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| Medal of Honor hero Sgt. Joseph Sadowski, was a tank commander of a M4 Sherman like this one in the 37th Tank Battalion. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/7511978 http://www.privateletters.net/featured_arracourt.html |
Joseph J. Sadowski never had a chance to reach 100 years old today. Instead, he sacrificed his life for our freedom.
He was born on December 8, 1917 in New Jersey. His parents Walter and Frances were both born in Poland. His father worked as a bottle maker. Joseph had an older sister and a younger sister. Joseph had a grammar school education and worked as baker.
He enlisted in the army on May 13, 1942. He became a sergeant and tank commander in Company A, 37th Tank Battalion, 4th Armored Division. The 4th AD landed on Utah Beach on July 11, 1944. It took part in Operation Cobra to break out of Normandy. By September it was across the Moselle River were it faced SS units. On September 14, 1944 Sgt. Sadowski made a difficult, selfless decision that would lead to a posthumous award of the Medal of Honor.
His Medal of Honor citation reads as follows:
For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty at Valhey, France.
On the afternoon of 14 September 1944, Sgt. Sadowski as a tank commander was advancing with the leading elements of Combat Command A, 4th Armored Division, through an intensely severe barrage of enemy fire from the streets and buildings of the town of Valhey. As Sgt. Sadowski's tank advanced through the hail of fire, it was struck by a shell from an 88-mm. gun fired at a range of 20 yards. The tank was disabled and burst into flames.
The suddenness of the enemy attack caused confusion and hesitation among the crews of the remaining tanks of our forces. Sgt. Sadowski immediately ordered his crew to dismount and take cover in the adjoining buildings. After his crew had dismounted, Sgt. Sadowski discovered that 1 member of the crew, the bow gunner, had been unable to leave the tank. Although the tank was being subjected to a withering hail of enemy small-arms, bazooka, grenade, and mortar fire from the streets and from the windows of adjacent buildings, Sgt. Sadowski unhesitatingly returned to his tank and endeavored to pry up the bow gunner's hatch. While engaged in this attempt to rescue his comrade from the burning tank, he was cut down by a stream of machinegun fire which resulted in his death.
The gallant and noble sacrifice of his life in the aid of his comrade, undertaken in the face of almost certain death, so inspired the remainder of the tank crews that they pressed forward with great ferocity and completely destroyed the enemy forces in this town without further loss to themselves. The heroism and selfless devotion to duty displayed by Sgt. Sadowski, which resulted in his death, inspired the remainder of his force to press forward to victory, and reflect the highest tradition of the armed forces.
His grave is at St. Stephens Cemetery in Keasby, New Jersey. The Sadowsky Field House in Fort Knox is named in his honor.
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.
Join the public Facebook group WW2 Fallen 100
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