John Henry Criss was born on May 8, 1920 in Alda, Hall County, Nebraska. He was the son of James Franklin Criss and Melissa May Williams Criss. He entered the military service in Kansas and served in the U.S. Army during World War II as a Technician Fifth Grade in the 531st Engineer Shore Regiment. He died on June 6, 1944 during the invasion on Utah Beach, France and is now buried in Normandy American Cemetery, Colleville-sur-Mer, France.