PFC John Harry Radziejewski Jr

PFC John Harry Radziejewski Jr was born 12 Jul 1922 in Detroit, Michigan. He was the 2nd of 3 children born to John Harry and Mary (Paschki) Radziejewski. His father worked as a painter and metal finisher in an auto factory. John Sr. bought a home at 4220 Dubois Street in Detroit which was valued at $1300 in 1940 and he reported a 1939 income of $1380.

John Jr. was drafted in March 1943. After his basic military training he was sent to England and assigned to C Company 116th Infantry. He trained with the unit for the amphibious assault that was planned as part of the invasion of occupied France. PFC Radziejewski was with C Company for D-Day.
Before they got off the ship his platoon promised each other that whoever survived would go visit the families of those who didn’t. PFC Radziejewski was killed in action in the landing on 6 Jun 1944.

The survivors honored their comrades by keeping their promise. PFC Radziejewski was repatriated in 1948. His wake was at their home on Dubois Street and his brother said there was a guard with the casket at all times. There was a short time when there wasn’t a guard and his mother unbolted the locked casket. His mother put her hands in the casket and she discovered that the bodies were packed with lime. PFC Radziejewski was re-interred at Sacred Heart of Saint Mary Cemetery in Detroit, Michigan. His father put a flag pole at the gravesite and he would hang new flags when needed. 

John's father served as a PVT in the U.S. Army in the 16th and 15th Engineers in France during the first World War