Roman Drapinski
Staff Sergeant Roman Drapinski, Serial: 32186839, 53rd Armored Engineer Battalion, 12th Armored Division, U.S. Army. He lived at 1468 South 10th Street, Camden NJ.
Staff Sergeant Roman Drapinski lived at 1468 South 10th Street, in the mostly Polish neighborhood anchored by St. Joseph’s Catholic Church. He was born in the United States in 1918 to Stanislaw and Victoria Drapinski, but had gone back to Poland at an early age, and had received all of his education there, before returning to America in 1938, at age 19, to stay with his brother Adam and work in Adam’s wholesale meat business. His parents and one brother remained in Poland.
Roman Drapinski attempted to enlist in the Army in 1940, but was turned down, as he was not fluent in English at that time. He was inducted in September of 1941, and rapidly advanced through the ranks — from corporal to technical sergeant to staff sergeant. Roman Drapinski served at Fort Dix NJ, Fort Knox KY, and Camp Campbell KY, and was assigned to the 53rd Armored Engineer Battalion, 12th Armored Division.
In early July of 1943, he wrote his family that he had received two medals and that “the next time he came home he would be all decorated up like a Polish general.”
Staff Sergeant Roman Drapinski was killed on July 18, 1943. While demonstrating the use of dynamite to a group of soldiers, a premature explosion occurred, fatally wounding him. He was injured Saturday and died Sunday night in the station hospital at Camp Campbell. General Carlos Brewer, the division commanding officer, sent a letter to the family praising the sergeant for his efficiency.
There are conflicting accounts as to what became of his family in Poland. According to the Camden Courier-Post, his father had died in Poland, his mother Victoria was unaccounted for somewhere in Europe, and his brother Stanislaw was a prisoner of the Nazis, captured while fighting with the Polish Army during the Axis invasion. A 1949 booklet from St. Joseph Church of Camden stated that he was survived by his parents, Stanley and Victoria Drapinski, a sister, Helen, and two brothers, Adam and William.
Blast Injuries Kill Soldier From Camden
Camden Courier-Post —
Staff Sgt. Drapinski Is Victim of Premature Explosion
Premature explosion of dynamite while he was giving instructions in handling caused the death of Staff Sgt. Roman Drapinski, 23, of 1468 South Tenth street, at Camp Campbell, Kan., according to word received last night.
Sergeant Drapinski was injured Saturday and died Sunday night in the station hospital. A brother, Adam, with whom he lived before entering the service, and a sister, Mrs. Helen W. Moskalski, of Walnut avenue, West Collingswood, flew by airplane to the camp Saturday after learning of the accident.
Sergeant Drapinski’s brother, Stanlislaw [sic], is a prisoner of the Nazis. He was captured while fighting with the Polish Army during the Axis invasion. His mother, Victoria, was in Poland the last the family here heard from her. Stanislaw, Sr., father of the sergeant, died in Poland two years ago.
Sergeant Drapinski came to this country five years ago from Poland and worked for his brother, Adam, in the wholesale meat business. He tried to enlist in the Army three years ago but because he could not speak English fluently he was turned down.
He was inducted in September, 1941, advanced to corporal, then to technical sergeant and next staff sergeant. Two weeks ago in a letter to his brother he said he had received two medals and the “next time he came home he would be all decorated up like a Polish general.”
Sergeant Drapinski was in the Twelfth Armored Division. Gen. Carlos Brewer, commanding officer, sent a letter to the family praising the sergeant for his efficiency.
St. Joseph's Church Keeps in Touch with Men and Women in Armed Forces
Camden Courier-Post — 1944
St. Joseph’s Church Keeps in Touch with Men and Women in Armed Forces; Four Sons Killed and Two Missing
By FRANK SHERIDAN
With many of their loved ones and relatives either killed, starved or reduced to slavery by the Nazi invaders of Poland four years ago, 1154 mothers of this city have given sons and daughters to fight for defense of the United States.
They are members of St. Joseph’s church, Tenth and Mechanic streets. Four sons were killed in line of duty, two others are missing and another is reported a prisoner of the Japs.
The mother of Staff Sgt. Roman Drapinski, 1468 South Tenth street, killed by a dynamite blast, is somewhere in Poland, but her name is honored equally with other mothers by the parish.
Names on Honor Roll
Others on the honor roll are Mrs. Stella Dziengowski, 1476 Louis street, mother of Sgt. Gustave Dziengowski; Mrs. Antonia Koscianski, 966 Bulson street, mother of Pvt. Walter J. Koscianski; and Mrs. George Lozowski, 1143 Sheridan street. Mother of Pvt. John Lozowski, killed in line of duty; Mrs. Jessie Piotrowski, 1343 Chase street, mother of Machinist Mate Joseph S. Piotrowski; and Mrs. Boleslau Poduszczak, 1105 Lowell street, mother of Second Lieut. Leopold Poduszczak, missing in action; and Mrs. Frank Ulak, 914 Atlantic avenue, mother of Lieut. Bruno Ulak, prisoner of the Japs.
A service bureau set up by the church keeps in contact with those in the armed forces. Letters and gifts keep flowing, and those in the service reply. An index system shows the thoroughness of the records directed by Rt. Rev. Msgr. Arthur B. Strenski and his assistants, Rev. Leon S. Winowicz, Rev. Lawrence Faber and Rev. Henry Blaszczynski. They are aided by members of the parish in keeping the records.
Sergeant Dziengowski was the first member of the parish to give his life. He was killed in an airplane crash near White City, Kan., on Jan. 12, last. Ten others were killed. They were on a trial trip in a flying fortress. He was buried at St. Joseph’s cemetery, Chews Landing, with military honors after a Solemn Requiem High Mass at the church.
Brother Seized in Poland
Drapinski entered the service in September, 1941, and was attached to the Twelfth Armored Division. He came to this country from Poland five years ago and worked with his brother, Adam. Another brother, Stanislau, is a prisoner of the Germans. He was captured during the invasion of Poland. His father died in Poland two years ago and the whereabouts of his mother in Poland is not known.
Private Lozowski died in an airplane accident near a Marine base at Atlantic Field, N.C. The plane was on a trial trip and fell into a bay. Four days after the accident on April 4, the body was recovered and sent back to his parents. It was buried with military honors after a Solemn Requiem Mass at the church.
Lozowski was 20 and was a graduate of Woodrow Wilson High school. He was employed by the Radio Condensor Company before his enlistment last November.
Piotrowski, who was 22, survived the attack on Pearl Harbor, but was reported lost when the cruiser Helena was sunk in the battle of Kula Gulf early in July. Admiral Jacobs, chief of Navy personnel, notified the mother of the young seaman of his apparent death.
Father Served in Army
Piotrowski was a graduate of Camden High school. He worked with his brother, Henry, in the interior decorating business before joining the Navy four years ago. He was last home on leave in April, 1942. He has another brother, Edward, and a sister, Irene. His father, John, who died several years ago, served in the Polish Army in World War I, joining a volunteer force organized in Canada. He also served as a commander of Iaskowski-Wojtkowiak Post, American Legion.
Lieutenant Poduszczak was reported missing in action since July 26, when he participated in an air raid over Hanover, Germany. He enlisted in the Army Air Corps in 1941.
Enlisted in Air Corps
The sergeant was a graduate of Camden High school and starred in both basketball and football. He was employed 12 years by Public Service and enlisted in the Army Air Corps on April 7, 1942.
Private Koscianski died in action in the African campaign. Several letters sent him by the service bureau were returned unclaimed. The War Department notified his mother he was killed in Algeria on Feb. 6, last. His body was buried between two sergeants and white crosses were erected over their graves.
He worked for the Camden City Parks Department as a truck driver for five years before he was inducted June 4, 1942. He was in the Signal Corps and was driving a truck when killed. He was sent overseas two months after his induction.
Sergeant Drapinski, brother of Adam Drapinski, died July 18, last, from injuries received in the premature explosion of dynamite at Camp Campbell, Kan. Drapinski, who was 23, was giving instructions to a group of recruits when the explosion occurred. His body was [...]
He received his wings on Nov. 21, 1942. He was home for two days last May before going overseas. He attended Camden schools and also studied in Poland from 1932 to 1936. His brother, Richard, is a corporal in the Army Air Corps.
Lieutenant Ulak was taken prisoner at Corregidor by the Japs. He was a reserve Army officer when the war broke out and was called into active service. Ulak was born in Camden and attended St. Joseph’s school, Camden High school and was graduated from Lehigh University. He has three brothers, and two sisters, besides his parents. A brother, Alfonse, is an Army sergeant in California. Other brothers are Adolph and Rudolph. The sisters are Mrs. Wanda Romanowski and Adella.
Grave of Staff Sergeant Roman Drapinski
Grave of Staff Sergeant Roman Drapinski, 12th Armored Division, U.S. Army, 1918–1943.