Philip Streczyk

TSgt Streczyk, a proud resident of East Brunswick, NJ, served with E Company, 2nd Battalion, 16th Infantry Division, 1st Infantry Division during WWII from 1941 to 1945. Along with Lieutenant John M. Spalding, Streczyk was one of the first Soldiers up Easy Red sector on Omaha Beach on D-Day. By landing and navigating through a minefield, he helped discover a pathway that thousands of others came up to establish a beachhead for the Allies. Streczyk then cleared trenches, pillboxes and being fluent in Polish, helped capture and interrogate several POWs.

For his actions on D-Day, General Eisenhower presented him with the Distinguished Service Cross on 02-Jul 1944. Field Marshal Montgomery awarded Philip the British Military Medal as well that same week. 

Prior to D-Day, Streczyk repeatedly displayed gallantry in action, earning 3 Silver Stars in 6 months: first award was in the Tunisia campaign (March 1943), the second and third awards were in the Sicily Campaign (July 1943, August 1943). After D-Day he was awarded a 4th Silver Star for his combat actions in Belgium (September 1944).

Philip fought for over 440 days in combat, earning 6 bronze campaign stars, a Bronze Star, a Purple Heart and the Combat Infantryman Badge as well as several other medals. Streczyk was evacuated from the Hurtgen Forest and discharged from the Army in 1945.

Sadly, a gangrenous neck wound he suffered in combat caused severe daily pain and in 1958, he took his own life in Warwick, NJ. He left behind a wife and 4 children.

Battles: Normandy, North France, Rhineland, Algeria-French Morocco, Tunisia, Sicily