World War II Honoree

Joseph Zukowski

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Buffalo, New York

Honored By

Charles B. Church III

IN 1941 ENLISTED IN BUFFALO, NEW YORK. SERVED AS A SERGEANT, U.S. ARMY, INFANTRY WITH F-COMPANY, 16TH INFANTRY REGIMENT, 1ST DIVISION, 2ND BATTALION. SHIPPED OUT TO FT. 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. SHIPPED BACK TO ENGLAND AND THEN SHIPPED OUT TO SICILY FOR MORE BATTLE ACTION. SURROUNDED BY GERMAN TANKS, LOST HALF OF THE 140 MEN IN HIS COMPANY. ONLY 12 MEN SURVIVED IN HIS PLATOON. WAS WOUNDED IN THIS BATTLE. RETURNED TO ENGLAND FOR MEDICAL CARE, REST, AND MORE TRAINING. ON D-DAY, LANDED AT OMAHA BEACH, NORMANDY, FRANCE. OF 40 MEN IN HIS PLATOON ONLY 18 SURVIVED. HE WAS KILLED IN ACTION THIS DAY. EARNED 2 PURPLE HEARTS, 2 BRONZE STAR MEDALS, COMBAT INFANTRYMAN'S BADGE, WORLD WAR II VICTORY MEDAL, AMERICAN DEFENSE MEDAL, GOOD CONDUCT MEDAL, EUROPE-AFRICA-MIDDLE EAST CAMPAIGN MEDAL WITH 4 BRONZE STARS AND ARROWHEAD, 2 PRESIDENTIAL UNIT CITATIONS.