The largest amphibious invasion in history was launched on June 6, 1944, when Allied troops landed on the beaches of Normandy to liberate Europe from the grip of Nazi Germany. For this year’s 81st anniversary of D-Day, volunteers with the non-profit Stories Behind the Stars are commemorating the sacrifice of the 1st and 4th Infantry Divisions. Twenty-seven PA members of the 1st Infantry Division made the ultimate sacrifice on Omaha Beach on D-Day. Ten PA members of the 4th Infantry Division lost their lives on Utah Beach on D-Day. Philadelphia was home to five of the fallen: PVT Jerry J. Iaconelli, CPL Stanley J. Marszalek, T/SGT George L. Meadows Jr, PVT James J. Murray, andPFC Wladyslaw (Walter) F. Niewodoski.
Jerry Joseph Iaconelli was born on January 15, 1925 in Philadelphia, PA to Italian immigrant Luigi and Millie Iaconelli. His father worked for Bell Telephone Company. Iaconelli had one older brother, one older sister, and two younger sisters. He completed at least one year of high school and worked at the Philadelphia Navy Yard. Iaconelli enlisted in the Army as an infantryman on May 6, 1943 at Philadelphia, PA. He was a member of Company B, 1st Battalion, 16th Infantry Regiment, 1st Infantry Division.
Stanley Joseph Marszalek was born on May 8, 1918, in Philadelphia, PA to Polish immigrants Joseph and Katherine Marszalek. His father was a leatherwork tanner. Marszalek had three brothers (one older and two younger) and five sisters (two older and three younger). He completed grammar school and worked as a store clerk for Greenbrier Butter and Eggs in Philadelphia. Marszalek enlisted in the Army as a tanker on June 26, 1942, in Philadelphia, PA. He was assigned to Company A, 70th Tank Battalion, 4th Infantry Division. Marszalek deployed in September 1942 to Ireland and then Scotland where his unit prepared to land with the 39th Regimental Combat Team, 9th Infantry Division at Algiers, Algeria as part of Operation Torch.
George Lee Meadows, Jr. was born on August 14, 1920, in Macon, GA to George Lee Meadows, Sr. and Beulah Meadows. His father was a butcher. The family settled in Philadelphia, PA. Meadows enlisted in the Army on March 1, 1940, in Philadelphia, PA as a Private in the infantry. He was eventually assigned to Company A, 12th Infantry Regiment, 4th Infantry Division.
James Joseph Murray was born November 12, 1911, in Maryhill, Glasgow, Scotland. He immigrated to the United States in 1929, arriving in New York on October 6th on the S.S. Transylvania. He settled in Philadelphia, PA, had a grammar school education, and worked for the American Store Company. On September 30, 1942, he declared his intent to become a citizen of the United States. On December 12, 1942, Murray enlisted in the Army at Philadelphia and was eventually assigned to the 26th Infantry Regiment, Company K, 1st Infantry Division. In February 1943, while stationed at Camp Wheeler, GA, he became a naturalized citizen.
Wladyslaw (Walter) Feliks Niewodoski was born February 11, 1909, in Philadelphia, PA to Austrian immigrants Feliks (“Felix”) and Jozefa (“Josephine”) Mysliwiec Niewodoski. His father was employed as a fireman at a steelworks company and died when Niewodoski was just eight years old. The family remained in Philadelphia, where his mother worked as a meat dealer. Niewodoski had three brothers and six sisters, of whom one brother died before Niewodoski was born, and two sisters died before he reached age seven. Niewodoski had a grammar school education and was employedas a butcher at John J. Felin Company in Germantown, PA. On May 22, 1942, he entered the Army at Philadelphia and was assigned to the 16th Infantry Regiment, Company H, 1st Infantry Division.
The 16th Infantry Regiment was part of the initial assault on Omaha Beach. The ambitious objectives for the 16th Infantry Regiment were to exit the beach, capture the villages of Saint-Laurent-sur-Mer and Colleville-sur-Mer, and head south to rendezvous with British units from Gold Beach. Late on the afternoon of June 5, 1944, the assault ships left Weymouth harbor and headed for the beaches of Normandy.
The lead companies hit the beach at 06:31, followed thirty minutes later by reserve units. Trouble arose immediately as the landing craft drifted away from their designated landing areas, causing delay and disorganization. As the troops were offloading, machine gun and sniper fire was sweeping the beach. Mortar and artillery fire zeroed in on the troopsdeparting the landing crafts before they reached the beach. All the lead companies of the 16th Infantry Regiment were pinned down on the beach by enemy fire from one of the most heavily defended strongpoints on Omaha Beach.
Through incredible acts of individual bravery, initiative, and leadership, the 1st Infantry Division overcame the enemy forces and penetrated well inland. By the end of the day, the 1st Infantry Division had 1,036 casualties.
On D-Day, the 70th Tank Battalion landed on Utah Beach supporting the 8th Infantry Regiment, 4th Infantry Division. Most of the battalion’s tanks made it to shore. Four Company A tanks were lost when their landing craft hit a mine before the tanks could launch. Three of the four crews perished. The 12th Infantry Regiment saw its first action in World War II when it spearheaded the assault landing on Utah Beach. A total of over 20,000 troops and 1,700 vehicles reached Utah Beach by the end of June 6. Nearly the entire 4th Division landed in the first fifteen hours. The division suffered only 197 casualties during the day.
Marszalek and Meadows were killed in action on June 6, 1944, during the assault on Utah Beach, Normandy, France. Iaconelli, Murray, and Niewodoski were killed in action on June 6, 1944, during the assault on Omaha Beach, Normandy, France.
Iaconelli’s remains were initially buried at Temporary Cemetery #3582 in Saint Laurent Cemetery, Bayeux, France. His remains were eventually buried in the Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial (plot I, row 6, grave 33), Colleville-sur-Mer, France.
Marszalek’s remains were recovered and were initially buried at Cemetery #3585, Saint Mere Eglise #2, Carentan, France. He was later repatriated to the United States and laid to rest at the Beverly National Cemetery (plot D, grave 1032) in Beverly, NJ.
After temporary burial in France, Meadows’s remains were repatriated to the United States and were laid to rest at Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, VA.
Murray was laid to rest in the Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial, Colleville-sur-Mer, France.
Niewodoski’s body was recovered and repatriated to the United States. He is buried in Holy Sepulchre Cemetery, Cheltenham Township, Montgomery County, PA. Iaconelli, Marszalek, Meadows, and Murray posthumously were awarded the Purple Heart.
