HOTH Mission
100th Birthday Celebration
Jack Foy
US Army - WW II
Rochester, NY - 10/12/2025
Mission applies to the following Region(s):
Region 1, Region 2
About the Mission:
At 17, Jack Foy was finishing high school and was accepted into the military’s Army Specialized Training Program at Cornell University. He began his classes in September 1943 but later that semester, was chosen to go to Europe with about 200 young men in his infantry company. While assigned to Company "A", 347th Infantry Regiment, 87th Infantry Division, he deployed to England and was later sent to Metz, France, where he joined with Patton’s Third Army. Sgt. Foy was trained to be on the front lines of combat as a machine gunner.
On Christmas Eve 1944, his battalion marched over 100 miles in below-zero temperatures to engage in the largest and bloodiest battle the U.S. fought in WWII: The Battle of the Bulge. In this battle, more than 19,000 American soldiers were killed, 47,500 were injured, and 23,000 went missing. After winning the Battle of the Bulge, the regiment was sent to Saint Vith to break through the Siegfried Line, a defensive line set up by the Germans. The U.S. Army finally broke through in early March and then moved to the Rhineland. His battalion received a Presidential Unit Citation for the Rhine River crossing.
Of the 200 in his company that deployed to Germany, he said, “Only about a dozen of us came back. The rest of them are buried over in France and Germany.” Jack was wounded three times by bullets and shrapnel, but his injuries were not severe.
Portions of the above narrative are contained in a November 2024 Westside News article about Mr. Foy's service.
Patriot Guard Riders has been invited to participate in a 100th Birthday Celebration event for Mr. Foy, a WW II Battle of the Bulge survivor. This is a drive-by with an opportunity to return to the home to wish Jack a Happy Birthday and thank him for his service.
Primary Staging Date and Staging Time:
10/12/2025 at 02:30pm
Staging Location:
Abbott's Parking Lot
4791 Lake Avenue
Rochester, NY 14612
Click here for map
Lead Ride Captain and Contact Info:
Edward Stone
585-739-9489
Special Information:
Staging will be in the Abbott's Parking lot. The Parking lot can be accessed by heading West on Beach Avenue and turning Left on Estes Street.
Is there a Second Stage to this Mission?
no
Submitted by:
Edward Stone
rs 10/07; MER
