Stephen Edward Navara
"Steve"
Marine Corps Reserve | Service Number 445617
April 18, 1921
in Bitoman, PA
Michael Navara
Nellie (Pitek) Navara
Details unknown
Miner
Rockhill Coal & Iron
August 25, 1942
at Pittsburgh, PA
October 19, 1942
from 6th Sep. Recruit Bn., New River
February 1, 1944
Killed in action at Namur
February 1, 1944
Killed in action
Box 103, Wood, PA – address of mother, Mrs. Nellie Navara
Service & Campaigns
Boot camp with 6th Separate Recruit Battalion, New River, NC. Outposted directly to HQ Company, First Separate Battalion (Reinforced) on 19 October 1942. Transferred to D Company on 10 November 1942.
Outfit: D/1/24th Marines
Rank: PFC
MOS: 504 (Ammo handler) – acting squad leader
Important Events:
February 1, 1944 – killed in action at Namur (gunshot, head); exact details unknown
Individual Decorations
Medal
Purple Heart
Campaign
Namur (Feb. 1, 1944)
Citation
Service Stories
“I do not know how many men we lost along the way. I saw the body of Carmen Ramputi, one of the company comedians. Steve Navara was lying on his back, staring at the sky with unseeing eyes. My friend Parkison died, and I noticed he bled all over a picture of his wife to be. They were among my close personal friends. All through the war, when I saw a dead man with his eyes wide open, I wondered what he was looking at when his soul left his body.”
