Eugene F. Pawlik

PRIVATE EUGENE F. PAWLIK was from Chicago IL, on of seven children born to Polish immigrant parents. Drafted early in the war, he was assigned to the 853rd Engineer Battalion, Aviation, which had been organized at Dyersburg Army Air Base at Dyersburg TN on January 1, 1943. After training in the art of constructing air strips, the 853rd went overseas on October 3, 1943, arriving in North Africa on October 23. The Battalion was stationed in Oran, Algeria while awaiting transport to there final destination in India, via the Suez Canal

On November 26, 1943, Private Pawlik and his unit along with several other American Army and Army Air Force units, were in transit aboard the British ship HMT Rohna as part of a convoy. The convoy was attacked by German aircraft, and the Rohna was hit by a radio controlled guided missile. The Rohna sank, taking 1015 Americans with it, including Private Pawlik. His body was not recovered, and he is memorialized at the North Africa American Cemetery at Carthage, Tunisia.

Details of this incident were withheld from the public at the time, with good reason, as there was a war going on. Sadly, the government did not disclose the truth about what happened to those aboard the Rohna for decades after the war. Most of the parents of those lost aboard the Rohna never knew what became of there sons, and only in recent years have survivors organized and reached out to spread the word to other surviving families. For information, visit the Rohna Survivors Memorial Association's Web site at: www.whidbey.net/rohna/rohna.htm

PRIVATE EUGENE F. PAWLIK

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PRIVATE EUGENE F. PAWLIK
Private Pawlik, upper left. If you know the other three soldier's identities, please contact me by e-mail

Private Eugene Pawlik

Full-sized view from above picture

If you knew Eugene Pawlik, please contact his family by e-mail at Larlaya@aol.com

For information, visit the Rohna Survivors Memorial Association's Web site at: www.whidbey.net/rohna/rohna.htm