DeNovo, John A. (John August), 1916-2000

Student at University of Minnesota, lieutenant in the U.S. Naval Reserves during World War II, graduate student at Yale University, history professor.

John August DeNovo was born to August ("Gus") and Paula DeNovo on November 5, 1916 in Galva, Henry County, Illinois. He had two siblings, Marguerite and Joe. After graduating from high school, he attended the University of Minnesota where he received Bachelor of Arts and Masters Degrees in history/political science. Upon graduating from these programs, DeNovo served in the U.S. Navy Reserves where he worked as Operations and Administrations Officer and served in the recruiting station in Minneapolis, Minnesota and as the Port Director in Noumea, New Caledonia. DeNovo was presented with the Asiatic Pacific Ribbon for his active service in the Pacific Theater during World War II. After the war, DeNovo earned a Ph. D. in history from Yale University. He later married Jeanne Humphreys of Knoxville, Illinois. He was a history professor at University of Pennsylvania, 1948-1964, and University of Wisconsin-Madison from 1964, becoming professor emeritus in 1982.

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