Muszynski, Walter J.

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Date of birth:: May 10th, 1921 (Cudahy-Milwaukee County, Wisconsin, United States)
Date of death:: September 20th, 1944 (Lent/Province of Gelderland, the Netherlands)
Buried on:: Netherlands American Cemetery and Memorial
Plot: F. Row: 19. Grave: 26.
Service number:: 16 049 877
Nationality:: American (1776 - present, Republic)

Biography

Walter J. Muszynski was born on May 10th, 1921 as the son of Anton and Mary Muszynski. After his education at the Holy Family Catholic School , the Cudahy Vocational School and the Cudahy High School, he worked at the Civilian Conservation Corps, the Northwestern Refrigerator Car Co. and Patrick Cudahy, Inc..

He entered service on March 14th, 1942 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and took part in fightings in Northern Africa, Sicily, Italy and the Netherlands. He was killed in action at the Oosterhoutsedijk, Lent near Nijmegen on September 20th, 1944. He took part in the River Waal Crossing and was killed during the fightings near the railroad bridge. At first his remains were buried at the temporary American War Cemetery at Molenhoek (Plot A, Row 10, Grave 199) and was later transferre dto the Netherlands American Cemetery Margraten/Limburg, Netherlands.

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Distinguished Service Cross (DSC)

Period:: Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:: Private 1st Class
Unit:: 3rd Battalion, Company I, 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division "All American", U.S. Army
Awarded on:: 1944
Awarded for:: Operation Market Garden

Citation:
"For extraordinary heroism in connection with military operations against an armed enemy on 20 September 1944 about one mile north of Nijmegen, Holland. As a light machine gunner, Private First Class Muszynski crossed the Waal River in one of the lead boats of the initial assault element during the Waal bridgehead operation. As heavy machine gun and 20mm flak fire greeted the forward elements, Private First Class Muszynski quickly mounted his machine gun in the bow of his boat and directed heavy fire on the enemy dug in on the riverbank. Although fully exposed to enemy fire, which wounded two of his comrades, Private First Class Muszynski disregarded all possibilities of danger and remained at his precarious post. Upon reaching the opposite bank, Private First Class Muszynski maintained a continuous cover of protective fire for the movement of his squad to the main dike and from the dike to the railroad embankment, accounting for at least twenty enemy dead and wounded. At times he fired his machine gun from the hip, while moving forward as to keep pace with his squad. At the railroad embankment, heavy opposition from self-propelled flak guns was encountered, and one of the nearby flanking guns knocked Private First Class Muszynski's machine gun from his arms, destroying it. Unhesitatingly, and without orders from anyone, Private First Class Muszynski crept to within fifteen yards of the gun position directing devastating flanking fire on his platoon, and knocked it out with hand grenades, killing four of the enemy. During this phase of action, Private First Class Muszynski fell mortally wounded from enemy rifle fire. By his brave determination and valorous execution of his duties at the sacrifice of his own life, Private First Class Muszynski set an inspiring example for all his comrades and contributed directly to the successful establishment of the vital Waal bridgehead."

Awarded posthumously.
General Orders No.4, Headquarters, XVIII Airborne Corps (1944).