This is one of the pieces that started this collection. Thank you to PFC Zombar’s daughter, Bonny Zombar for her invaluable assistance in providing information on her Father’s service. Please enjoy!
Private First Class Michael Zombar was born in Crescent Heights, Pennsylvania on November 3rd, 1918 to Michael and Verna Zombar. He was the 5th of 8 children. In his years before the war, Michael worked as a coal miner for the H.C. Frick Coal and Coke Company, blasting rocks and coal inside of the mines. Zombar answered his country’s call 10 days after the Pearl Harbor attacks and enlisted in the United States Marine Corps on December 17th, 1941.
He completed training at Paris Island and joined D Company, 1st Battalion, 1st Marines as a Mortar Crewman(MOS 607). According to a newspaper article, PFC Zombar participated in action on Guadalcanal but his file made no mention of it. On December 26th, 1943 he disembarked at Cape Gloucester and participated in action against enemy airdromes that were captured on December 29th, 1943.
From there Zombar went on to Peleliu where he would distinguish himself in action. On September 15th, 1944 Zombar and HQ/1/1 landed on Peleliu. While storming the beach on D-Day Zombar received shrapnel to his shoulder by an enemy mortar round. Despite his wound, he received medical treatment and returned to the lines the same day. On D+2 PFC Zombar was advancing with his unit when they came under fire from an enemy pillbox. PFC Zombar “unhesitatingly rushed the enemy gun and killed the crew with a knife in furious hand-to-hand combat”. Later that day after running a wire control team to the front lines Zombar noticed a marine who had been wounded by enemy fire. Zombar picked up the wounded Marine and carried him over 400 yards under enemy fire to an aid station. For these actions that day PFC Zombar was awarded the Silver Star.
After a few more days of combat Zombar and his unit embarked aboard the USS Tryon and left Peleliu for good. The 1st Marines fought on Peleliu for 10 days before being pulled off the lines after suffering 56% casualties and no longer being combat effective. The regiment was decimated by heavy artillery and accurate small arms fire in the vicinity of Bloody Nose Ridge. Repeated frontal assaults with fixed bayonets failed to unseat the Japanese defenders from the 14th Division (Imperial Japanese Army). Ten days of fighting on Peleliu cost the 1st Marine Regiment 1,749 casualties. This was the last time Zombar would see action as he was transferred out of HQ/1/1 before Okinawa.
Michael married his wife, Doris, following the war and they had three children. Michael passed away in 1985 and his wife just passed away recently. His Daughter is currently in possession of his Silver Star and the rest of his belongings are in an unknown museum in Ohio. It's an honor to have this piece in our collection.
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