Philip K. Nachefski

NAME: Philip K. Nachefski

ASN: 37616930

PLACE OF BIRTH: St. Louis, MO

DATE OF BIRTH: 1924?

DATES OF SERVICE: 05 Jul 1943 - 20 Jan 1945

UNIT ASSIGNED: B Company 509th Parachute Infantry Battalion

CAMPAIGNS: Southern France, Ardennes

AWARDS: Combat Infantryman Badge, Parachutist Badge with Combat Jump Star, Purple Heart Medal, EAME Campaign Medal with Arrowhead and Bronze Star Device.

SUMMARY OF SERVICE:

05 Jul 1943 - Enlisted at Jefferson Barracks, St. Louis, MO - NARA Enlistment record.

ARMY SERIAL NUMBER	37616930	37616930
NAME	NACHEFSKI#PHILIP#K######	NACHEFSKI#PHILIP#K######
RESIDENCE: STATE	75	MISSOURI
RESIDENCE: COUNTY	191	ST LOUIS CITY
PLACE OF ENLISTMENT	7545	JEFFERSON BARRACKS MISSOURI
DATE OF ENLISTMENT DAY	05	05
DATE OF ENLISTMENT MONTH	07	07
DATE OF ENLISTMENT YEAR	43	43
GRADE: ALPHA DESIGNATION	PVT#	Private
GRADE: CODE	8	Private
BRANCH: ALPHA DESIGNATION	NO#	No branch assignment
BRANCH: CODE	02	No branch assignment
FIELD USE AS DESIRED	#	#
TERM OF ENLISTMENT	5	Enlistment for the duration of the War or other emergency, plus six months, subject to the discretion of the President or otherwise according to law
LONGEVITY	###	###
SOURCE OF ARMY PERSONNEL	0	Civil Life
NATIVITY	75	MISSOURI
YEAR OF BIRTH	24	24
RACE AND CITIZENSHIP	1	White, citizen
EDUCATION	2	2 years of high school
CIVILIAN OCCUPATION	856	Unskilled occupations in production of miscellaneous petroleum and coal products
MARITAL STATUS	6	Single, without dependents
COMPONENT OF THE ARMY	7	Selectees (Enlisted Men)
CARD NUMBER	#	#
BOX NUMBER	1239	1239
FILM REEL NUMBER	6.5##	6.5##

14 Jan 1945 - A CO and B CO of the 509th PIB were combined with B CO 31st Tank Bn and B CO 48th Armored Infantry Bn and A CO 33rd Engineer Bn to form what was called Task Force B. in the vicinity of Spa, Belgium.

15 Jan 1945 - Leaders Recon was conducted to look at the proposed attack area around Born, Belgium.

19 Jan 1945 - moved to the assembly area

20 Jan 1945 - A CO and B CO passed through the 1st Inf Div front line at H-Hour and objective was to seize the high ground west of Born, Belgium. B CO assembled (modern term would be objective rally point) at Wolfsbusch for final prep to attack the high ground southwest of Born, Belgium. B CO halted at noon when an enemy anti-tank gun knocked out two of their medium tanks. Three were killed and 9 wounded from the three enemy antitank guns and enemy mortar fire. At 1300, 509th mortar teams set up within range and began to provide supporting fire. Two other medium tanks supporting B CO moved out on the left flank to engage the antitank guns. B COs 1st platoon, HQ and one medium tank moved out on the road. A CO with three medium tanks moved out on the right flank of B CO and advanced toward Born. 1655 hours B CO reported advancing against light resistance. five minutes later B CO reported meeting stiff resistance. Enemy antitank fire knocked out lead medium tank with B CO. B CO Commander Capt. Winship was seriously wounded along with another Sgt. Doc Carlos Alden attended to both of them. Lt. McCarthy took over command of the company. By 1840 hours B CO had taken 29 prisoners. While Doc Alden was treating Capt. Winship and the Sgt. a German Tiger tank came out of the woods and the crew captured Doc Alden and the wounded. B CO and the rest of the 509th as a part of Task Force B withdrew from the attack on Born, Belgium as a result of the new presence of three German Tiger tanks and increased enemy troops giving up the three buildings it had captured in town. They re-established a defensive line and three US tank destroyers were called up to support their position against the enemy tiger tanks. Also 20 artillery battalions began a barrage on German positions at 2300 to break up any German assault. At 2345 hours A CO advanced on the right, B CO was in the center and B CO of the 48th Inf Bn was on the left in the advance to Born. Both A CO and B CO occupied several buildings in Born, Belgium sometime in the early hours on the 21st of Jan 1945.

20 Jan 1945 - Pvt. Philip K. Nachefski Army Service Number: 37616930 Unit: 509th PIB Hometown: St. Louis, MO KIA: 20-Jan-45 Buried: Plot A Row 14 Grave 34 Henri-Chapelle Am Cem, Henri-Chapelle, Belgium Awards: Purple Heart listed on page 390 in the book 'Stand in the Door' by Charles H. Doyle

Pvt. Phillip K. Nachefski Unit: B CO 509th PIB Status: KIA photo of him in Southern France on page 63 in the book 'First Airborne Task Force' by Michel De Trez

L to R Standing: Pvt. Justus F. Patrick, unknown, Pvt. William J. Kambrick, Pvt. Larry J. Ducote, Pvt. Philip K. Nachefski,

L to R Seated Middle: Pvt. George Mann, Pvt. Moscatello

L to R Seated Front: Pvt. Nizinski, Cpl. Hilton

Photo of 2nd Squad, 3rd Platoon, B Company 509th Parachute Infantry Battalion was taken in St. Tropez, Southern France in front of the Hotel L'Ensoleille

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