James Lynch: World War II Vet, Space Scientist Dies at 88

The following is from Acton Funeral Home:

James Lynch was part of what journalist Tom Brokaw described as America’s greatest generation. He was born just before the Great Depression, August 5,1926 at the Robert Packer Hospital in Sayre Pennsylvania where he was raised by his parents James and Mary (nee Richards) along with his younger brother Clarence and sister Mary.

At the convergence of three railroads (Lehigh Valley, Erie and Delaware-Lackawanna) and two rivers (Susquehanna and Chemung) Sayre was a vibrant, thriving community in which to grow up. James graduated from Sayre High School where he excelled in Mathematics and Science. He finished Boot Camp at Sampson Naval Training Center on Seneca Lake in October 1944, he completed 16 weeks of training as a Naval electrician and finished at Purdue University. He went on to obtain high level security training in electronics and communications at Camp Crowder near Joplin, Missouri. He was sent to Treasure Island Naval Base in San Francisco Bay where the forces were assembling for the Invasion of Japan when President Truman made the decision to drop the atom bomb. James became a part of the initial occupying force in Japan and witnessed first hand the devastation of the bomb. He was on the team responsible for setting up communications for the Asian Pacific, including radio, and teletyped all communication in code with top security.

After his return to the U.S. at Mare Island, James, along with our honorable troops, loaded onto trains heading East. On the GI Bill, he attended Catholic University and completed an Engineering degree working initially with General Electric and later RCA. He obtained a Masters in Engineering and became Senior Scientist working on the space program and military defense.

In 1950 he fell in love and married Fredericka Marshall (also from Sayre) that December. Together they had three children; Mary (Tom Hart), Anne, and Jean (Donald Cleary) and seven grandchildren (Mary-Anne (Brett Reynolds), James, Justine, Catherine , Elise, Rachel and Jesse) and three great grandchildren (Tiana, Kaylyn and Tallulah). Together they make up a lively crowd who loved their Grandpa and “Nain”. After Fredericka died, Jim reconnected with teenage sweetheart Marilyn Harris (nee Bustin), they married four years later. The entire family have adopted Marilyn (AKA “Gigi”to the younger members of the family). James was a superb and beloved father, grandfather and great grandfather who has left a legacy of honour.

A service will be held at St Elizabeth of Hungary Church in Acton later in December. In lieu of flowers donations may be made to the VFW http://www.vfw.org or the USO http://www.uso.org/the-organization.aspx.