Rome, NY WWII Fallen

PFC FRANK B. PYCIOR

U.S. Army #32854651

Company E, 2nd Battalion, 134th Infantry Regiment, 35th Infantry Division

Frank Bernard Pycior was born January 21, 1925, in Rome, Oneida County, New York, to Joseph J. (1890-1946) and Eva Drapala (1892-1978) Pycior. Joseph and Eva were both born in Lipnica, Poland. Joseph came to the United States from Bremen, Germany, on December 22, 1907, on the Kronprinz Wilhelm. Eva emigrated in 1910. Joseph and Eva were married in Brooklyn, New York, on October 18, 1914, and moved to Rome, New York, in 1916. The Pyciors applied for citizenship of the United States in 1929.

Frank was the seventh of eight children born to Joseph and Eva Pycior, all of whom were born in Rome, New York. His siblings were Joseph (1915-1990), Sophie Voci (1916-2008), Gregory (1918-2006), John Theodore (1920-1987), Bronislawa “Betty” Zaleski (1922-1988) and twin brother, Peter Paul (1922-1997), and Helena Bosak (1927-2010).

In the 1940 U.S. Census, the Pycior family lived at 104 Luquer Street, Rome, New York. Joseph worked as a laborer at Revere Copper and Brass in Rome, and had worked there since 1935. On July 26, 1946, Joseph died as the result of injuries received when a scrap bucket dropped fifteen feet from a crane in the scrap room of Revere Copper and Brass, and fell on him, fracturing his skull. Joseph died in the first aid room of the plant before an ambulance arrived. His death was ruled accidental.

Frank attended DeWitt Clinton Elementary School where he was named to the Honor Roll in 1933. Frank attended Willett School and was named to the Honor Roll in June 1937. In June 1940, Frank earned credit for perfect attendance for one year.

In July, 1938, both Frank and Peter participated in a putting tournament at Lawrence Street playground.

In August 1940, Frank and four other boys took part in a sand modeling contest in Rome. Frank joined the Safety Patrol for the Lawrence Street playground in July 1940.

His Draft Registration Card (front)

Frank registered for the draft in Rome, Oneida County, New York, on January 22, 1943, the day after he turned 18 years of age. He was 5’11 ½” tall, weighed 133 pounds, and had brown hair and brown eyes. Frank was employed at the Ottaway Diner in Rome and lived with his parents at 104 Luquer Street in Rome. He listed his father, Joseph Pycior, as the person who will always know your address.

Frank was inducted into the U.S. Army on March 27, 1943, in Utica, New York, and entered active service on April 3, 1943. He received training at Camp Robinson, Arkansas, Camp Rucker, Alabama, and Camp Blanding, Florida, before being sent overseas in late June 1944.

The Company Morning Report of June 21, 1944, shows Pvt. Pycior assigned to Company C, 263rd Infantry Regiment, Camp Rucker, Alabama.

Pvt. Pycior joined Company E, 2nd Battalion, 134th Infantry Regiment from the 86th Replacement Battalion on July 20, 1944 and was promoted to Private First Class August 16, 1944. The 134th Infantry Regiment was primarily National Guardsmen from Nebraska, Kansas, and Missouri.

The Company Morning Report of July 20, 1944, shows Pvt. Pycior assigned to Company E, 134th Infantry Regiment, at St. Lo, NE Corner, T 5132, Lambert Zone, in France. His Military Occupational Specialty (MOS) was 745, a rifleman. “Company held consolidated position. Experienced first air attack.”

The Company Morning Report of August 16, 1944, shows Pvt. Pycior assigned to Company E, 134th Infantry Regiment, in the Nord De Guerre Zone of France.

The Company Morning Report of September 16, 1944, shows PFC Pycior assigned to Company E, 134th Infantry Regiment, in Maxeville, Z 8413, Nord De Guerre Zone, of France.

According to the Journal of the 134th Infantry Regiment for September 17, 1944, the weather was cool and raining. The 2nd Battalion was ordered to assemble in the vicinity of Saint-Max, a suburb of Nancy, France. At 2110 hours, an order for attack was issued to the unit commanders. The 134th Combat Team was to attack at 1000 and seize the high ground northeast of Nancy with formation of three abreast, 2nd Battalion on the left, 1st Battalion on the right, and 3rd Battalion in the center.

The Company Morning Report of September 24, 1944, Company E, 134th Infantry Regiment, Bouxieres-Aux-Chenes, France, shows PFC Pycior killed in action (KIA) on September 17, 1944. He was originally reported missing September 11, 1944, during the crossing of the Moselle River at Flavigny, France.

The following is an excerpt from the official history "United States Army in World War II, The European Theater of Operations, THE LORRAINE CAMPAIGN" describing the 2nd Battalion, 134th Infantry Regiment's battle at the Flavigny bridge: "most of the battalion was dug in on the east bank of the Moselle near the bridge exit. But, for some reason, the tank destroyers, ordered to hurry across the bridge and support the American infantry, did not arrive. Up to this point, fortune had favored the Americans and the enemy had failed to react in any force. About midnight German planes dropped bombs near the bridge but without making a hit. Then the German field guns took over the job and with a few accurate salvos smashed the structure, leaving the 2nd Battalion stranded on the enemy bank. For two and a half hours enemy shells fell unremittingly on the American position and casualties mounted. At last the German counterattack, delivered by infantry from the 104th Panzer Grenadier Regiment of the 15th Panzer Grenadier Division and paced by tanks, swept in on the decimated and shaken battalion."

PFC Pycior was buried on September 17, 1944, in Andilly #1 Cemetery in France.

The body of PFC Frank Pycior was returned to the United States in October 1948. Three WWII war dead arrived at Schenectady, New York, on Monday, October 18, 1948, PFC Frank, Pycior, PFC William Bryan, and Sgt. Robert Thomas. The bodies were met by members of the Combined Veterans Committee for the Return of the War Dead and representatives of several veterans posts of Rome, New York. PFC Albert J. Malo of the U.S. Military Escort Department accompanied the body of PFC Pycior from Schenectady and, at the funeral, presented the flag with which the coffin was draped to Mrs. Eva Pycior, Frank’s mother.

The funeral of PFC Frank Pycior was held on the morning of October 20, 1948, first at the family home, 104 Luquer Street, in Rome, and later at the Church of Transfiguration of Our Lord. Burial with full military honors was at Saint Mary’s Cemetery, Rome, New York. The Frank J. Steczko Post, Polish-American Veterans, was in charge of military honors. A firing squad from Company C, 108th Infantry, New York National Guard, fired three volleys over his grave. A Color Guard was present and Taps was sounded by buglers.

PFC Pycior was posthumously awarded the Purple Heart and the Rome Medal of Honor. He is remembered on Page 12007 US, Rosters of World War II Dead, 1939-1945, and on Page 110, WWII Dead from Oneida County, New York.

PFC Pycior is remembered at the following websites: HonorStates.org, the Gold Star Family Registry, GenealogyTrails.com Oneida County, New York, World War II Army and Air Force Honor List of Dead and Missing Personnel, and the 134th Infantry Regiment Website.

From 134th Infantry Regiment website:

A handsome monument bearing the 35th Division insignia has been erected at Flavigny, south of Nancy, France in 1987. The monument is adjacent to the Goverment Bridge across the Moselle River. It recalls the "Night of Hell" of Sept. 10-11, 1944, when the Second Battalion of the 134th Regiment was decimated when it attempted to cross the river, preparatory to the drive on Nancy. Some 500 - 600 soldiers were killed, wounded, captured or lost. The 60th Engineering Battalion and the 110th Medical Battalion also suffered great losses in one of the bloodiest battles of the Lorraine Campaign. More than 400 French citizens subscribed to the campaign to erect the monument in . The inscription, in French and English, reads: "For Those Who Fought in This Area and Died For Our Peace And Freedom, September 1944.

All five Pycior sons served in the military during World War II. Joseph enlisted in the Merchant Marines in 1944. T/Sgt. Gregory Pycior enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1936 and served in Hawaii, Africa, Italy, D-Day, and Germany. He was wounded twice – on D-Day and again slightly in action in Germany. S/Sgt. John Pycior enlisted in June 1941 in U.S.A.A.F and served as an aerial gunner on a B-17 Flying Fortress in Italian theater and flew missions from Russia, with over 30 combat missions in total. Peter served in the U.S. Navy for 22 months overseas during WWII, and then enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1948. Betty’s husband, Felix Zaleski, served in the U.S. Army from 1938 to September 1945. He was wounded in February 1945 and invalided home. Helena’s husband, Stanley Bosak, served in the U.S. Army during WWII.

Mrs. Eva Pycior died May 16, 1978, at Rose Hospital in Rome, New York. She was 85 years old and a resident of Rome for 62 years. She was a member of the Church of Transfiguration of Our Lord and its Rosary Society. Mrs. Pycior was also an active member of the Gold Star Mothers of the Frank J. Steczko Post, Polish-American Veterans. Surviving her were seven of her eight children, twenty grandchildren, and twenty-four great grandchildren.

End notes: This story is part of the Stories Behind the Stars Project, a national effort of volunteers to write the stories of all 421,000+ of the US WWII fallen saved on Together We Served and Fold3 web sites. Can you help write these stories? These stories will be accessible via smartphone app at any war memorial or cemetery. If you noticed anything erroneous in this profile or have additional information to contribute to it, please contact hillerson@beyondbb.com.

Sources:

FindAGrave:

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/223933276/frank-bernard-pycior

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/28845201/joseph_john-pycior

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/28845515/eva-pycior

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/28845820/joseph-pycior

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/38041380/sophie_elizabeth-voci

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/115594926/gregory_e-pycior

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/235426279/john_theodore_mieczyslow-pycior

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/28858900/peter_paul-pycior

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/261035366/bronislawa_p-zaleski

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/70452979/helena_s-bosak