World War II Honoree

Francis Dominic Heesakker

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Little Chute, Wisconsin

Honored By

Lawrence J. Heesakker

Relationship

Brother

DRAFTED ON 5-21-43, AGE 18. FRANCIS 'STACK' SERVED WITH THE 1ST CALVARY DIVISION, 7TH REGIMENT, 'G' TROOP. FIRST BOAT RIDE ON 11-11-43, TOOK HIM TO BRISBANE, AUSTRALIA FOR ISLAND COMBAT TRAINING IN THE PACIFIC THEATRE OF OPERATION. SGT STACK'S COMBAT LIFE AS A SQUAD LEADER OF A 5-MAN, 60 MM MORTAR CREW BEGAN IN NEW GUINEA. THEN CAME LANDINGS ON FOUR OF THE ADMIRALTY ISLANDS. THEN A LANDING ON WHITE BEACH LEYTE AND FINALLY ON LUZON, PHILIPPINES, WHERE HE WAS SLIGHTLY WOUNDED. TEN DAYS LATER, ON 3-6-45, AFTER THE LIBERATION OF MANILA, IN THE HILLS ON THE WAY TO THE CITY OF ANTEPOLO, STACK WAS SERIOUSLY WOUNDED. NOW STARTED A 12-MONTH SAGA OF SURGERIES AND RECOVERIES. HIS RIGHT LEG, ABOVE THE KNEE, WAS AMPUTATED IN A MANILA HOSPITAL ON 3-7-45 AT AGE 20. NUMEROUS OPERATIONS REMOVED SHRAPNEL FROM HIS BACK AND PREPARED HIS STUMP FOR A PROSTHESIS. STACK'S JOURNEY BACK TO THE STATES STARTED ON A HOSPITAL SHIP TO NEW GUINEA. FROM THERE IT WAS A LIBERTY SHIP RIDE TO LETTERMAN GENERAL HOSPITAL IN SAN FRANCISCO, AND FINALLY BY TRAIN TO PERCY JONES GENERAL HOSPITAL IN BATTLE CREEK, MICHIGAN. HE ARRIVED AT PERCY JONES IN LATE MAY OF 1945, AND WAS DISCHARGED ON 2-28-46, AT AGE 21.