Award of New York state's Conspicuous Service Cross to John P. Downes on 22 November 1982/  The New York state's Conspicuous Service Cross

Criteria:  The Conspicuous Service Cross may be awarded to any current New York State citizen or person who was a New York State citizen while serving on federal active duty; whose entire service was honorable subsequent to the time of receipt of the citation while serving in the U.S. Army, Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps, Coast Guard or in the Army female nurse corps, and who has received a personal decoration issued by a brigade or equivalent higher headquarters. The Conspicuous Service Cross may also be awarded to any citizen of New York State, who while serving with the allied forces, received a personal decoration published in order issued by a brigade or equivalent higher headquarters.

John P. 'Jack' Downes, 92 WWII paratrooper on D-Day, Army Reserve officer, and retired FDNY battalion chief John P. "Jack" Downes, 92, died on Friday. Dec. 2, 2016. He was born on E. 52nd Street in Manhattan to the late Margaret and Stephen Downes.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Eileen (nee Mulhall), and siblings, Mary, Robert, Stephen, Nicholas, Bernadette (O'Shea), Helen, Anne (Maguire), William, and Joseph. He is survived by his daughter, Marcella Liotta, her husband, Louis, and grandson, Paul.

John retired as chief from the Seventh Battalion of the FDNY after 42 years of service. He was also retired from the Army Reserve as a command sergeant major. His last assignment was 364th Support Group at Fort Totten in Queens, N.Y.

He was a veteran of World War II, where he served as a paratrooper of the 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division. He jumped into Normandy on June 6, 1944, was wounded on June 20 and recovered in England. After returning to his regiment, he jumped into Holland on Sept. 17, 1944, and fought in the Battle of the Bulge.

The wake will be held at Hanley Funeral Home, New Dorp, S.I. [Staten Island], on Monday, Dec. 5, from 2 to 4 p.m. and 7 to 9 p.m. Mass will be said at 10 a.m. Tuesday, Dec. 6, at St. Margaret Mary R.C. Church, Midland Beach, S.I., with burial at Moravian Cemetery, New Dorp. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in John's name to the NYC Firefighter's Burn Center Foundation.

[Staten Island Advance on December 4, 2016]