John Francis Joyce, taken in France, 1918
Pvt. John F. Joyce
55th United States Infantry
Company G 103
26th Division
He received a Congressional Medal of Honor in 1919 for his service behind enemy lines.
“My grandfather lost his hearing from shell shock in France during the war in 1917/18 — he was an infantry messenger delivering notes behind enemy lines. He never learned sign language, so we always communicated by writing words in the palm of our hands. He became a sign painter and cartoonist for a living and on the side, trained and raced greyhounds — I still have his twin-collar, dog release/leash and treasure his paint box and brushes to this day. It would be an honor to work on this project in some capacity in recognition of his sacrifice and for that of many others who never made it home.”
Tom Joyce
