World War II Killed in Action Silver Star Medal Group
"Stanley J. Rykala"
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Rykala, Stanley J. HQ, 9th Infantry Division, G.O. No. 27 (1945)
Born: Nov. 4, 1919
East Lake
Manistee County
Michigan, USA
Death: Feb. 5, 1945, Belgium
1st Lieut Field Artillery, WWII
"He attended Officers Candidate School at Fort Sill, Oklahoma, receiving his commission as a second lieutenant there. He was recently promoted to a first lieutenant after participating in three major battles in the European theatre of war. Stanley was wounded several times in action: On October 14, 1944 in the Hurtzen Forest area and again in December during the Nazi break-through, on the Western front.
Lt. Rykala was awarded the Silver Star, Bronze Star, and First Oak Leaf Cluster to the Purple Heart. "It was for his gallant action while on duty at a forward observation post in the vicinity of Eisenborn, Belgium, Dec. 28, 1944, that Lt. Rykala was awarded the Silver Star, posthumously."
The Lieutenant learned that the artillery liaison officer at the battalion command post was killed under an intense enemy artillery barrage. With complete disregard for personal safety, he immediately exposed himself to the heavy enemy fire to travel two miles over the open terrain to the command post. Assuming the duties of liaison officer, he remained at his post despite the fact that enemy artillery scored several direct hits on his building.
Although wounded by shrapnel when he left the shelter of the building to go to his radio, he continued to direct effective and accurate artillery fire on the enemy forces until a strong enemy counter-attack had been repulsed."
BURIAL: April 1948 -- Lt. Stanley Rykala's body was recently returned to the United States aboard the U.S. Army Transport Robert F. Burns. (Originally he was interred in an American Soldier's Cemetery in Belgium.)
Born: Nov. 4, 1919
East Lake
Manistee County
Michigan, USA
Death: Feb. 5, 1945, Belgium
1st Lieut Field Artillery, WWII
"He attended Officers Candidate School at Fort Sill, Oklahoma, receiving his commission as a second lieutenant there. He was recently promoted to a first lieutenant after participating in three major battles in the European theatre of war. Stanley was wounded several times in action: On October 14, 1944 in the Hurtzen Forest area and again in December during the Nazi break-through, on the Western front.
Lt. Rykala was awarded the Silver Star, Bronze Star, and First Oak Leaf Cluster to the Purple Heart. "It was for his gallant action while on duty at a forward observation post in the vicinity of Eisenborn, Belgium, Dec. 28, 1944, that Lt. Rykala was awarded the Silver Star, posthumously."
The Lieutenant learned that the artillery liaison officer at the battalion command post was killed under an intense enemy artillery barrage. With complete disregard for personal safety, he immediately exposed himself to the heavy enemy fire to travel two miles over the open terrain to the command post. Assuming the duties of liaison officer, he remained at his post despite the fact that enemy artillery scored several direct hits on his building.
Although wounded by shrapnel when he left the shelter of the building to go to his radio, he continued to direct effective and accurate artillery fire on the enemy forces until a strong enemy counter-attack had been repulsed."
BURIAL: April 1948 -- Lt. Stanley Rykala's body was recently returned to the United States aboard the U.S. Army Transport Robert F. Burns. (Originally he was interred in an American Soldier's Cemetery in Belgium.)
