Tony Marincola | Photo: Leon Worden/SCVTV

Anthony Guy “Tony” Marincola, a Purple Heart recipient in World War II who served with the 17th Airborne Division – and a fixture at all Santa Clarita Valley events honoring military personnel – died Friday. He was 96.

“Tony” is predeceased by his wife of 73 years, Genevieve, who died Aug. 15.

He will be missed at Monday’s Veterans Day ceremony. Even those who did not know him might recognize him from the cover of the 2004 book, “One Day in the Life of Santa Clarita,” published by the SCV Historical Society and the SCV Photographers Association.

A proper obituary will follow on SCVHistory.com. Services are being handled by Eternal Valley Mortuary in Newhall. In the meantime, the following information comes from a 2009 edition of the 17th Airborne Division Association’s newsletter:

Anthony “Tony” Marincola, 194-B, was born on 21 April 1917 in Watertown, NY. He graduated from Watertown High School in June 1935.

Volunteering into the army in April 1943, he became a glider trooper with the 17th Airborne Division. He was in the Battle of the Bulge and was wounded on 19 January 1945 to receive a Purple Heart medal. When the war ended, he was transferred to the 82nd Airborne Division. Upon his discharge, he moved to Niagara Falls, NY, to manage several retail stores. He moved to California in 1959 and worked for the Six Flags Amusement Park in California and retired in 1984. He married Genevieve Gingo in June 1940 and they have two daughters, three grandchildren and two great grandchildren.

Tony was President of the 17th Airborne Association in 1961-1962, a very stable and dedicated trooper with a very dedicated wife. When you see Tony, you will always see Genevieve. PFC Tony Marincola, in his first day of combat while serving with the 17th Airborne, during the coldest winter of the century. He was one of 200 troopers holding a place called “Dead Man’s Ridge” near Bastogne in Belgium. German Panzers came with a heavy artillery barrages that decimated his group of 200 men down to only 32. It was a battle of tanks against foot soldiers and German 88 artillery against M-1 rifles. Days later, in the ensuing attack against the Germans, a mortar shell wounded Tony and killed his Lieutenant.

Tony was hospitalized in the hospital as the battle raged on to become the bloodiest battle engaged by the US Army to suffer 80,000 casualties of World War II biggest land battle involving the US Army. Tony received the Purple Heart and the Bronze Star for heroism . Tony enlisted in 1942 when he was married to Genevieve since 1935. After the war, Tony and Genevieve settle in Niagara Falls, the honeymoon site of all lovers. In 1959, they moved to Van Nuys, California, where Tony worked for Lockheed, but he eventually was employed at the Six Flags Magic Mountain from where he retired. He had attended 50 of our 54 reunions and was our 1961-1962 Association President.

Every year on Memorial Day, he donned his woolen army uniform, which still fits him, and stands at attention to pay tribute in remembrance of all those who had fallen in battle and those who had served.