World War II Honoree

Joseph E. Paczkowski

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Jersey City, New Jersey

Honored By

Mr. Richard Pace

Relationship

Nephew

INDUCTED INTO THE U.S. ARMY ON JUNE 12, 1942 AT NEWARK, NEW JERSEY AT AGE 26. SENT TO FORT GEORGE G. MEADE, NEAR ODENTON, MARYLAND AND ASSIGNED TO HEADQUARTERS COMPANY, 2ND BATTALION, 417TH INFANTRY REGIMENT, 76TH INFANTRY DIVISION. COMPLETED 8 WEEKS OF TRAINING AT THE QUARTERMASTER CORPS SCHOOL FOR BAKERS AND COOKS AT FORT MEADE. IN JULY 1943, THE DIVISION MOVED TO CAMP A.P. HILL NEAR PORT ROYAL, VIRGINIA FOR ADVANCED TRAINING. THE DIVISION WAS THEN SENT TO CAMP MCCOY IN SPARTA, WISCONSIN IN OCTOBER 1943 FOR SPECIALIZED WINTER TRAINING. HE EARNED A MARKSMAN BADGE WITH RIFLE BAR M1 GARAND AND AN M1 CARBINE BAR ON 10/16/43. PARTICIPATED IN MANEUVERS AT THE OTTAWA NATIONAL FOREST NEAR WATERSMEET, MICHIGAN IN EARLY 1944 IN TEMPERATURES AS LOW AS -28 DEGREES. ON 11/11/44, THE 417TH INFANTRY REGIMENT MOVED BY TROOP TRAIN FROM CAMP MCCOY, WISCONSIN TO A STAGING AREA AT CAMP MYLES STANDISH IN TAUNTON, MASSACHUSETTS. ON 11/23/44, HE EMBARKED FROM THE PORT OF BOSTON ONBOARD THE TROOPSHIP SS MARINE RAVEN AND DEBARKED AT PLYMOUTH, ENGLAND ON 12/4/44. SERVED AS A MESS SERGEANT AND INFANTRY RIFLEMAN IN THE EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS IN THE UNITED KINGDOM (ENGLAND), FRANCE, BELGIUM, LUXEMBOURG AND GERMANY. ON 1/12/45, HE CROSSED THE ENGLISH CHANNEL ONBOARD THE SS CUBA IN SERVICE AS AN ARMY TRANSPORT SHIP TO THE SNOW COVERED BOMBED HARBOR AT LE HAVRE, FRANCE AND THE DIVISION WAS ATTACHED TO PATTON'S 3RD ARMY. GERMAN SCHU-MINES AND BOOBY TRAPS BENEATH THE SNOW POSED A CONSTANT THREAT. BATTLES AND CAMPAIGNS IN ARDENNES-ALSACE 1944-1945 (BATTLE OF THE BULGE) AND RHINELAND 1944-1945. PRESIDENTIAL UNIT CITATION AWARDED FOR ACTION IN ECHTERNACH, LUXEMBOURG AT THE GERMAN WEST WALL (SIEGFRIED LINE). AWARDED THE COMBAT INFANTRYMAN BADGE AND BRONZE STAR MEDAL FOR MERITORIOUS ACHIEVEMENT IN GROUND OPERATIONS AGAINST THE ENEMY ON 2/21/45. CROSSED THE RHINE RIVER AT BOPPARD, GERMANY ON 3/27/45. IN CENTRAL EUROPE 1945, WHERE THEY WERE ORDERED TO HALT ALONG THE MULDE RIVER FACING CHEMNITZ, GERMANY ON 4/16/45, AFTER MAKING THE DEEPEST PENETRATION INTO GERMANY OF ANY ALLIED TROOPS ON THE WESTERN FRONT. ON MAY 8, 1945 (V-E DAY) AT 1801 HOURS ALL OFFENSIVE OPERATIONS AGAINST GERMAN LAND, SEA AND AIR FORCES CEASED. ALSO HELPED TO PREPARE AND DELIVER BY MESS TRUCK HOT MEALS IN MARMITE CANS EVERY EVENING TO TROOPS ON THE FRONT LINE DURING 110 DAYS OF CONTINUOUS COMBAT. AS A PART OF OPERATION MAGIC CARPET, HE EMBARKED FROM SOUTHAMPTON, ENGLAND ON 8/26/45 ONBOARD THE SS QUEEN ELIZABETH IN SERVICE AS A TROOPSHIP AND DEBARKED AT PIER 90, NEW YORK, NEW YORK ON 8/31/45. DECORATIONS INCLUDE THE BRONZE STAR MEDAL, GOOD CONDUCT MEDAL, AMERICAN CAMPAIGN MEDAL, AMERICAN THEATER, EASTERN DEFENSE COMMAND, EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN CAMPAIGN MEDAL WITH 3 BRONZE SERVICE STARS, WWII VICTORY MEDAL, PRESIDENTIAL UNIT CITATION AND COMBAT INFANTRYMAN BADGE. HONORABLY DISCHARGED ON NOVEMBER 20, 1945 AT THE ARMY SEPARATION CENTER, FORT DIX, WRIGHTSTOWN, NEW JERSEY.