My father-in-law, Jim Costigan, the young kid pictured below during the November 1942 landings in North Africa, passed away early this morning at home. He fought with the 82nd Airborne and 36th Texas Infantry Divisions throughout the Second World War in North Africa, Sicily, Italy, France, Belgium (during the Bulge) and Austria. His unit liberated at least one of the Dachau subcamps in April 1945. He earned 3 Purple Hearts, the Bronze Star and several other medals. He enlisted at 16, below the accepted age, the day after the Pearl Harbor attack. He spoke often of his friends from the war, but little of his own experiences. He referred to his wounds most matter of factly. He returned home to marry his sweetheart, Edna Grala, (and a sweetheart she was...one of the nicest people I've ever met) a second generation American of Polish descent. They were together until her death in 2002, and he missed her every day since.


He will be greatly missed.

My condolences.

Sorry to hear that. It brought a tear to my eye, and I never met him or you.

I remember just a few months ago that you got him and the picture put together. I guess that was really a lucky moment.

Take Care