John Jay Skaggs

Dad made it to 99 years old; he was pretty sure he was going to make it to the 100-year mark and almost did. What a history and life he had over the years.

John is survived by his wife Bernice, his four children, Jim Skaggs, Carmen Johnson (Skaggs), Cynthia Buesgens (Skaggs), and Bernard Skaggs, his nine grandchildren and eight great grandchildren.

John was born in Fort Worth, Texas on January 23, 1925, to James Calvin Skaggs, and Minnie (Bardsley) Skaggs. John was the youngest of four boys, Howard, Morris, and Dudley.

John entered the US Army shortly after turning 18 years old in April 1943. He was Honorably Discharged in December 1945. John was with the 2nd Chemical Battalion Red Dragons and joined the battalion in Italy in 1944. He served in a mortar squad in D Company and later in A Company. He participated in the invasion of southern France and in the assault on Bitche. He served in the defense against Operation Nordwind, the German attack which threatened General Patton’s possession of Bastogne. John fought at the battles of Nuremberg and Aschaffenburg before moving south to liberate the Dachau Concentration Camp. He was at Traunstein, the engagement which resulted in the only capture of a town by a chemical mortar battalion in the entire war.

During his time in service, John's unit saw action in Rome Arno, Southern France, Rhineland and Central Europe. John was awarded with the Good Conduct Medal, European African Middle Eastern Theater Ribbon with Bronze Arrow Head and the World War II Victory Ribbon.

John and Bernice attended the Red Dragon Reunions until he could no longer travel. John’s passing was the end of an era, he was the last 2nd Chemical Battalion Red Dragon of WWII.

After WWII, John went to Texas Christian University (TCU) where he graduated in 1950 with a degree in Education. John met and married Bernice Annette May, October 1,1955, and at the time of his passing, they had been married 68 years.

John started working at the Veterans Administration as a corrective therapist and retired as a personnel officer. Retirement years were spent in Tucson, Arizona.