Posted by Andy Weiler on September 17, 2016:

John Nicholas Weiler was youngest of seven children born to John and Laura Weiler on November 12, 1930 in Valley City, ND. The Weilers were farmers before John's father moved the family to Lamoure, ND, where he served several terms as county auditor. John graduated from Lamoure High School in 1948 and enlisted in the Army in January 1949. After basic training and an appointment from North Dakota Senator Milton Young, he attended the USMA Preparatory School at Stewart Field, NY and entered West Point on July 5, 1950. At West Point, John was a Catholic Chapel Acolyte and a member of the German Club, Camera Club, Handball Club, English Seminar, and Cadet Debate Council. He earned his grades the hard way, by studying. When not studying or playing some kind of sport, he could be found curled up on his folded World War II mattress or "brown boy" comforter and was known as a true "sack artist." He was very athletic, playing tennis handball, swimming, and coaching his company basketball team. With his wiry frame, he could run circles around most of his opponents. He was serious about his Catholic faith, loved to discuss subjects of a spiritual nature, and earned the nickname 'The Philosopher.' After graduating from West Point ranked a respectable 309 out of his class of 633, John and his one and only, Rosemary Moscato, were married on June 10, 1954 in Bellport, Long Island, NY and began an 18-year journey of a United States Air Force family. John served initially as a special investigations officer at Lowry Air Force Base (AFB), CO, then as a criminal investigations officer, HQ, U.S. Air Force Europe at Rheine-Main Air Base in Germany, where, as a first lieutenant, he was recognized as "a highly aggressive, enthusiastic, and versatile young officer who has developed a degree of job knowledge and skill in a complex field of endeavor, far beyond the expectations for an officer of his rank and experience." John and Rosemary had their first child, a daughter, in Wiesbaden. After being promoted to captain, John's next assignment involved training as a B-52 navigator at Connally AFB near Waco, TX. The Weilers were briefly stationed at Keesler AFB in Biloxi, MS, where John had his second daughter, followed shortly thereafter by birth of his first son while he was stationed at Westover AFB in Massachusetts. There, he completed Electronic Warfare Officer training and received an assignment to the Strategic Air Command, 306th Bomb Squadron at McCoy AFB, FL, where his training and duty performance was described by his superiors as "among the top of the very fine officer category." This led to his selection to attend George Washington University in Washington, DC, where he was described as "clearly outstanding" in his study of graduate engineering management. John and Rosemary had their youngest son while stationed in Florida. From Florida, John was stationed in Washington, Arizona, Ohio, and South Dakota. John was promoted to major on June 4, 1968 and to lieutenant colonel on March 1, 1971. He was in Foreign Service in 1949, 1955-58, and 1966-67. He flew more than 105 combat missions and logged 345 combat hours, earning the Air Medal, Air Force Commendation Medal and the Distinguished Flying Cross Medal twice, once for heroism and once for extraordinary achievement while participating in aerial flight. In April 1972, John suffered a hemorrhagic stroke at Ellsworth AFB, SD, and he was flown to Wright Patterson AFB, OH for treatment, but he passed away there at 42 years of age. When John was young, he wrote a poem for his uncle, who also passed away at a young age: In Memory of My Uncle (Nicholas Michael Weiler, 1909-1959) By John (Jack) N. Weiler Hear the bells, a death they knell The death of a man who lived life well. So young he was to enter death's court But a life when full is never short. Think not of death, only of sleep Pray not for the dead, but for those who weep. This I know, for a life lived well There is only heaven, there is no hell. John was a very devoted husband and father who was survived by his wife, two daughters and two sons. Rosemary Weiler moved the family from Ellsworth AFB to Glendale, AZ, as was planned for John's retirement. John's memory is kept alive, as is his bride's, by their adult children and now grandchildren and great-grandchildren, who continue to learn, receive console, and to be blessed from lives well lived. John's sons both have children named for him. Rosemary Weiler never remarried and passed away 42 years later on June 16, 2014 and is buried with John at West Point Cemetery. Andrew A. Weiler

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