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| Pfc. Emil Pavlovich, Americal Division, earned the Distinguished Service Cross on Hill 260 in Bougainville. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/80968149/emil-pavlovich https://www.worldwarphotos.info/gallery/usa/pacific/bougainville/armed-with-two-flame/ |
Emil Pavlovich never had a chance to reach 100 years old. Instead, he sacrificed his life for our freedom.
Last year I was not able to write a profile everyday from September to November because I was studying for the Certified Financial Planner test (I passed!). I feel my project to honor one U.S. serviceman for each day of the war would be incomplete if I left them off. As I have time, I am going back and adding profiles for the days I missed.
Emil was born on November 8, 1918 in Michigan. His parents John and Julia were both born in Austria-Hungary in what became Yugoslavia. His father worked as an iron miner. Emil had an older sister, a younger sister, and a younger brother. By 1940 Emil had completed two years of high school and was working as a carpenter while living at home with his parents.
He was drafted into the army in May 1941.He became a private first class in Company B, 1st Battalion, 132nd Infantry Regiment, Americal Division. This was one of the first army regiments sent overseas. It left New York in January 1942 and arrived in Australia by February. By May it was attached to the Americal Division in New Caledonia which was assigned to augment and then relieve the 1st Marine Division on Guadalcanal.
The Americal Division was next sent to Bouganville in December 1943 to relieve the 3rd Marine Division. In March it had to withstand the last Japanese ground offensive of the war. PFC Pavlovich was killed during this action on March 19, 1944. His contributions to the defeat of the enemy earned him a posthumous Distinguished Service Cross (citation was not found).
The December 2, 1944 Ironwood Daily Globe reported the following the week before his Distinguished Service Cross was presented to his family:
Pfc. Pavlovich was killed in action during an infantry attack on Hill 260, Bougainville, last March 19. Second Lieutenant William T. Becker, Memphis, Tenn., infantry platoon leader of Pavlovich's platoon has told how the latter was wounded when approaching the crest of the hill.
The platoon in which Pfc. Pavlovich was scout had worked up the southwest slope of the hill and had reached a point immediately below the crest when the enemy opened with heavy rifle and machine gun fire from a fortified line 30 yards in extent along the hilltop at a distance of 15 yards.
Pfc. Pavlovich, at the point (most forward position) of the platoon, rose to an erect position and stood fully exposed to the enemy fire in order to locate the enemy's firing positions.
In the face of machine gun, rifle and grenade fire, Pfc. Pavlovich observed four enemy pillboxes and dropped his rifle in order to point out their locations to our machine gunners by means of phosphorus grenades hurled at the pillboxes.
Midway during his action, Pfc. Pavlovich was seriously wounded in the chest.
In spite of his wound, the infantryman continued to stand in his place and hurled grenades until he had thrown a total of 75 at the enemy and three of the four pillboxes had been knocked out by his efforts and his platoon's.
At this point Pfc. Pavlovich collapsed from loss of blood, dying 15 minutes later.
The platoon in which Pfc. Pavlovich was scout had worked up the southwest slope of the hill and had reached a point immediately below the crest when the enemy opened with heavy rifle and machine gun fire from a fortified line 30 yards in extent along the hilltop at a distance of 15 yards.
Pfc. Pavlovich, at the point (most forward position) of the platoon, rose to an erect position and stood fully exposed to the enemy fire in order to locate the enemy's firing positions.
In the face of machine gun, rifle and grenade fire, Pfc. Pavlovich observed four enemy pillboxes and dropped his rifle in order to point out their locations to our machine gunners by means of phosphorus grenades hurled at the pillboxes.
Midway during his action, Pfc. Pavlovich was seriously wounded in the chest.
In spite of his wound, the infantryman continued to stand in his place and hurled grenades until he had thrown a total of 75 at the enemy and three of the four pillboxes had been knocked out by his efforts and his platoon's.
At this point Pfc. Pavlovich collapsed from loss of blood, dying 15 minutes later.
His grave is at Riverside Cemetery in Ironwood, Michigan.
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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