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PRIVATE ADAM M. PSWARO was
born in 1914 to Louis and Catherine Pswaro. He was a member of St. Joseph's Roman Catholic Church at 10th & Mechanic Street in
Camden NJ. His teen years were spent in Gloucester County NJ. He was a
graduate of Paulsboro (NJ) High School, where he played football and
baseball. Prior to his induction into the United States Army, he worked
in the research lab at the Socony-Vacuum Oil Compnay in Paulsboro, and
attended night school classes at the University of Pennsylvania in
Philadelphia, where he majored in chemistry. His last stateside address
was 189 Market Street in Gibbsboro NJ. Trained
as a medic, he was assigned to the medical detachment of the 2nd
Battalion, 133rd Infantry Regiment, 34th Infantry Division. He went
overseas in 1942 with this unit, first to a training base in Ireland. After
continuing its training in Ireland, the 34th Infantry Division saw its
first combat in the North African invasion, November 8, 1942, landing at
Algiers and seizing the port and outlying airfields. Elements of the
Division took part in numerous subsequent engagements in Tunisia during
the Allied build-up, notably at Sened Station, Paid Pass, Sbeitla, and
Fondouk Gap. In April 1943 the Division assaulted Hill 609, capturing it
on May 1, 1943, and then drove through Chouigui Pass to Tebourba and
Ferryville. The Division then trained for the Salerno landing. The 151st
FA Bn. went in on D-day, September 9, 1943, at Salerno, while the rest
of the Division followed on 25 September 25. Contacting the enemy at the
Calore River, September 28, 1943, the 34th drove north to take
Benevento, crossed the winding Volturno three times in October and
November, assaulted Mount Patano and took one of its four peaks before
being relieved, December 9, 1943. In January 1944, the Division drove
into the Gustav line, took Mount Trocchio after a bitter fight, pushed
across the Rapido, attacked Monastery Hill, and fought its way into
Cassino, being relieved February 13, 1944. After rest and
rehabilitation, it landed in the Anzio beachhead, March 25, 1944,
maintaining defensive positions until the offensive of 23 May, when it
broke out of the beachhead, took Cisterna, and raced to Civitavecchia
and Rome. Adam Pswaro was wounded during the fighting at Anzio. After a
short rest, the Division drove across the Cecina River to liberate
Livorno, 19 July 1944, then moved north in the direction of Mount
Belmonte. Technician
5th Class Adam M. Pswaro was killed in action on September 19, 1944
during the two-week long battle for control of Hill
810, a key point in the Gothic Line fortifications that the German
army had constructed to defend northern Italy. His
death was reported in the October 11, 1944 edition of the Camden
Courier-Post. After the war, his body was returned to New Jersey, and he
rests with other members of the military who were members of St.
Joseph's Church at St. Joseph Cemetery in Gloucester City NJ. He was
survived by his parents, brothers First Lieutenant Frank, Technical
Sergeant Oscar, Edward, and sisters Helen and Ensign Elizabeth Pswaro, a
Navy nurse. |
