World War II Honoree

Jerome T. Nowak

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Baltimore, Maryland

Honored By

Orville L. Kline

RANK: PRIVATE. HE WAS INDUCTED INTO THE UNITED STATES ARMY OCTOBER 3, 1941 AT BALTIMORE, MARYLAND. SERVED IN EUROPE, WHERE HE EXPERIENCED COMBAT WITH THE DEMOLITION SECTION, REGIMENTAL HEADQUARTERS, 502ND PARACHUTE INFANTRY REGIMENT, 101ST AIRBORNE ‘SCREAMING EAGLES’ DIVISION. HE WAS A PARATROOPER, WHO PARACHUTED INTO THE SAINT-MARTIN-DE-VARREVILLE AREA ON THE FRENCH COTENTIN PENINSULA IN THE EARLY MORNING HOURS ON D-DAY, TUESDAY, JUNE 6, 1944. THIS WAS THE INVASION OF GERMANY’S FORTRESS EUROPE, CODENAMED: OPERATION OVERLORD. ON SUNDAY, JUNE 11, 1944 HE WAS KILLED IN ACTION ON THE CAUSEWAY LEADING INTO CARENTAN, FRANCE AND WAS BURIED IN THE TEMPORARY VII CORPS BATTLEFIELD CEMETERY NEAR SAINT MERE EGLISE, FRANCE. AFTER THE CESSATION OF HOSTILITIES IN EUROPE, HIS REMAINS WERE RETURNED TO HIS FAMILY, WITH INTERMENT IN THE NEW CATHEDRAL CEMETERY, BALTIMORE, MARYLAND. DECORATION AND CITATION: THIS SOLDIER, AN AMERICAN PATRIOT, WAS AWARDED THE PURPLE HEART POSTHUMOUSLY FOR HIS SUPREME SACRIFICE IN DEFENSE OF HIS COUNTRY.