John Wrysch
PVT in 603rd Engineer Camouflage Bn : Co A
ASN#36524885 Casualty: Wounded
Born 1917 in MI, Died 1975
Other residence(s): Detroit, MI
United States Army, European Theatre of Operations
Occupation before the war: factory worker, auto industry
John Wrysch was born on July 11, 1917 in Detroit, MI, the older of two children. His father was a laborer in the building supply industry and both of his parents had been born in Poland.
By 1940, John had graduated from high school and was working as a shipping clerk at Ternstedt Mfg. Co.* He registered for the draft on October 16, 1940.
On August 31, 1941 he married Detroit factory worker Stella Swieszkowski. John also stayed busy in 1941 playing first base for a team in the Detroit Baseball Federation.
He eventually found his way into the 603rd Engineer Camouflage Battalion, and served in Europe with the unit during the war.
After the war, John became a police patrolman in Detroit. In 1948, he was seriously injured when he was slashed by a knife in the throat. He and a fellow patrolman had been called to a disturbance at a tavern to break up a fight in which a patron was threatening other customers with the knife. However, after 16 stitches and some weeks of recovery, he was back on the job.
John and Stella had two children: Michael, born in 1948, and Cheryl born in 1954. Nothing else is known of his life or work.
He died on November 2, 1975 in Detroit.
*Ternstedt did work for GM, Ford, Chrysler and other Detroit automakers, producing window regulators, handles for doors, locks, and plated trim parts.
Sources:
1940 census
1940 draft card
1941 article in the Detroit Times Extra (MI) about his playing baseball
1941 marriage record
1948 article in the Detroit Free Press (MI) about his police work
https://www.newspapers.com/image/98266969/?match=1&terms=john%20wrysch
1948 article in The Detroit News (MI) about his being wounded in the line of duty
1949 article in the Detroit Free Press (MI) about his police work
https://www.newspapers.com/image/97466317/?match=1&terms=john%20wrysch
1950 census
1953 article in the Detroit Free Press (MI) re his police work
https://www.newspapers.com/image/97897588/?match=1&terms=john%20wrysch
1975 Michigan death record
1975 Social Security death index