134th Infantry Regiment Website
"All Hell Can't Stop Us"
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134th Infantry Regiment Website"All Hell Can't Stop Us" |
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Chester Edward Zaleski, son of Frank and Helen Zaleski, was born March 25, 1944 in Parlin, New Jersey. He attended St Stanislaus and Wilson schools and upon graduation he was employed at the Photo Products Plant of the DuPont Company in Parlin. He registered for the draft June 30, 1942 and was inducted into the Army on June 19, 1943 at Newark, New Jersey. He was stationed at Fort Dix, New Jersey, Camp Grant, Illinois, and Camp Rucker, Alabama, before moving to a staging area at Camp Kilmer, New Jersey during the first week of May 1944. He departed New York Harbor with his unit, the 110th Medical Battalion, on May 12, 1944 aboard the SS Thomas H Berry. Upon arriving in England at the end of May, they quartered at Poor Law Institute (the county poor house) in Bodmin, Cornwall. They departed England July 6 and landed at Omaha Beach in Normandy, France on July 7, 1944. Pfc Chester E Zaleski served as a litter bearer in Company A. He was awarded a Bronze Star Medal for heroism and was killed in action by artillery shrapnel on July 30, 1944 in the vicinity of St Lo, France. He is buried at St Stanislaus Cemetery, Sayreville, New Jersey.
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Bronze Star Medal Citation (Posthumous) |
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Private First Class Chester E Zaleski, 32928678, Medical Department, United States Army, for heroic service in connection with military operations against an enemy of the United States near St Lo, Normandy, France on 20 July 1944. Private Zaleski, without thought of personal safety, acted as a member of a litter squad led by a noncommissioned officer. Travelling over areas known to be mined, under enemy observation and fire of all types, he made several trips to a heavily-shelled area in order to effect the evacuation of casualties. Because of his devotion to duty, courage, and disregard for personal safety, many wounded men were spared further injury and possible death. Entered military service from New Jersey. General Orders No. 15, Headquarters 35th Infantry Division, 26 February 1945 |
 August 4, 1944 |
 August 22, 1944 |
 February 4, 1948 |
Thanks to Pam Thomsen for this picture. She is the granddaughter of Pfc. John Pergolizzi, 60th Combat Engineers Combat Battalion, 35th Infantry Division who was killed in action October 10, 1944.
