Pvt. John Paul Sersha was a resident of West Eveleth. He was born April 29, 1924, the son of Paul Frank and Angela (Procenz) Sersha and attended the Leonidas School. He later worked for the Duluth, Missabe, and Iron Range Railroad Company. He was inducted into the US Army on November 17, 1943 at Ft. Snelling. He received infantry training at Camp Fannin near Tyler, Texas, a temporary training and POW camp during WWII. He was then sent to Ft. George Mead in Maryland where he was assigned to the 325th Glider Infantry Regiment, Company F, of the 82nd Airborne Division.

He arrived at Camp Scraptoft near Leicester, England in July, 1944 where preparations were being made for the largest single airborne operation of the war, Market Garden, in the Netherlands. Company F gliders landed in the Overasselt area on September 23. Following an attack on the Kiekberg Forest on September 27, John did not return to his unit and was declared MIA. Following the war he was officially declared as killed in action on September 27, 1944. Remains discovered in 1948 were thought by the military to be those of Pvt. Sersha but could not be positively identified and were thus declared "non-recoverable" following a further investigation in 1950. He was identified as X-7429 and buried in the Ardennes American Cemetery, Neuville, Belgium. Following a request by the family, the Secretary of the Army approved a disinterment which took place on December 16, 2015. DNA analysis at the Offutt Air Force Base in Nebraska confirmed his identity.

John is survived by siblings: Paul (Julia Zadnikar) Sersha of Virginia and Julia Trunzo of Mountain Iron; numerous nieces, nephews, and extended family.

He was preceded in death by his parents; siblings: Angela Sersha, Mary Pecher, Molly Macht, and Stephen Sersha.

A visitation will be held Friday, May 27, 2016 from 4:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. in the Bauman-Cron Funeral Home in Virginia. Visitation will continue Saturday, May 28, 2016 from 10:00 a.m. until the 11:00 a.m. funeral service in Holy Spirit Catholic Church in Virginia. Reverend Father Brandon Moravitz and Pastor Richard Lohry will officiate. Interment with full military honors will follow in the Eveleth Cemetery.

Memorials are preferred and may be directed to the Disabled American Veterans, Kolstad Chapter # 23.

Family services provided by Bauman-Cron, A Bauman Family Funeral Home in Virginia. To share condolences online, please see: www.baumanfuneralhome.com .

Friday May 27, 2016 , 4:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. at Bauman-Cron Funeral Home Chapel

Saturday May 28, 2016 , 10:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. at Holy Spirit Catholic Church

Saturday May 28, 2016 , 11:00 a.m. at Holy Spirit Catholic Church

Saturday May 28, 2016 , 12:00 Noon at Eveleth Cemetery

Memorial Donations Memorial donations can be made to:
Disabled American Veterans, Kolstad Chapter # 23.