Joseph Bert Mahoney served in the United States Navy and achieved the rank of Petty Officer Second Class AE-2.

A resident of Waterford, New York, Mr. Mahoney served in the Navy from 1964 to 1968 and participated in three combat tours in the Vietnam War.

Mr. Mahoney entered active duty on April 7, 1964, and served in aircraft maintenance as an Aircraft Electrical Inspector. After training in Great Lakes, Illinois and Jacksonville, Florida, Mr. Mahoney was assigned to VA-163 on board the aircraft carrier USS Oriskany. He served with this unit from May 1965 until his discharge in January 1968.

During its deployments to Vietnam, the USS Oriskany lost 71 aircrafts and 79 service members, a shockingly high number by modern carrier aviation standards. While Mr. Mahoney was on board, the USS Oriskany experienced a horrible at-sea fire in October 1966, which claimed the lives of 44 sailors.

Mr. Mahoney also served in support of Navy pilot, then-Lieutenant Commander John McCain, who was shot down over North Vietnam.

For his valor and service to our Nation, Mr. Mahoney was awarded the National Defense Service Medal, Vietnam Service Medal with two Bronze Stars, Navy Unit Commendation Medal with one Bronze Star, and Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal with 60 Device.

Mr. Mahoney was trained at the U.S. Navy Aviation Electrician Mates School and numerous aircraft technical schools, as well as the U.S. Armed Forces Institute. He attended Hudson Valley Community College for Electrical Technology and SUNY Albany for Fire Service Management.

After his military service, Mr. Mahoney was employed by GE Silicone Products for 32 years, retiring as a Project Engineer/Electrical Instrumentation Supervisor.

An active participant in the Waterford community since 1968, Mr. Mahoney has been a member, Captain, Assistant Chief, and Chief of the Waterford Fire Department. He has diligently served as the Mayor of the Village of Waterford since 1998.

He is Past Commander of the Waterford Memorial Post 5800 VFW and a member of the American Legion Post 235, Waterford Knights of Columbus, and Cohoes/Waterford Elks.

Mr. Mahoney has been married for 57 years to Margie “Mike” Mahoney. They have two boys, Bert and Russell, and five grandchildren.