Sgt. Matthew Lukasik (32833917)

Matt Lukasik on an M8 Greyhound armoured car, location unknown

Matt Lukasik was an exceptional soldier who was briefly captured in an early battle in Normandy and later cited for two medals.

He entered service straight from civilian life at Fort Niagara, New York, on February 4 1943, as a Private. A series of promotions saw him first become a Private First Class gunner on a .60 calibre mortar, then Tec 5 as a truck driver, followed by Section Sergeant and finally Staff Sergeant, again as a mortar specialist.

He was cited for the Distinguished Service Cross and the Silver Star - the US military’s second and third highest awards for bravery during the squadron’s five European campaigns. We are trying to find the Silver Star citation, which Matt’s son Rick believes was either for disabling a Tiger Tank and capturing the crew, or grounding a Focke-Wulf Fw 190 fighter and capturing the pilot, both in Germany. We do have the citation for his Distinguished Service Cross (see down page).

Original caption ‘Matty driving with his platoon’. This appears to be in Germany, sometime after cessation of hostilities.

Matt Lukasik’s capture came during the battle for Bourg de Lestre on June 19 1944. Two men, one of whom is believed to have been Lukasik, were ordered by 1st Lt Wilbert R. Keinath (0468421) to establish an observation post on the 2nd floor of a house. An estimated company of Germans (100 - 150 men) attacked Lukasik’s platoon of 30, killing seven men - the squadron’s worst single-day loss of the war. Both men fought until running out of ammunition, were captured and freed a few days later when Cherbourg fell to the Allies.

According to his Service Record Sgt. Matt Lukasik was later cited for the Silver Star and the Distinguished Service Cross. We currently only have the DSC citation.

For extraordinary heroism in action on 13 April 1945, near Sulzhayn, Germany. During an attack on strongly prepared enemy positions, Sergeant Lukasik personally destroyed an enemy machine gun nest, capturing four occupants and killing two. Then, despite painful wounds and loss of blood, he singlehandedly attacked the enemy with rifle grenades and small arms fire, breaking up an incipient counter-attack and permitting the orderly regrouping of friendly forces to his rear. Sergeant Lukasik’s keen tactical knowledge, unflinching courage, and indomitable spirit in a critical situation reflect the highest credit on himself and the armed Forces.

Although no details of his Silver Star citation have been found, Matt’s son Rick recalls two stories from his childhood, one of which may relate to it. One involved disabling a Tiger Tank and capturing the crew. The other related to the capture of a German Focke-Wulf 190 and its pilot.

Sgt. Matthew Lukasik with captured Focke-Wulf 190

Photographs kindly shared by Matt Lukasik’s son Rick. Note the seventh photo which was captioned ‘Delivering food for hospitals’, showing Matt with a rifle and a deer on the hood of the Jeep. During the immediate occupation of Germany food was scarce . The colourised photograph is believed to be a somewhat inebriated Matt at a party. This gallery also includes photos from his training in the Mohave Desert. Research is needed to identify the other men pictured. In the news clipping from the Buffalo Evening News, January 30 1946, Matt is quoted: “Right now I’d rather have a job than the Distinguished Service Cross”.

Hear more of Matt Lukasik’s story as recalled by his son, Rick, in a conversation recorded on December 31 2025.

Matt Lukasik, aged 63, behind the bar he eventually ran

Matthew Lukasik was born July 4 1923, in Buffalo, New York. He died December 7 1991, in East Aurora, New York.