Stephen J. Bodnar was born in Carteret, New Jersey. He grew up there and graduated from Carteret High School in the Class of 1943. He enlisted in the Army shortly afterward and was inducted into the Army Specialized Training Program in October 1943. Under that program, enlistees would be sent to College and upon graduation would receive a commission in the Army Engineers. But, Steve had signed up just as the Army was about to terminate that program, and he was quickly diverted into the Infantry. In February 1944, he was assigned to Company I, 377th Infantry, 95th Infantry Division, then in training at Indiantown Gap, Pennsylvania. After only a few months there, they shipped...
