World War II Honoree

Andrew Wasylick

Branch of Service

U.S. Navy

Hometown

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Honored By

Southwestern Veterans Center (Pennsylvania)

SERVED AS A PHARMACIST'S MATE 3RD CLASS IN THE HOSPITAL CORPS OF THE NAVY FROM MAY 15, 1942 THROUGH MAY 1945. RECEIVED HIS BASIC TRAINING IN NEWPORT, RHODE ISLAND IN 1942. HE THEN RECEIVED TRAINING AS A HOSPITAL CORPSMAN AT THE BROOKLYN NAVAL HOSPITAL AND WAS SUBSEQUENTLY ASSIGNED TO DUTY AT THE PHILADELPHIA NAVAL HOSPITAL. IN LATE 1942, HE WAS ASSIGNED TO DUTY ABOARD THE TROOP TRANSPORT JOSEPH E. HEWES (APA-50). THE JOSEPH E. HEWES CARRIED OVER 1000 MEN OF THE U.S. ARMY’S 3RD DIVISION AND WAS PART OF TASK FORCE 34, WHICH PLAYED A KEY ROLE IN THE OPERATION TORCH, THE ALLIED INVASION OF NORTH AFRICA. THE JOSEPH E. HEWES DEPARTED THE U.S. ON OCTOBER 24, 1942 AS PART OF TASK FORCE 34. ON NOVEMBER 8, 1942, THE TROOPS CARRIED BY THE JOSEPH E. HEWES LANDED ON THE SHORES OF NORTH AFRICA, JUST SOUTHWEST OF CASABLANCA. THAT EVENING, THE JOSEPH E. HEWES WAS HIT BY A TORPEDO FIRED BY A GERMAN SUBMARINE AND SANK. AS PART OF THE HOSPITAL CORPS, ASSISTED OTHER TROOPS IN EVACUATING THE JOSEPH E. HEWES. AFTER THE SINKING OF THE JOSEPH E. HEWES, WAS ASSIGNED TO DUTY IN THE UNITED STATES AND THEN ASSIGNED TO DUTY AT THE U.S. NAVAL BASES IN LONDONBERRY, NORTH IRELAND AND EXETER, ENGLAND. HE FINISHED HIS SERVICE IN THE HOSPITAL CORPS AT THE U.S. NAVAL HOSPITAL IN ST. ALBANS NEW YORK.