by James Breig
When John A. La Barbera, a parishioner of Our Lady of Sorrows Church, Corona, went overseas during World War II, he took with him his Catholic faith and fond memories of his buddies, most of whom were also in uniform and scattered around the world.
One of their number, however, remained at home because he was rejected by the draft board. Instead of serving in the military, Robert Ebersold acted as a conduit of news for the others. He lived down 37th Ave. from Our Lady of Sorrows.
La Barbera, who signed his letters “Jackie,” held on to his faith and his friends as sure anchors in a world of roiling conflict. The proof of that lies in 45 letters he sent to Bob. In them, Jackie often expressed his deep belief in God and his affection for his friends back home.
Jackie entered the service on July 22, 1942, when he was 19, and would end up halfway around the world from his hometown. Within just a few months, he was in Hawaii, awaiting transport of his unit to the South Pacific. That happened in March 1943.
“I can’t tell you where I am,” he wrote Bob, citing wartime censorship, “but…I am south of the equator and west of the international dateline.”
In fact, Jackie was on Guadalcanal, which American forces had just taken from the Japanese in one of the nation’s first Pacific victories. Once in a war zone, La Barbera grew more and more dependent on his faith to get him through.
Although a member of a bomb squadron, the Corona man was not in imminent danger. He joked that “I wouldn’t know the bomb sight from Adam.” His role was behind the scenes in a communications office. Nevertheless, anyone in the military was putting his life on the line because of where he was and the uncertainty of what might happen. The South Pacific also held dangers of its own in malaria and other tropical diseases.
Despite those precarious circumstances, Jackie could focus on a change in Bob’s life. His friend had fallen in love and was thinking of proposing. As La Barbera tended to his assignments on the island, pitched in to build a permanent camp, and couldn’t sleep because “it is too hot and we are too tired,” he made time to pray for Bob.
“I have been praying for your intention,” Jackie wrote, “and it would make me very happy if she says yes…I wish you and her all the luck, success and happiness in the world. All I hope is that you wait until I get back…before you get married.”
The feeling that God was closely involved in their lives was reflected in Bob’s letters, too, because Jackie thanked him “for saying a Mass for me. I have not been to Mass in about a month. We have no R.C. chaplain. I wish we did because I would like very much to go to Mass. The last Mass I attended was the morning we left Hawaii.”
He recognized that being in danger tended to concentrate one’s thoughts on the Deity.
“Down here,” he told Bob, “soldiers turn Christian overnight and prayers are what we need most.”
There was another constant theme in Jackie’s letters: baseball. He longed for clippings from newspapers about his favorite team, the Yankees, and he took part in pick-up softball games on Guadalcanal. As the major league season unspooled, he begged Bob for detailed information and hoped “it turns out good for the Giants and Yankees.” The former was Bob’s favorite club.
In July 1943, Jackie made a special request to his friend: “I wish you would pray for a certain intention of mine. All us boys down here are praying so that we may be relieved in time to get home for Christmas…So please say a little prayer for that.”
That prayer would not be answered, but Jackie took some solace from the World Series. The Yankees beat the Cardinals in five games, something he had not expected. As he had told Bob before the fall classic began, “I would be a very happy young man if my Yanks can beat those speed demons.”
Before the end of 1943, Jackie was again on the move, this time to the Solomon Islands. Meanwhile, in Brooklyn, Bob was making a unique contribution to the war effort by writing for The Serviceman’s Tablet, a newsletter sponsored by Our Lady of Sorrows to keep in touch with parishioners in the armed forces. They numbered as many as 5,000 men, a figure that astonished Jackie.
“It is one swell paper,” he enthused in a letter to Bob, “and I enjoyed every word of it and so did the boys down here who read it. As far as I know, our parish is the only one that is doing anything like that.”
As 1944 began, La Barbera did something he hadn’t done in a long while because his unit finally got a Catholic chaplain. “I served Mass again last Sunday,” he told Bob. Although he admitted to being “rusty” on his Latin, Jackie added that “I guess I may still keep on serving every Sunday…I like it because it brings me even closer to Our Blessed Lord and the Blessed Sacrament.”
As the year ran on, La Barbera was shipped to the Admiralty Islands and then to New Guinea. At the former site, he experienced a religious ritual he had missed. “Sunday before last,” he wrote, “we had Benediction for the first time in a very long time, and as usual it did things to me.”
And so it would go for Jackie: stories of playing baseball in the South Pacific and following the Yankees from afar, hopes for a quick end to the war, sorrow over the loss of people he and Bob knew back home and firm expressions of faith.
In a letter written in October 1944 from the Netherlands East Indies, La Barbera noted that a mutual friend had been killed in France. He commented, “This war is getting closer to home all the time.” He then closed with “That’s all for tonight…Vaya con Dios. Your pal, Jackie.”
Jackie made it home. He died in Flushing in 1996, when he was 73. Was he in time for Bob’s wedding? Did he continue to play baseball? Did he have a family? What happened to Bob? The memories of people who were in Our Lady of Sorrows parish during World War II could fill in some of those blanks.
James Breig, a veteran Catholic journalist, is the author of “Searching for Sgt. Bailey: Saluting an Ordinary Soldier of World War II.” The book is based on letters he found that were sent by a soldier in New Guinea to his mother. In his research, he also came across John A. La Barbera’s mail. Breig’s book can be purchased at www.amazon.com.
James – thank you for the beautiful article. Jackie was my grandfather! I was led to the article by a coworker who randomly read a hard copy of The Tablet, saw the name John LaBarbera, and thought there might be a connection. I’m wondering if there is any more information, letters, or stories about my grandfather in your book? He has a wonderful family and baseball for most of us continues to be a big part of our lives in one way or another. Please feel free to reach out as I was extremely moved by your article.
My cousin found this article and it literally brought me to tears. Jackie La Barbera was my grandfater. When he came home from WWII he married my grandmother, Gail La Barbera. Together they had three boys – Charles, Richard, and John. He now has 8 grandchildren – John, Michael, Richard, Michelle, Christine, Gina, Jacqueline, and Rebecca. Unfortunately, he passed away from a massive heart attack in December of 1996. When my grandfather died his son,John, and daugher-in-law, Marie, were pregnant with their third child, Jacqueline. She was named after our grandfather.
After reading this article it really brings the spirit of my grandfather back. He was a devoted Catholic who served in the church every Sunday. He was a true role model and inspiration to our family. He is greatly missed and on behalf of the whole La Barbera family, we appreciate this article wholeheartedly.
Jack (Jackie) was my dad. He was a NY police officer for 22 years and then worked for another 20 or so years for Chemical Bank in their Security Dept. He had 3 boys, Charlie now 63, Rich (me) now 62, and John now 49. He has 8 grandchildren (5 girls and 3 boys)ranging from 10 through 36. One of the grandchildren (Michael) who looked like my father played baseball for the Montreal Expos farm team. My son, who idolized his Grandpa followed his footsteps and became a police officer. Only two grandkids were born after Pop died. He was survived by Gail (maiden name, LiCastro)who is still living in a home in Rhode Island.
He was a man of faith until the day he died and never did I hear him say a bad word about anyone. He loved God, the Church, and most of all his family. There was no one on this eart a better person.
Rich LaBarbera
Jack, was my brother and I was very moved and touched by this article. I was wondering how you obtained his letters. I would love to read more of Jacks letters. Please feel free to email me at jobuckley@yaho.com.
My assignment everyday was to write to him everyday when I came home from school. I also, had to write to my brother Frank. I am the only living sibling left and he meant the world to me.
I hope to the opportunity to read some more of my brother’s letters.
Thank you.
Mary Ann
JIM, it was a pleasure speaking with you tonight. You have touched the entire family your brought great memories to us. Uncle Jack was an AMAZING GENTELMEN!!! He is in my heart forever. Like I told you, when I look at my brother Joe, I see Uncle Jack. He has the same heart and soul and he loves children.
Thank you again for making my Mom so happy today.
Joanne
A wonderful story. Thanks for sharing!
Hi James, my name is Barbara one of Maryanns five children. I would like to Thank You for writing about my Uncle Jack he was the greatest Uncle ever. I often remember the times when I was young & my Uncle Jack & Aunt Gail would come to Long Island on most Sundays to visit his Mom Mary LaBarbera (my Grandmother who lived with us) my Uncle would always bring an Entenmanns Crumb cake. He would sit on the couch & hold my Grandmothers hand with a big smile. It was so sweet how much he loved her. My Uncle Jack was a kind gentleman everyone loved him & he is missed. Thank you for your time. Barbara