Born: October 27, 1918
Died: March 9, 1996
Campaigns Served: Namur, Saipan (wounded), Iwo Jima (wounded)
Highest Rank Attained: Private First Class
Decorations: Purple Heart with Gold Star
Andrew Chorzempa was born in Hall, Illinois, in 1918. He was the youngest child of Matthew Chorzempa, an illiterate coal miner, and his wife Frances - both of whom were natives of Galicia, Poland. Andrew enlisted in the Marine Corps at the age of 21; his first assignment was as part of the Marine detachment aboard the destroyer USS Tattnall.
Chorzempa was eventually assigned to the First Separate Battalion, which became First Battalion, 24th Marines. He was posted to Dog Company - the heavy weapons outfit of the battalion.
With Dog Company:
PFC Chorzempa served with Dog Company's headquarters as a messenger and signalman. He participated in the battle of Namur with Dog Company; when the company disbanded in March, 1944, Chorzempa was sent to Baker Company as a rifleman.
With Baker Company:
Andrew Chorzempa landed on Saipan with his new comrades in Baker Company. He spent only two days on the island; he was wounded and evacuated on June 17, 1944. The following month, he was transferred to a Navy hospital.
Although he missed participating in the battle of Tinian, Chorzempa was deemed fit for duty in the fall of 1944. He had reenlisted in the Regulars - a tour of duty lasting four years.
Chorzempa assaulted Iwo Jima with Baker Company in February, 1945. He managed to endure more than two weeks of heavy fighting before suffering a second wound on March 8, 1945. He was evacuated, and did not see further combat.
After the war, Andrew Chorzempa returned to his wife in Seattle. He died there in 1996.