John Czuhanich

John Czuhanich is a WWII veteran who has displayed incredible devotion to both his country and his fellow service men and women.

John, a native of Endicott, New York, enlisted in the Marine Corps in 1943 and attended Marine Corps Basic Training at Parris Island, SC.  He went on to fight overseas as an infantryman in the 2^nd Marine Division.  After arriving, John was promoted to the rank of Corporal and participated in the Battle of Saipan, for which he received the Purple Heart, and later the Battle of Tinian.

Following the war, John continued to demonstrate dedication to his fellow military men and women who had served during WWII.  As one of the original organizers of the Marine Corps League (MCL) in Broome County, John has been a motivating force behind recent efforts to honor deceased veterans at their funerals in and around Broome County. Since its establishment, the Marine Corps League has honored deceased veterans at nearly 3,000 of their funerals and sometimes perform as many as five funerals in one day.  John has been quoted as saying that the Broome County Marine Corps League “is second to none.” As director of the Marine Corps League for the past six years, John has worked tirelessly coordinating with funeral directors, contacting the MCL members, cleaning and repairing rifles, and making sure that every veteran whose family requested their services received honors at the grave site.  When asked why he and the MCL honor veterans as honor guards at their funerals, John responded, “They deserve it.”