World War II Honoree

Stanley Poniatowski

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Bloomfield, New Jersey

Honored By

Joseph Pedersen

Relationship

Nephew

ENTERED THE U.S. ARMY ON OCTOBER 28, 1943. HE WAS SENT TO FORT DIX, NEW JERSEY FOR TRAINING PRIOR TO WAR SERVICE. HE ACCOMPLISHED TRAINING AS AN ARTILLERY MECHANIC, BUT HIS SPECIALTY WAS RIFLEMAN. HE LEFT FOR THE EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS ON JUNE 30, 1944. DURING THIS TIME, HE AND HIS PLATOON WERE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE LAST GREAT GERMAN OFFENSIVE OF THE WAR. THE CODE NAME WAS 'WATCH ON THE RHINE' THIS WAS THE BATTLE OF THE BULGE. AT 35 YEARS OF AGE, HE WAS ONE OF THE OLDEST INDUCTEES IN THE SERVICE. ON JANUARY 6, 1945, HIS UNIT, THE 87TH INFANTRY DIVISION, WAS PART OF A RESERVE FORCE GENERAL PATTON WAS USING TO PUSH THE GERMANS OUT OF THE BASTOGNE CORRIDOR. HE ENGAGED IN COMBAT AS A RIFLEMAN IN THE ARDENNES AND CENTRAL EUROPEAN CAMPAIGN. HE ENGAGED IN ASSAULTS ON THE ENEMY AS HE WENT ON SCOUTING AND PATROL MISSIONS. HE INFILTRATED ENEMY LINES TO OBTAIN INFORMATION, AND WAS AWARDED THE COMBAT INFANTRYMAN BADGE. HIS PLATOON WAS ATTACKING THE VILLAGE OF TILLET, BELGIUM WHEN HIS COMMANDING OFFICERS TOOK A DIRECT MORTAR HIT AND THEY DISAPPEARED. HE TOOK COVER NEAR A WOODPILE. THE GERMANS TOOK HIM PRISONER AND HE WAS MARCHED TO STALAG 12A WHERE HE WAS RELEASED ON APRIL 2, 1945 BY AN ARMORED PATROL. HE WAS TAKEN BY SHIP TO NEW YORK FOR RECOVERY AT LAKE PLACID MAY 5, 1945. HE WAS HONORABLY DISCHARGED ON NOVEMBER 22, 1945.