Simon “Bud” Vancina   

United States Marine Corp.   1955-1959  

Marine Corps Recruit Depot, San Diego

Camp Pendleton, California Marine base

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Mr. Vancina was sent to Okinawa, Japan for two tours as well as Luzon, Philippines.   After San Diego boot camp, Bud was sent to Camp Pendleton for advanced infantry training specializing in 30 mm water cooled machine guns and 80 mm mortars.   While in Okinawa Japan he was assigned to a weapons company where he spent 18 months.  Also, during his tour of duty, Mr. Vancina spent time on an aircraft carrier, USS Philippine Sea.   He spent the final portion of his assignment at the Great Lakes Naval Academy as a Sergeant of the Guard.    

 

Bud and his wife, Kitty, settled in New Lenox in 1963 where they raised their family and ran a local family-operated landscaping business for many years.  Grandsons, Josh , Cody and Lucas were active duty Marines while his granddaughter, Molly served in the U.S. Navy.