Paul John Regusis
T/5 in 603rd Engineer Camouflage Bn : HQ & Service Co
ASN#12088459
Born 1921 in NY, Died 2007
Artist
County of residence at enlistment: New York County, NY
Other residence(s): New York, NY in 1942; France; India; Saudi Arabia; Albuquerque, NM in 2002
United States Army, European Theatre of Operations
Occupation before the war: actors and actresses
College education before the war: CCNY 4 years
Paul Regusis was born on February 21, 1921 in New York City. His father, a physician, had been born in Greece and his mother in England. Paul was the youngest of four children and the only one of his siblings born in the US—the others had been born in Greece or Egypt prior to the family's arrival in New York in 1915.
Paul had become a member of the New York Guard on January 12, 1942, and registered for the draft a month later. He graduated from City College of New York that spring, and enlisted in the Army on June 25, 1942.
Like many NYC artists and art students, Paul found his way into the 603rd Engineer Camouflage Battalion. He was one of the artists who was stationed at Fort Meade in 1943, silk-screening posters to be used in camouflage training lectures. At the time he had earned the rank of CPL.
After serving overseas with the unit, he returned to New York and found work as an artist/graphic designer/photographer. He married Mary Vassiliades on September 25, 1948, and from 1950-1951 the couple lived in France. They would go on to have three children after their return to the US: Timoleon (Tim), Anthony (Tony), and Gilberte (Gigi).
In 1955 the young family moved to Albuquerque, NM. At some point Paul completed an MFA in Mexico. He can be found throughout the 1960s, 70s, and 80s delivering slide shows of his travels, teaching about New Mexico arts and crafts at the University of Albuquerque, and offering classes in graphic design. He also worked as a graphic designer for the state government in Santa Fe.
After their children were grown, Paul and Mary loved traveling and they spent time living in India and Saudi Arabia. They had learned French in their year abroad after their marriage, and Paul stayed active in the Alliance Française in Albuquerque. They mastered other languages as well.
Paul died on November 25, 2007 and is buried at the Santa Fe National Cemetery. Tim and Tony Regusis carried on their father's artistic legacy—they are both professional musicians.
Sources:
1930 census
1940 census
1941 draft card
1942 National Guard record
1942 enlistment record
1948 marriage record
1950 shipboard manifest from New York to Cherbourg, France
1951 shipboard manifest from Cherbourg to New York
1964 article in the Albuquerque Journal (NM) about his study in France
https://www.newspapers.com/image/156241296/?terms=paul%20j%20regusis&match=1
1974 article in the Albuquerque Journal (NM); covers career elements
https://www.newspapers.com/image/156636671/?terms=paul%20j%20regusis&match=1
1998 wife's obituary in the Albuquerque Journal (NM)
https://www.newspapers.com/image/289798090/?terms=paul%20j%20regusis&match=1
2007 Find a Grave record
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/72870430/paul-john-regusis
2007 obituary in Albuquerque Journal (NM)