Joseph F. Cannon

July 24, 1919 - June 14, 2007

Born July 24, 1919 at Standard St, Mattapan, MA on the second floor bedroom where his parents Frank and Lillian lived, Joe started his life as just another city boy that, in time, would become a decorated World War II soldier, a giving husband and a wonder father of seven children. As we know his family, Joe was the oldest of four, but he actually had an older brother, Frank, who died at a very young age. Joe had two sisters, Dot and Evelyn and one brother, Bob.

Growing up just a few blocks from world famous Walter Bakers chocolate mills and the Neponset River in Dorchester Lower Mills, Joe went to the local public schools, Gilbert Stuart School then graduating from Hyde Park High School in 1937. After graduating high school, Joe continued on to trade school, honing his mechanical and woodworking skills which he would continue to use until his end.

After a few small jobs, such as delivering shirts for a dry cleaner, Joe’s working career started on a drafting board at the General Electric plant in Lynn, MA, where he met his lifelong friend Frannie Choate.

With the breakout of war on December 7, 1941 against Japan and Germany a week later, Joe was not to eager to run down an enlist. Joe always thought that he would better serve his country if he continued his education and to make something more of himself, rather than just another working stiff. But, the war caught up to him in 1943, Joe was drafted into the Armed Forces.

Because of his love of the airplane, Joe chose to enlist in the Army Air Force. Don’t forget, the airplane was just in its infancy and was a cutting edge machine at the time. It was only 36 years earlier that the Wright Brothers made their famous first flight in Kitty Hawk, NC.

Completing his basic training he was stationed at Fort Benning, GA. He was trained and assigned to a 2nd Armored division as an artillery crew member. During the German breakout in December 1944-January 1945, or known as the ‘Battle of the Buldge’ in France, Joe’s unit was to ship out to France to reinforce the battered American lines. As fate would have it, The ‘higher ups’ heard of Joe’s engineering work at General Electric and plucked him from his slated trip to France and instead wound up on a plane to California - all top secret.

Joe was assigned to a special team of engineers that produce the first American prototype jet engine in October 1942. Because of the original design was not up to military requirements, Joe’s assignment was to refine the jet engine to produce a capable jet fighter that could do battle with the German Messerschmitt Me 262 currently flying over Europe. Unfortunately, or fortunately, the war ended before the US could put into production that jet fighter. Finally towards the end of 1945, the US successfully flew the P80 Shooting Star.

During Joe’s work with jet engines, Joe knew and had working relationships with other notable people such as Clarence ‘Kelly’ Johnson, who would go on the head the famous Lockheed ‘Skunk Works’ facility. Major Richard Bong, noted ace who was killed test flying the P80 in August, 1945 and Col. Laurence Craigie who piloted the first official jet plane flight for the US in the Bell XP-59A Airacomet.

So, Joe’s education got him out of the trenches, but not out of action. During his assignment in San Bernardino he fought many forest fires that plagued the dry California forests.

For Joe’s contribution to the war effort and the development of the United States first jet engine, Joe was awarded the Legion of Merit for ‘exceptionally meritorious conduct’ this award is the sixth highest award given in the Service and the highest a non-combatant can receive. Rarely did enlisted personnel receive the Legion of Merit, Joe’s rank was Private First-Class.

Out of the service in 1946, Joe and Frannie Choate each purchased a lot of land from Bernard Libby on Pickerel Pond in Limerick, ME. Joe’s father thought he was nuts. ‘What the heck did you go buy land in the sticks of Maine for??’ was Joe’s fathers’ question. Of course Joe’s father was a born and bred Boston city boy through and through. And Limerick was the sticks in 1947. It took six hours to get there from Boston back ‘in the day’. Now one can make it in two hours.

In 1950 Joe meets and marries Marjorie Choyce. Then all the kids started coming; 1952 Jay is born, 1954 Patty, 1956 Kathy, 1958 Maureen, 1960 Mark, 1961 John and finally done in 1964 with Bill – whew! Unfortunately Mark died just six weeks after his birth, but is fondly remembered as family member and who he could have been.

Joe worked hard and steady throughout his career, while always pursuing his education. He spent many years at Polaroid, Badger Manufacturing, Bath Iron Works, and finally winding up his career at Jamesbury Valve Company in Worcester, MA. Joe put his children through college and never asked for anything in return. Joe unselfishly took care of his family and wanted all to be comfortable, especially Mom. He wanted Mom to be taken care of when he was gone. He worked hard to pay off their house early so we would always have a roof over our head no matter what happened. This he accomplished.

But Joe was most proud of his family, his wife, his children, his grand children and even his new grand child. Often asked ‘did he ever think he would be a great-grand father?’ He was pleasantly surprised and happy he had made it as far as he did.

Godspeed Joe, you are already missed . . .

Joe rests peacefully at St. Bernard’s Cemetery, Bedford Street, Concord, Ma.