John Stanley Bolanowski was born March 17, 1917 in Utica, NY to Michal Bolanowski (1882-1950) and Marya Usyk (1884-1946). (Some Army records note his birthday as March 25, 1917.  His draft registration card, which he likely filled out, noted his birthday as March 21, 1917.). His father came to the U.S. in 1905. His dad was from Galicia (southeastern Poland). I was unable to find immigration records on his mom. They were married 1906. His dad worked in the local Cotton Mill (Mohawk Cotton). The family lived on Saratoga St. in Utica, NY. He was the sixth of their seven children which included Victoria, Francis, Walter, Joseph, Stanley and Mike. He attended local schools through the eighth grade then went to work to help support the family. By 1940 his dad owned his own shoe shop and John, after serving for three years in Panama, was working in a meat packing house.

He had enlisted in 1936 with service number 6879616 and served three years in Panama. In May 1938 records show he traveled aboard the USAT St. Mihiel from Panama Canal to New York. He was a Pvt. with the C.A.C at the time and was listed as "Reassignment". Returning to Utica at the termination of his enlistment, he worked in the Broad St. plant of the Utica & Mohawk Cotton Mills until Dec. 30, 1940, when he reenlisted in the infantry. He was 5'-4 1/2" tall and weighed 145 pounds with blue eyes and blonde hair. He entered the service for the second time on December 30, 1940 with the same service number. On January 31, 1941 he was listed as a Pvt. with Company B, 18th Infantry then stationed at Ft. Hamilton, in Brooklyn, NY. Ft. Hamilton was a mobilization center and he likely passed through there in the early days of service.

I couldn't find any records of where he did his training or when he was sent overseas but we do know that on May 6, 1943, the 18th Infantry Regiment was on the offensive in northern Tunisia, advancing toward Bizerte as part of the final Allied push that would end the North African campaign. John was killed in this action by “shrapnel” on May 6, 1943. Sadly, just one day later (May 7, 1943), Allied forces captured Bizerte and Tunis and just 3 days later, May 9, the 18th Infantry Regiment was relieved and set for rest and refitting. He had 1200 Algerian Francs on him when he was killed which were converted to U.S. dollars and sent as a check to his father.

Cpl. Bolanowski was buried the same day he was killed in the American Cemetery, Beja Tunisia, Plot B, Row 4, Grave 10. On February 17, 1949, during the government's body recovery program and at the request of his parents, Cpl. Bolanowski's remains are escorted home by Cpl. Robert J. Updike (20212620) aboard the USAT Cpl. Eric G. Gibson. His body was met by the Mayor's Committee for the War Dead at the train station i n Utica, NY. A funeral was held at the Holy Trinity Church and he was laid to rest with full military honors in the Holy Trinity Cemetery, Yorkville, NY. on February 19, 1949.

This story is part of the Stories Behind the Stars project. This is a national effort of volunteers to write the stories of all 421,000+ of the US WWII fallen on Together We Served and Fold3.

(Please see - http://www.storiesbehindthestars.org).

Can you help us write these stories? Together We Served and Fold3/Find A Grave have smartphone apps that will allow people to visit any war memorial or cemetery and read these stories of WWII fallen.

If you noticed anything erroneous in this profile or have additional information to contribute, please contact Jim Greenberg at jim.greenberg@oneonta.edu.

SBTSProject/New York/Oneida

Sources

Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/147429258/john_s-bolanowski: accessed April 3, 2026), memorial page for CPL John S Bolanowski (17 Mar 1917–6 May 1943), Find a Grave Memorial ID 147429258, citing Holy Trinity Cemetery and Mausoleum, Yorkville, Oneida County, New York, USA; Maintained by karen kelly (contributor 46967126).

Individual Deceased Personnel File for Bolanowski, John, 6879616, National Archives, St. Louis, MO. Received from a FOIA request on April 9, 2026.

The National Archives at College Park; College Park, Maryland; Record Group Title: Records of the Office of the Quartermaster General, 1774-1985; Record Group Number: 92; Roll or Box Number: 293

The National Archives at St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, 63138, Record Group Title: Records of the National Archives and Records Administration; Record Group Number 92; Army and Airm Air Force (Air Corp) Rosters, 1940-1943: Number 1508 (3 of 3); NAID: 375714419

The National Archives at St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, 63138, Record Group Title: Records of the National Archives and Records Administration; Record Group Number 64; Morning Reports for January 1940 – July 1943: Roll 1574; NAID: 435074035

National Archives at St. Louis; St. Louis, Missouri; Wwii Draft Registration Cards For New York State, 10/16/1940 - 03/31/1947; Record Group: Records of the Selective Service System, 147

New York State Archives; Albany, New York; State Population Census Schedules, 1925; Election District: 03; Assembly District: 02; City: Utica Ward 09; County: Oneida; Page: 17

November 11, 1942 Morning Report listed him as "attached to this org. (Company I, 18th Infantry) for duty and rations."

Year: 1940; Census Place: Utica, Oneida, New York; Roll: m-t0627-02861; Page: 8B; Enumeration District: 67-46A

Supporting Documents