Alphonse E Guzowski was born in Pittsburgh Pennsylvania on December 21st, 1922 to John and Marie Guzowski. He enlisted in the Marine Corps on February 14th, 1942 in Pittsburgh, and his brother Andrew followed suit in March, enlisting in the Army. After training at Parris Island, SC, Alphonse was transferred to F company, 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines with whom he saw combat on Guadalcanal at Tulagi, Edson’s Ridge, and The Matanikau River.
Following Guadalcanal, Alphonse was sent to Australia where he was treated for what was likely a bad case of Malaria. After resting and refitting in Australia, Alphonse was designated as a field cook and was sent to Cape Gloucester and Peleliu with F company. There is a high chance that Alphonse saw combat as a rifleman on Peleliu though, as F company, like other companies, suffered massive casualties and most able bodies were employed as riflemen.
After Peleliu Alphonse was transferred back stateside to Marine Barracks in Philadelphia, escaping the Pacific physically unwounded. He married his wife Nancy Carol Ketko on January 20th, 1945 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and Alphonse was officially separated from the Marine Corps on August 31st, 1945.
Alphonse returned home to Pennsylvania where he settled down with Nancy and worked as a refinisher at a manufacturing plant. Their first daughter died at birth in 1945 but then they had a son named Kenneth in 1947 and a daughter, Janet, in 1950. Alphonse lived in Pennsylvania with his family until his death on July 16th, 1988.
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