John Edward Albright, Jr. was a husband, a father, an officer, and a friend. He was born in Buffalo, NY, to John and Stella Albright (Bennett) and had one sibling, Patricia. He attended Nott Terrace High School in Schenectady, NY, earning his highest grades in chemistry and wood shop. He went on to earn a BS in Biology from Loyola University in New Orleans, LA and an MBA from the University of Missouri-Kansas City. While in New Orleans, he worked as a bartender at the famous Napoleon House in the French Quarter, something he always thought was cool. He considered joining the National Parks service after college, before enlisting in the Army in 1955. After an oversea tour in South Korea, he completed training with the 1st Ranger Battalion in Elgin, FL. In the execution of this duty, he did “walk many miles, wade many streams, swim numerous rivers, and flunk many students.” In addition, he “never got cold, seldom got lost, hardly ever swore, and always maintained a good attitude.”
He met his wife, Lola Catherine Luckett (Cathy) in 1961 while stationed in Ft. Benning, GA. While serving as an ROTC officer at the Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, NY, they welcomed a daughter, Jennifer, in 1963, shortly before shipping off to Germany for several years. Their son, John, was born in Ft. Rucker, AL in 1967. Other military posts included Ft. Leavenworth, KS, the
Australian Army Command and Staff College in Queenscliff, AU, and Ft. Bragg, NC.
Over his life, John served both his country and his family. During his deployment to Vietnam in 1967-1968, he left his wife, 4 year old daughter and 7 month old son to become a senior advisor to ARVN in the Duc Ton Subsector of Sa Dec Province, located on the south bank of the Mekong River Delta. He often operated out of a Patrol Boat River (PBR) base. For his service,
he was awarded a Bronze Star, Meritorious Service Medal, and a National Defense Service Medal, among others. He also almost exclusively enjoyed Pabst Blue Ribbon Beer for many years, as it was a regular staple of the PBR crews that had saved his life numerous times.
In his homelife, he is remembered for teaching his kids how to dive, do somersaults underwater, ride a bike, and drive a stick shift. He was also a scoutmaster to his son’s troop. While serving overseas in Australia, he and his wife enjoyed some of their best years with the Army, forming friendships with families from countries from around the world while teaching at the Australian Army Staff College.
After retiring from 24 years of military service in 1979, he worked as a management consultant for Brooks International and several other firms before retiring for a second time in the late 1990’s. Some of the businesses he worked with included Heinz, Tyson Foods (trust me - you do NOT want to know how they make chicken nuggets, or ketchup for that matter), The Washington Post, and a number of the country’s largest medical centers. He was an avid reader and historian, with a particular love for military history (which he had taught while in the Army). He loved TV series like Magnum PI and Columbo, both characters having the qualities of the kind of men he admired.
Our dad was also an excellent cook. For grilling, he only used charcoal. He made the best pancakes you ever tasted, modifying the recipe repeatedly until he landed on the gold standard (¼ cup wheat flour mixed into the white with Crisco and buttermilk). Other specialties included veal piccata, chicken marsala, and all manner of pies and cobblers. He had a sweet tooth. In more recent years while living in Jacksonville, FL, he liked to have a cold beer and a cigar on his patio. He listened to classical music, watched Below Deck, and rooted for the Tampa Bay Rays. He ate as many BLTs as he wanted and was liked by all who met him. The sacrifices he made during his service to country and family will not be forgotten.