Joseph Farina
“When I was approached to aid with a concept to honor recipients of the Purple Heart medal I considered it an honor and a privilege to do so, because I was inspired by what it would represent. While in the U.S. Army, I served over three years in the jungles of New Guinea and the Philippine Islands in World War II. I developed a strong bond of friendship with many men I served with. Some of these friends were killed in action and others were wounded. There was much suffering and hardship to endure.
It took eleven years of planning and frustration to bring the National Purple Heart Hall of Honor to reality. I now have heartfelt satisfaction knowing it not only enshrines the names of many of my friends, but also all others so deserving of this honor. This was the inspiration that afforded me the determination to continue with this effort over those eleven years. Each of the names preserved here are deserving of the honor accorded them. I feel comfort when I visit the “Hall” because I know I am among many friends.”
Joseph Farina (January 26, 1921 - December 27, 2018), was a founding member of the Genesis Group and instrumental in the formation of the National Purple Heart Hall of Honor.
A native of Newburgh, New York, he attended Newburgh schools graduating from Newburgh Free Academy in 1939. While serving in the military, he attended the U.S. Army Morse Code School and attended DeForest Institute in Chicago after his discharge from military service.
Shortly after graduation from NFA, he joined the 156th Field Artillery, New York National Guard. His unit was called into federal service on September 16, 1940, and was stationed at Fort Dix, New Jersey. When war was declared on December 7, 1941, he volunteered to go overseas and was transferred to Jackson Barracks in New Orleans to await assignment. As a high-speed Morse code operator, he embarked on a secret mission to the Philippine Islands–a mission that failed.
He was then reassigned to the Southwest Pacific Theatre of Operations under the command of General Douglas MacArthur. His initial assignment in New Guinea was as a radio operator at General MacArthur’s Advanced Headquarters. He remained involved in the New Guinea campaigns for well over a year. He was then assigned to Biak Island and then on to Leyte and Luzon in the Philippine Islands. He attained the rank of sergeant and served with honor and distinction in the Southwest Pacific and the Philippine Islands in World War II. He received numerous decorations including four battle stars and two Presidential Citations.
After the war, he became involved in bowling both as a participant and as a bowling center owner. In 1960, he was invited to Australia to assist with the introduction and promotion of bowling in that country. He served in an executive position as technical advisor to Brunswick of Australia and director of the school of management. In that capacity, he trained management personnel for bowling centers in Australia, Singapore, and Hong Kong.
In 1975, his talent was further recognized when he was invited to assist with the selection of the Australian National team to compete in the FIQ World Championships in London. He is the only non-Australian to ever receive this honor. He placed Australian bowlers in competition with the greatest of the American professionals when he secured entry for Australia into the PBA Hawaiian Invitational in Honolulu. He is credited with having placed Australian bowlers on the world stage.
In addition to his many executive and promotional duties, he still found time to work with those who were physically handicapped. He devoted many hours to teaching bowling to the blind children of Sydney. He also devoted time to working with groups from the Physically Handicapped and Poliomyelitis Society, the Multiple Sclerosis Center and the disabled Australian war veterans at Mt. Wilga Rehabilitation Hospital. In 1961, he appeared weekly on a sports TV show on Channel 10 in Sydney. He also wrote a weekly newspaper column in the Newcastle newspaper, and he edited a bowling booklet that was widely distributed throughout Australia. He was featured in one movie with World Champion Marion Ladewig. In addition, he was a member of the Board of Directors of two Australian companies and served on the executive board of the Professional Bowlers of Australia. He made numerous TV and radio appearances throughout Australia, and his name became synonymous with the sport in that country.
He was the founder and Past Commander of Catholic War Veteran’s Post 386, and served on State and National level with that organization. In 2016 he received the Catholic War Veterans highest national honor when he was presented with the Honor Legion of the Loyal Order of St. Sebastian. He was a Life-member of Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 1161, the 156th Field Artillery Association, a member of the Board of Directors of the National Purple Heart Hall of Honor, Inc., past member of the New York State Veteran’s Legislative Committee in Albany, and several other organizations.
He is the recipient of numerous awards including the Walter T. Kunowski award for Americanism, the Nicholas Brooks Memorial award from the Town of New Windsor for outstanding community service, and the Zeal award from the CWV Department of New York.
In recognition of his outstanding achievements in Veterans Affairs, he was inducted into the New York Senate Veterans Hall of Fame in 2012.