2LT Joseph John Lesczynski

2LT Joseph John Lesczynski was born 8 Sep 1918 in Plains, Pennsylvania to John and Sophie (Arcizewski) Lesczynski.  His parents were both natives of Poland. His father was a coal miner.  Joseph graduated from Plains High School in 1936. In 1940, Joseph was working as a clerk for Chubbison Insurance Broker of New York, an insurance underwriter, and reported a 1939 income of $900 from working an average of 40 hours a week.  His father was working an average of 21 hours a week and reported a 1939 income of $700. 

Joseph was drafted in March 1941.  He went first to Fort Dix, New Jersey then Fort Belvoir in Virginia. 2LT Lesczynski was commissioned after completing Officer Candidate School at Fort Benning and was stationed for a time at Fort McClellan, Alabama. He was sent overseas to England in November 1943. 2LT Lesczynski is recorded in the morning report as being on duty with M Company 116th Infantry on 1 Jun 1944.  This was a plus up to hopefully ensure that there would be officers who survived the amphibious landing scheduled for the 5th. Weather delayed the landings until the morning of  6 Jun 1944 and he landed with M Company and served as a platoon leader.  2LT Lesczynski was killed in action on 19 Jun 1944.

2LT Lesczynski was repatriated in 1949 and re-interred in Saints Peter and Paul Cemetery in Plains, Pennsylvania.