World War II Honoree

Edward I. Zukowski

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Buffalo, New York

Honored By

Charles B. Church III

IN 1941 RE-ENLISTED IN BUFFALO, NEW YORK. SERVED AS A TECHNICAL SERGEANT, U.S. ARMY, INFANTRY WITH COMPANY F, 16TH INFANTRY REGIMENT, 1ST DIVISION, 2ND BATTALION. SHIPPED OUT TO FORT DEVENS, THEN TO ENGLAND. NEXT ASSIGNMENTS WERE IN NORTH AFRICA. FOUGHT BATTLES FROM ORAN, ALGERIA IN THE WESTERN AREA, ALL THE WAY TO EL GUETTAR, TUNISIA IN THE EAST. WOUNDED IN THE SHOULDER IN EL GUETTAR. SHIPPED BACK TO ENGLAND FOR MEDICAL CARE. SHIPPED OUT TO SICILY FOR MORE BATTLE ACTION. SURROUNDED BY GERMAN TANKS, LOST HALF OF THE ONE HUNDRED-FORTY MEN IN HIS COMPANY. ONLY TWELVE MEN SURVIVED IN HIS PLATOON. RETURNED TO ENGLAND FOR REST AND MORE TRAINING. ON D-DAY, LANDED AT OMAHA BEACH, NORMANDY, FRANCE. OF FORTY MEN IN HIS PLATOON ONLY EIGHTEEN SURVIVED. HE WAS WOUNDED IN BOTH LEGS AND ONE ARM BY AN ANTI-PERSONNEL MINE. HE WAS OFFERED, BUT TURNED DOWN TWO BATTLEFIELD COMMISSIONS. EARNED TWO PURPLE HEARTS, THE SILVER STAR, TWO BRONZE STAR MEDALS, COMBAT INFANTRYMAN BADGE, EXPERT RIFLEMAN BADGE, WWII VICTORY MEDAL, AMERICAN DEFENSE MEDAL, GOOD CONDUCT MEDAL, EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN CAMPAIGN MEDAL WITH FOUR BRONZE STARS AND ARROWHEAD, AND TWO PRESIDENTIAL UNIT CITATIONS. HONORABLY DISCHARGED IN 1946.