World War II Honoree

Richard Lewis Dutka

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Staten Island, New York

Honored By

Grateful American

SERVED AS A RIFLEMAN IN THE 66TH INFANTRY DIVISION, KNOWN AS THE BLACK PANTHERS. ON CHRISTMAS EVE, 1944, THE DIVISION WAS HEADED TO THE BATTLE OF THE BULGE WHEN THEIR TROOP SHIP, THE LEOPOLDVILLE WAS TORPEDOED AND SUNK IN THE ENGLISH CHANNEL, RESULTING IN THE LOSS OF 700 TROOPS. AFTER REORGANIZING THE SURVIVORS, THE BLACK PANTHERS LATER SAW DUTY IN NORMANDY, WHERE THEY CAPTURED THE GERMAN SUBMARINE PENS. THE 66TH THEN HELPED OCCUPY EUROPE. HE RECEIVED THE PURPLE HEART, COMBAT INFANTRYMAN BADGE AND BRONZE STAR.