Private Michael Prisaznik (4/18/1918-1/27/1945) U.S. Army S/N 33836553

Michael Prisaznik was born on 18 April 1918 to his parents, Jacob and Mary Prisaznik, in Bethlehem, Northampton County, Pa.  His father, Jacob Prisaznik (1892-1939) was born in Russia and worked for many years with the electric railroad.  He married Mary Haladi or Halagyi on 15 November 1924 at St. Michael’s Greek Catholic Church in Allentown.  Mary was born in Pennsylvania to parents from Czechoslovakia.  In 1940, she a machine operator at a knitting mill. Mike was their oldest of eight children.

Mike has a grammar school, probably to 8th grade, education.  On 10 April 1937, Mike married Helen Wanda Jaskot.  In 1940, Mike was employed as a helper at American Steel and Wire Company on Lehigh Street in Allentown. and Helen was listed as a machine operator at a knitting mill.  They were living with her parents and extended family at 734 Lawrence Street, with their young two daughters, Sonia and Regina.

Mike enlisted into the U.S. Army through the selective service 18 January 1944 in Allentown, but probably didn’t leave for duty until 8 February.  He was sent to an Infantry Replacement Center for training as a rifleman and sent overseas on 27 July 1944.

It is not known what specific unit he was assigned to, but it was with an infantry regiment, part of the Seventh U.S. Army commanded by Lt. Gen. Patch.  The predecessor of Seventh Army was the I Armored Corps activated in July 1940 at Fort Knox.  MG Patton assumed command on 15 January to prepare for and execute the American landings of Operation Torch in French North Africa.  The Corps then fought in Tunisia until the Germans surrendered there in May 1943.  On 10 July, I Armored Corps was redesignated the Seventh Army just as forces were on their way to invade of Sicily.  After the capture of Messina on 16 August, the Seventh Army Headquarters was inactive until January 1944, when preparations were mad for the invasion of southern France, later becoming Operation Dragoon.

On 15 August, elements of the Seventh Army assaulted the beaches there.  Private Prisaznik probably was inserted into one of the infantry regiments as a replacement rifleman after the initial landings took place.  He would have advanced through southern France, into the Vosges Mountains and onto the Alsatian Plain. After the Germans Ardennes Offensive, they launched Operation Northwind in Seventh Army’s sector as a New Year’s Offensive.  During this drive Private Prisaznik was hospitalized three times for dysentery, a cold and gastroenteritis.  He returned to his unit in January 1945.

During the fighting to contain the German offensive and regain lost ground, Private Prisaznik was killed in action by artillery fire on 27 January 1945 near Epinal in Northeastern, France.

Private Michael Prisaznik would have been entitled to the following awards: the Combat Infantryman’s Badge, Bronze Star, Purple Heart, European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with one star for the Southern France and Ardennes-Alsace Campaigns and the World War II Victory Medal.

Private Michael Prisaznik gave his life in service to his country and should be remembered for his sacrifice and dedication to duty. His remains initially buried at the American Cemetery 3523 in the European Theater. They were returned to the U.S. in the Spring of 1948 as part of the Return the WWII Dead Program.  He was reinterned on 20 April 1948 and today rests in Gettysburg National Cemetery in Gettysburg, Adams County, Pennsylvania, in Section 3, Grave 383.

On 10 December 1950, the organ of the Lord’s Ascension Polish National Catholic Church in Bethlehem was dedicated to his memory, the only veteran of the parish who had been killed during the war.

Sources:
United States Federal Census 1910
United States Federal Census 1920
United States Federal Census 1930
United States Federal Census 1940
United States Federal Census 1930
United States Federal Census 1940
Pennsylvania, U.S. Marriages for Michael Prisaznik
U.S. WWII Draft Card for Michael Prisaznik
U.S. WWII Army Enlistment Records for Michael Prisaznik
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seventh_United_States_Army
U.S. WWII Hospital Admission Card Files for Pvt. Prisaznik, January 1945
U.S. National Cemetery Internment Control Form for Michael Prisaznik
Pennsylvania Veteran Compensation Application Files, WWII for Michael Prisaznik
WWII Honor List of Dead and Missing Army and Army Air Forces Personnel for Pennsylvania, Lehigh County
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/51967617/michael-prisaznik?_gl=1*1cigo1a*_gcl_au*ODY3MzM1NDkwLjE2OTE1ODA0ODU.
Newspapers, The Morning Call, 8 Dec 1950, "Organ in Polish Church to be Memorial to Vet"

SBTS Project/Pennsylvania/Lehigh
This story is part of the Stories Behind the Stars project (see www.storiesbehindthestars.org). This is a national effort of volunteers to write the stories of all 421,000+ of the US WWII fallen saved on Together We Served and Fold3. Can you help write these stories? These stories will be accessible via smartphone app at any war memorial or cemetery. "If you noticed anything erroneous in this profile or have additional information to contribute to it, please contact me at jeoberho8@gmail.com.

Added by: Jack Oberholtzer (SBTS Historian)

Prisaznik, Michael, PVT