John Paul Bellefontaine
March 2, 1925 – May 28, 2023
John Bellefontaine-(Jean Paul Louis LeBlanc Bellefontaine)- Leesburg – 98, was born on March 2nd, 1925, in Montreal Canada.
At 17 years old, John emigrated with his family to St. Petersburg, Florida and then at 18 became a US Citizen and joined the Army in 1943. After extensive training and five jumps from a C-47 aircraft John was assigned to 551st Parachute Infantry Battalion at Camp Mackall, NC. John was then deployed to Europe on a Liberty Ship named the USS Abraham Lincoln on April 21 st , 1944, to Italy and then into France.
Joe Edgerly, one of the soldiers took a dog mascot named Furlough on board the ship, that dog is now a national monument in Ft Benning today. John always talked about Furlough since he had a love for Dogs. After 33 days at sea and several attacks by German Bombers John landed in Bari Italy then to Sicily for Mountain training. After training John was sent to Rome for preparation to Invade Southern France and then into the Maritime Alps. John’s commander Lt. Col. Joerg started calling the men “GOYA’S” (Great Outstanding Young Americans) and John found out it really meant -Get Off Your Ass! After three months of heavy artillery John was assigned to 82nd Airborne to fight in the Battle of the Bulge. For John to maintain jump Status John had to jump out of a C130 and C119 AND C123 John spoke French, so he also was an interpreter to help the French during the war.
John served 20 years in the Army and retired as Chief Warrant Officer and received the WWII Victory medal and Parachute Wings with Combat Jump star and Combat Infantry Badge and Order of the Airbourne Bayonet and the American Campaign 1941-1945 the Bronze Star of Valor and the Presidential Unit Citation among many other medals and was waiting to receive the Legion of Honor medal from France before he passed away. John Was the last survivor from 551 st 82nd Airborne Infantry division they called the Lost Battalion.
After retiring from the Army John worked in the Civil Service and was promoted to GS-13 where he was in Electronic Communications. John on his personal time loved his family and loved cars in which he purchased more than 50 in his lifetime. A true Hero who passed on Memorial Day weekend. John is survived by his wife Patricia and his three children Yannick, Steve and Deborah and Stepdaughter Anne Marie and Stepson predeceased Jody Potter. His ten Grandchildren and nine Great Grandchildren.
Funeral Services will be held on June 23rd at Allen J Harden funeral home at 10am in Mount Dora proceeding burial with honors at Bushnell National Cemetery at 2pm.Open to the public. Our Hero will be missed.
