World War II Honoree

Charles Gazdik

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Sheridan, Wyoming

Honored By

Gazdik Family & Lt. Col. Charles T. Borg, USA (Ret.)

JOINED ARMY AT FORT LOGAN, COLORADO, FEBRUARY 23, 1944 AND SENT TO CAMP ROBERTS, CALIFORNIA FOR BASIC AND ADVANCED TRAINING. BECAME AUTOMATIC RIFLEMAN, USING BROWNING AUTOMATIC RIFLE. IN JANUARY 1945 WAS SHIPPED TO THE PACIFIC THEATER TO JOIN COMPANY B, 163RD INFANTRY REGIMENT, 41ST INFANTRY DIVISION 'JUNGLEERS'. IN MARCH 1945, MADE ASSAULT LANDING ON SOUTHERN PHILIPPINE ISLAND OF MINDANAO AND SAW HEAVY FIGHTING AT THE BATTLE OF ZAMBOANGA AND BATTLE OF JOLO ISLAND TO SEIZE THE CRITICAL SULU ARCHIPELAGO. CREDITED WITH WIPING OUT AN ENEMY MACHINE GUN POSITION WHICH WAS INFLICTING HEAVY CASUALTIES ON THE COMPANY. WOUNDED IN ACTION AND EVACUATED TO A FIELD HOSPITAL, AND RECOVERED FROM WOUNDS. REJOINED COMPANY B FOR OPERATIONS IN THE PHILIPPINE ISLANDS UNTIL JAPAN SURRENDERED IN AUGUST 1945 (V-J DAY). TRANSFERRED TO KURE, JAPAN AS PART OF ARMY OCCUPATION AND THEN TO GENERAL DOUGLAS MACARTHUR'S FAR EAST COMMAND HEADQUARTERS IN TOKYO. RETURNED TO STATES AND WAS HONORABLY DISCHARGED AT FORT DOUGLAS, UTAH, MARCH 29, 1946. RECEIVED COMBAT INFANTRYMAN BADGE, EXPERT RIFLEMAN BADGE, DISTINGUISHED UNIT CITATION WITH 2 OAK LEAF CLUSTERS, BRONZE STAR MEDAL, PURPLE HEART, GOOD CONDUCT MEDAL, AMERICAN CAMPAIGN MEDAL, ASIATIC-PACIFIC THEATER MEDAL WITH BRONZE ARROWHEAD, WWII VICTORY MEDAL, ARMY OF OCCUPATION MEDAL, PHILIPPINE LIBERATION MEDAL WITH BRONZE STAR AND 2 OVERSEAS BARS.