Casmer Nagorka

ASN:35500074

Casmer Nagorka registered for the draft on October 16, 1940. Born August 8, 1913, he was from Cleveland, Ohio and employed by the Cleveland Sliced Apple Company.

This twenty-seven-year-old was 5’-5”, 135 pounds with a light complexion, brown eyes, and brown hair. His description noted a scar on a finger of his right hand as an obvious physical characteristic.

Casmer Nagorka enlisted in the US Army on March 25, 1942, at Camp Perry Lacarne, Ohio. He joined the 319th Service Battery at Camp Claiborne and later the 319th Glider Field Artillery, A-Battery of the 82nd Airborne Division at Fort Bragg, North Carolina in August 1942.

PVT Nagorka traveled with the battalion to North Africa arriving in Casablanca May 10, 1943. He fought in the major campaigns of Sicily, Naples-Foggia, Normandy, and Holland.

On September 18, 1943, during Operation Holland PFC Nagorka glided into combat with the Headquarters Battery of the 319th Glider Field Artillery. He along with 34 enlisted men and three officers were listed as Missing in Action.

PFC Nagorka was seriously wounded and taken prisoner by enemy troops. Nagorka was treated at a hospital in Berlin, Germany, then imprisoned at Stalag 2B. He was repatriated April 14, 1945 and transferred to a redistribution hospital at Miami Beach, Florida, July 28, 1945. PFC Nagorka separated from the service August 15, 1945.

Company Morning Reports

Company Morning Reports were produced every morning by the individual Army units to record personnel matters. The following events for PFC Casmer Nagorka were reported:

 ·     From duty to furlough for 7 days, starting July 17, 1944, Leicestershire, England.

 ·     Reported Missing in Action, September 18, 1944.

His service was awarded with the Good Conduct Medal, Distinguished Merit Badge, European/African Middle Eastern Service Medal, six bronze service stars, bronze service arrowhead, and a Purple Heart.

STL Archive Records