Stanley Casimir Frackowiak was born on March 11, 1914, in LaSalle, Illinois, to Stanley and Julia Malek Frackowiak. Both of his parents were from Poland. Stanley Frackowiak Sr. left for America when he was in his 20s. accompanied by his uncle, Francis Michalek, and arrived in Baltimore in 1901. Julia came to America in 1883 when she was 2 years old with her parents, Johan and Marianna Malek, and two sisters, Josephine and Katherine.
When Stanley was born his parents had been married for over 11 years and already had three sons: Joseph, Frank (Stanley), and John (Michael). His father was working at the Illinois Zinc Company with Stanley’s grandfather, John Malek. The Frackowiak family lived at 748 LaFayette street in LaSalle, just two blocks from Stanley’s grandparents, John and Mary Malek. Over the next few years, Stanley would gain four more siblings: Edward, Marie, Clara, and Leo. Although he may not have remembered his brother Edward because he died when Stanley was only two years old. His brother Leo passed away when Stanley was ten.
With living near his maternal grandparents, Stanley was possibly quite close to the Malek family. He had two uncles and four aunts, and one of his uncles, Walter Malek, served in the Army as a mechanic during World War I. Stanley’s maternal grandmother passed away when he was about 13, and after her death, his grandfather John moved in with the Frackowiak family. Only a few years later, in 1931, Stanley’s grandfather also passed away at age 74.
Like his siblings, Stanley does not appear to have attended high school, and by the time he was 18 he was working at the zinc works as a smelter worker. On October 16, 1940, he registered for the draft in LaSalle, Illinois—he was 26 years old standing five feet 9 inches tall and weighing 150 pounds with blue eyes and brown hair. The next year his older brother John enlisted in the Army on June 25, 1941. And within the year, at age 27, Stanley followed his brother into the Army, enlisting on February 20, 1942, at Camp Grant in Illinois. Prior to enlisting he had married a young lady from LaSalle—Virginia Rae Tipton, daughter of Bert and Alta Newton Tipton.
On September 11, 1943, Stanley lost his life after being hit by friendly fire in the chest with shrapnel in Salerno, Italy. No records could be found to determine his unit. He was buried in Forest Lawn Memorial Park in LaSalle. PVT Stanley Frackowiak would have been awarded the following medals for his service: Army Good Conduct Medal, American Campaign Medal, Europe/African/Middle Eastern Campaign Medal, and the World War II Victory Medal.
After Stanley’s death, his wife who had been working at the Green River Ordnance Plant remained on the job saying, “this job has to be done…and maybe if I stay on the job, I can help save someone else’s husband.”
This story is part of the Stories Behind the Stars project (see www.storiesbehindthestars.org). This is a national effort of volunteers to write the stories of all 421,000+ of the US WWII fallen saved on Together We Served and Fold3. Can you help write these stories? These stories will be accessible via smartphone app at any war memorial or cemetery.
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SBTSProject/Illinois/LaSalle
SBTS Historian: Pam Broviak
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Sources:
- U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007, Stanley C. Frackowiak, Ancestry.
- Baltimore, Maryland, U.S., Passenger Lists, 1820-1964, Johan Malak and family, Ancestry.
- Baltimore, Maryland, U.S., Passenger Lists, 1820-1964, Stanisla Frackowiak, Ancestry.
- Illinois Deaths and Stillbirths, 1916-1947, Edward Frackonrik, FamilySearch.
- Illinois, U.S., Deaths and Stillbirths Index, 1916-1947, Leo Frackowiak, Ancestry
- Illinois, U.S., Deaths and Stillbirths Index, 1916-1947, John Malek, Ancestry.
- Illinois, U.S., Deaths and Stillbirths Index, 1916-1947, Mary Malek, Ancestry.
- Illinois, County Marriages, 1810-1940, LaSalle county, Frackowiak and Malek, 1902, FamilySearch.
- U.S., City Directories, 1822-1995, LaSalle, 1938, Frackowiak entries, p. 76, Ancestry.
- U.S., City Directories, 1822-1995, LaSalle, 1945, Frackowiak entries, p. 79, Ancestry.
- 1910 U.S. Census, Stany Franckowiak, Ancestry.
- 1920 U.S. Census, Stany Frackowiak, Ancestry.
- 1930 U.S. Census, Stanley Frackowiak, Ancestry.
- 1940 U.S. Census, Bert J. Tipton, Ancestry.
- 1940 U.S. Census, Stanley Frackowiak, Ancestry.
- 1940 U.S. Census, Joseph Frackowiak, Ancestry.
- U.S., World War II Draft Cards Young Men, 1940-1947, Stanley Cassimer Frackowiak, Ancestry.
- U.S., World War II Draft Cards Young Men, 1940-1947, Joseph Frackowiak, Ancestry.
- U.S., World War II Draft Cards Young Men, 1940-1947, Frank Stanley Frackowiak, Ancestry.
- U.S., World War II Draft Cards Young Men, 1940-1947, John Michael Frackowiak, Ancestry.
- Ad, Bureau County Tribune, Dec. 17, 1943, p. 4, Newspapers.com
- U.S., Department of Veterans Affairs BIRLS Death File, 1850-2010, John M. Frackowiak, Ancestry.
- U.S., Department of Veterans Affairs BIRLS Death File, 1850-2010, Stanley Casimir Frackowiak, Ancestry.
- U.S., Headstone Applications for Military Veterans, 1925-1970, Walter Malek, Ancestry.
- U.S., World War II Army Enlistment Records, 1938-1946, John M. Frackowiak, Ancestry.
- U.S., World War II Army Enlistment Records, 1938-1946, Stanley C. Frackowiak, Ancestry.
- U.S., World War II Hospital Admission Card Files, 1942-1954, Stanley C. Frackowiak, Ancestry.
- https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/127881979/john-michael-frackowiak.
- https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/93367172/frank-s-frackowiak.
