Early Years
Information on George comes from 4 sources: Ancestry.com documents, documents found in the Kositzin’s home (2008 and 2022), first-hand recollections in an interview with Irene in 2008 and numerous conversations with George and Mary Ellen Kositzin throughout the years.
George was born December 15, 1933 in Harbin, China to Peter Buyanoff and Vera Kriloff Buyanoff. He had a sister, Irene Buyanoff Shegoleff. In an interview in 2008, Irene said that Vera had wanted a divorce from Peter. Peter said if she (Vera) gave him two children he would grant the divorce. They were divorced in 1941.
Led by his adopted parents, Ivan Kositzin and Uliana Buyanoff Kositzin (one of Peter’s sisters), they departed Harbin in 1941 and emigrated to Tientsin, China. In 1945, the U. S. Marine Corps 1st Division went into Tientsin. They were sent there to perform police duties to protect the citizens from rival Chinese factions. There was civil unrest among the Chinese after the Japanese surrendered in WW2 and left Northern China. According to Mary Ellen, George’s wife, George was impressed with the Marines and that left a lasting impression. When George was 15 years old, his family left Tientsin in 1948, and emigrated to Shanghai and then eventually to the Philippines. They made residence on the island of Tubabao, which is in the providence of Guiuan.
The I.R.O. granted refugee status to George, his mother through adoption Uliana, and his aunt Elena on January 16, 1949.
They departed the Philippines in or around Feb. 17, 1949. The I. R. O. wrote a letter certifying about George “…his conduct was exemplary…”. George and his family arrived in San Francisco on September 17, 1950. They traveled via the American Presidents Line ship the President Cleveland.
Prior to his enlistment in the United States Marine Corps (USMC), George worked at the San Francisco Junior Academy and Sugerman Appliances (no longer in business) in San Francisco from December 1950 until February 1952.
George was granted U. S. citizenship on May 14, 1954 while stationed in Santa Ana with the USMC
Marine Years
George enlisted in the U. S. Marine Corp. on February 27, 1952 at the age of 18. He registered in San Francisco at the DHRS (Dept Human Resources Systems) office on Taraval Street and was assigned to the Marine Corps Recruit Depot in San Diego and the 8th RTBn (8th Marine Regiment Recruit Training Battalion). In less than two years, on November 1, 1953, he was promoted to a Corporal (Cpl) E4. During his active duty he worked as Radio Mechanic earning the level of RM II. He repaired the radio and communication systems on airplanes and helicopters. He served in Korea during the Korean War (1950 – 1953). He served as an active member for 3 years, 11 months and 18 days. George earned five military awards during his three plus years serving: Korea Service Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Good Conduct Medal, United Nations Medal and the Korean Presidential Unit Citation. He was honorably discharged from “active” duty on February 26, 1955. In mid-February of 1958, the Veterans Administration granted George a Certificate for Education and Training to be used at City College of San Francisco.
He reenlisted and joined a reserve unit on May 28, 1955 – VMA-133 MARTD, NAS, Alameda (www.alamedanavalairmuseum.org/nas-umit/vma-133). While at NAS Alameda, he was promoted to Sergeant E5 on February 1, 1959. He would be stationed in Alameda for his entire reserve tour. George was given an Honorable Discharge from his reserve unit on February 26, 1960. He again reenlisted for a second time and was honorably discharged on February 26, 1964. Again, he reenlisted (a third time) and was made a Gunnery Sergeant (GySgt) E7 on February 27, 1970. He received a third honorable discharge. (On May 11, 1972, George received a letter from Commandant of the Marine Corps, notifying him of his eligibility to receive his retirement pay. He earned this right due to his “…20 or more years of satisfactory service…”. He began receiving his pay after he turned 60 years of age.) He again reenlisted for a fourth time and on February 27, 1975 he was promoted to Master Sergeant (MSGT) E8 on February 26, 1976. His last reenlistment was March 23, 1976. He was promoted to Master Gunnery Sergeant (MGySgt) E9. (Master Gunnery Sergeants serve as technical experts in their Military Occupation Specialty and offer leadership in their field to large Marine units like companies and battalions. Master Gunnery Sergeants may be involved in fields such as logistics, aviation, artillery, and more). His last Honorable Discharge was April 26, 1978. He was then awarded, and accepted reluctantly, his Certificate of Retirement on August 1, 1978.
Family Years
Prior to his marriage, George lived at 1217 2nd Avenue in San Francisco with his adopted parents Ivan and Uliana Kositzin. When George retuned from active duty in Korea, he worked at Rudy’s Book Nook on Judah Street between Ninth and Tenth Avenues in San Francisco’s Inner Sunset District. On January 2, 1954, Mary Ellen came into the shop and that is when George and Mary Ellen met. On their first date, they double dated with a Marine friend of George’s. They saw a movie at the Orpheum Theatre in downtown San Francisco. During the movie, George told Mary Ellen: “I have no intentions of getting married.” After the movie, they had pizza at Villa Romana on Irving Street between Eight and Ninth Avenues in San Francisco (an omen maybe). On August 4, 1957, George married Mary Ellen Spillane in the Mission San Rafael. He and Mary Ellen first lived in the Excelsior District in San Francisco at 73-A Theresa Street. They soon moved, but stayed in the same district to 242 Paris Street. While living here, Jeff, Susan and Brenda were born. In 1965, they bought their first and only home at 1845 Ninth Avenue. John was born there.
George was hired by RCA (Radio Corporation of America) in 1958 and worked out of the South San Francisco campus. He started as a technician and later was promoted to the general manager of the entire South San Francisco operations and shop. He retired from RCA in the mid 1980’s after RCA was sold. He then picked-up a part time job with UCSF (University of California San Francisco) based out of the medical building on Parnassus Street in San Francisco’s Inner Sunset District. He was as a courier for the dermatology department and he worked there for fifteen plus years. As a result of his work ethic and goal of taking care of his family, George had accrued 3 pensions and after his death left Mary Ellen to live comfortably.
He was a grandfather (Papa) eight times: Brandi, Sara, Katrina, Anna, Matthew, Thomas, Nick and Rene.
He died on April 20, 2008 at UCSF due to complications from cancer treatment. He left quite an impressive legacy and family to carry-on his life’s ambitions.
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