My father Francis Dziennik was with the 66th in the summer of 1944 training as a gunner. The company clerk saw his records and said he was a smart guy and asked him if he wanted to go to Officer Candidate School. The company clerk initiated his transfer to OFC at Camp Berkely, TX on August 29, 1944.

My father stayed in the reserves and retired as a Colonel in 1977. He is still living and at 95 strong and of sound mind. It wasn’t until 1967 that my father learned the fate of the Leopoldville. To this day, he still says, I don’t even know the company clerks name. Why me, why was I saved?

This veterans day, I would like to be able to tell my father the name of the man who saved him. I have the orders transferring him to OFC, but I cannot tell who the company clerk is that would have been assigned at the time. The orders show:

HEADQUARTERS 66TH INFANTRY DIVISION
APO 454
Camp Rucker, Alabama
By command of Major General Kramer
John W Keating, Col, GSC Chief of Staff
OFFICIAL: WH Sheard, Lt Col, AGD Adjutant General

Dated August 29, 1944