Gordon Allan Anthony Private 33464169 511th Airborne Infantry Regiment, 11th Air Division, US Army Purple Heart July 14, 1923 Caledonia/South Brookfield, Queens Co., NS March 4, 1943 Stroudsburg, Monroe, Pennsylvania 23 Sixth St, Stroudsburg, Monroe, PA 19 5 feet, 6 inches Ruddy Brown Brown Single Nursery, landscaping labourer December 15, 1944 21 Saint Paul's Cemetery, Swiftwater, Pennsylvania, USA Section 4, Lot 77 Gordon Allan Anthony was the son of Henry Irvin Anthony (1887-1930) and Gladys Cora (Mosher) Anthony (1898-1974). His father was born in North Brookfield, Queens Co., NS. His mother was born in Brookfield Mines; also, in Queens Co. Gordon’s parents married in Caledonia in 1914. Gordon had two sisters - Mrs. Clara M. (Anthony) Jacoby of Somerville, NJ, and Mrs. Alice Marie (Anthony) Warner of East Stroudsburg, Monroe Co., Pennsylvania. He immigrated to the United States aboard the SS Yarmouth, arriving in Boston, Massachusetts, from Yarmouth, Nova Scotia, on December 21, 1928. The family then settled in Pennsylvania. After Gordon’s father passed away in 1930, his mother remarried Albert Russell Neipert (1893-1974) in 1946. Through this marriage Gordon gained a stepsister - Mrs. Avis Ruth (Neipert) Maule (1915-2004), who married Albeno Maule (1909-1986). Gordon registered for the US Draft June 30, 1942, in Stroudsburg, PA. He was working at the LaBar Rhododendron Nursery in Stroudsburg at the time, where they specialized in rhododendrons, azaleas, mountain laurel, and other Poconos native plants. After Gordon enlisted in March 1943, the 511th closed at Camp Mackall, North Carolina to join the 11th Airborne Division. Following 17 weeks of basic training, the 511th moved to the Fort Benning Parachute School in Georgia for three weeks of jump training. In December of 1943, the 511th returned to Camp Mackall for Advanced Training. The success of the Knollwood Maneuvers was very instrumental in the continued use of Airborne troops during the remainder of World War II. In January of 1944, the Regiment departed Camp Mackall for Camp Polk in Alexandria, Louisiana to engage in further manoeuvres and prepare for overseas deployment. It was while stationed at Camp Polk, that Gordon applied for US Citizenship on April 15, 1944.That same month, the 511th departed Camp Polk for Camp Stoneman in California. On May 8, 1944, the 511th departed from Pittsburgh, California on the SS Sea Pike with about 2000 troopers. On May 28, 1944, the Regiment arrived at Oro Bay, New Guinea. While the 511th was in Strategic Reserve in New Guinea (May - October 1944), they conducted Airborne, Jungle and Amphibious training. On Nov. 7, 1944, the Regiment departed New Guinea by ship (USS Cavalier) for the Leyte Campaign in the Philippines. From November 18 to December 27, 1944, the Regiment participated in the Leyte Campaign in the Abuyog, Dulag, Burauen, Anonang, Manarawat, Lubi, Mohonag and Anas areas. Private Gordon Allan Anthony died December 15, twelve days before the formal end of the Leyte Campaign on December 27, 1944. Gordon’s family chose to repatriate his remains rather than having him interred at an American Battle Monuments Commission Cemetery in the Pacific, and he was interred in the Saint Paul's Cemetery in Swiftwater, Pennsylvania (also known as the Jones Church Cemetery or the Swiftwater Cemetery).

Sources: findagrave.com The 511th Parachute Infantry Regiment Unit History background photo: Saint Paul's Cemetery, Swiftwater, Pennsylvania, USA