Joseph G. Wheelan

MEDALS-RIBBONS: American Campaign, World War II Victory

Joseph served with honor and courage during the Northern France and Rhineland campaigns. Serving with Patton's Third Army, his armored division fought with fortitude and resolve in the iconic and fierce Battle of the Bulge.

Joseph G. Wheelan (Joe) was a proud American, exceptional drummer, a soldier when called upon, a cherished member of the Wheelan/O’Donnell/extended families, a proud Irishman, a faithful husband and exceptional father.

Born in Newark New Jersey in 1923, he grew in the Lincoln Park section. He was a member of the Boy Scouts and an active member of several drum and bugle corps in grammar/high school and a swing drummer in several ‘big bands’ in high school and after the military. He graduated from Barringer High School in 1943.

Then Uncle Sam came calling for WWII.

In late 1943 after basic training Joe was deployed into France as part of the Third Army under Lieutenant General Hodges.

In 1944 General Patton took command of the Third Army and Joe was part of ‘The Lorraine Campaign’ and then ‘The Battle of the Bulge’ into 1945.

After Germany’s surrender he stayed on in Germany and then France for transitioning and logistics until returning home in February 1946. As he was getting ready to board the ship home, he found a malnourished puppy in the streets and knew that he wouldn’t last long. He hid him under his jacket and was able to get him home to Newark and ‘Dusty’ lived for 12 years after that.

After the war Joe went to Rutgers University and worked as an engineer in ITT.

He belonged to several drum and bugle corps in New Jersey while in/after school in his free time, most notably the famous ‘Hawthorne Caballeros’.

At ITT Joe met and married Antoinette (Anne) Virgilio, moving to Linden NJ and starting a family.

He took a job at a company called ‘OilJack’ located in Montclair NJ, and this town of 50,000 looked like (and was) a most idyllic town to raise a family. Joe moved the family to Montclair where they lived for 25 years until the sons Bob, Mark and Dean were grown and out of the house.

Joe’s free time was spent volunteering as a teacher for several marching bands and drum and bugle corps in New Jersey. Most notable was his selfless devotion to the drum and bugle corps at a home for orphan boys, ‘Boystown’ in Kearny NJ for 20 years. That band played all over the NY/NJ area in parades, sporting events and concerts.

Joe worked for a large sheet metal company ‘Atlantic Metal Products’ in Springfield NJ for 28 years until his retirement in 1988.

Joe and Anne retired to South Plainfield NJ playing golf often and living a quiet life. Anne passed away from cancer in 2009 at 88.

Joe lived until 2012 succumbing to renal failure at the age of 88.

Joe was engaging, LOVED hearing and telling jokes, was the life of the party and conducted his life by doing the right thing with love for all.