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| Cpl. Stephen Mitrick served in the 4th Ranger Battalion in Sicily and Italy. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/189203920/stephen-g-mitrick https://www.defensemedianetwork.com/stories/rangers-in-wwii/ |
Stephen G. Mitrick never had a chance to reach 100 years old today. Instead, he sacrificed his life for our freedom.
He was born on August 14, 1919 in Polish speaking Czechoslovakia. His parents Jacob and Elizabeth were both born in what was then Austria-Hungary. The family came to America in 1921. Stephen had two younger sisters and a younger brother. By 1940 Stephen had completed one year of high school and was living with his parents in Hanover, Pennsylvania. He worked for a local coal company.
He was drafted into the army in September 1942. He was assigned to a unit that was sent to North Africa as part of Operation Torch. While there he volunteered to join the 4th Ranger Battalion where he became a Tec5. After training patterned after the British Commandos, the 4th Ranger Battalion first saw action during the invasion of Sicily in July 1943. It also took part in the landing at Salerno in September 1943. He was killed in action on November 12, 1943 as his unit began winter fighting in the mountains approaching San Pietro.
His grave is at St. Joseph's Slovak Cemetery in Nanticoke, Pennsylvania.
Last year on this date I profiled B-17 top turret gunner Okey Hiibner. You can read about Okey here.
On behalf of the fallen, if you would like to see more people become aware of this project to honor the WW2 fallen, be sure to share with others on Twitter, Facebook, etc. Thanks for your interest!
I created this video to explain why I started this project: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vXt8QA481lY.
Please consider joining the public Facebook group to increase the exposure of this project. Go to: WW2 Fallen 100
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