VASKO Joseph - LST 314 USNR

 

Joseph VASKO

 

VASKO Joseph
NUMBER OF SERVICE8181966
AGE19 yo
DATE OF BIRTH10 january 1925
ETATPENNSYLVANIA
FAMILYMère : Mary
Frère : John
RANK3rd classe - SF3C
FONCTIONShipfitter
JOB BEFORE ENLISTEMENTJobPA
DATE of ENLISTEMENT2 Août 1943
BOATLST - 314
ARMYUSNR
DATE OF DEATH9 june 1944VASKO Joseph tombe
STATUSMIA
PLACE OF DEATHIn the sea
CEMETERYNORMANDY AMERICAN CEMETERY of Colleville

Map of Normandy American Cemetery

GRAVE
PlotRowGrave
Wall of missing
DECORATION

Purple Heart

World War II Victory Medal

Photo FDLM

victory medal
usnr usnr
STORY

Joseph Vasko was born on January 10, 1925 in Phoenixville, Pennsylvania.
His father presumably passed away, at an early age, as the records found only list his mother, Mary, and brother, John.


Joseph attended the Phoenixville High School, then located on Nutt St., where the Phoenixville Hospital stands today.


Lycée de Pheonixville

He was known as an avid swimmer and worked part time at Coane and Pizor.


Joseph VASKO

Joseph graduated in the class of 1942 and obtained employment at the Boiler Engineering Supply Company.


USS Elizabeth C Stanton
USS Elizabeth C Stanton

Joseph enlisted in the Naval Reserve on August 2, 1943. He received basic training at Great Lakes Naval Station in Illinois, and on October 16th was assigned to the Troop Transport USS Elizabeth C. Stanton (converted from the SS Mormacstar).Upon arriving in Bizerte, Tunisia; Ship Fitter 3rd class was transferred for duty on the LST-314.

LST’s were newly created ships, which could sail right up on the beach to load/and or unload heavy equipment and supplies through their bow doors. They sometimes would unload heavy equipment onto barges just off shore to lighten the ship (as they did at Normandy in the first waves). They were slow, flat bottomed rolled and pitched quite a bit, and were nicknamed Large Slow Targets. But this type of ship was essential to an amphibious landing.



Là il est envoyé sur le LST-314.

 LST 314
LST-314
Re-loading for return trip to Normandy.

At Weymouth Harbor, southern England, Joseph’s ship was loaded with DUKWS (Amphibious Trucks pronounced DUCKS) small assault boats and troops for the Normandy Landings on June 6, 1944 – the liberation of Europe.


On June 6, LST-314 led the other LST’s through the mined cleared channel towards Omaha Beach. The LST’s unloaded their heavy equipment, then received casualties for transport back to England.


LST 314
LST-314

Back at Weymouth Harbor, Joseph’s ship loaded more supplies for Normandy.

On the night of June 9th, Joe Vasko’s ship crossed the heavily congested English Channel once again. As it neared the Normandy beaches, LST-314 was sunk by a torpedo fired from a German E boat (torpedo boat).


Ship fitter 3rd Class Joseph Vasko was Killed In Action June 9, 1944, during the attack.


His mother, Mary, received the telegram that Joseph was Missing In Action on Monday July 3rd. On July 21st, the Navy changed his status to Killed In Action..


Joseph is remembered on the Tablets of the Missing or Buried at sea at the Normandy Cemetery at Colleville-sur-Mer, France

USN Monument at Utah Beach

Photo Fdlm
Photo Fdlm
SOURCE INFORMATION & PHOTOMarie-laure COURAUD - Frédéric LAVERNHE- webapps.chesco.org (chester county hall of hero) - Abmc.gov search ABMC burials & memorializations
PROGRAMMERFrédéric & Renaud
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