issues materialized, afflicting his loving wife, Linda; hence John became her devoted caregiver. Sadly, Linda passed away January 31, 2019, resulting in John volunteering with the SCV Veterans Collaborative Services at our Veterans Center in Newhall.

These days, along with his volunteerism, John regularly attends Saint Kateri Catholic Church, he golfs with his buddies, bowls with St. Clare Church’s bowling league and he spends as much time as possible with his two wonderful daughters and three grandchildren.

John, I salute your volunteerism, perseverance, patriotism and your strong sense of dedication.