Staff Sergeant
Walter Joseph Ricica
The Ricica parents were immigrants from Czechloslovakia. They rented and farmed several places around the area, but they were in Fulton County when their third son, Walter Joseph Ricica was born. John and E. Francis (Kubrick) Ricica would have seven children by the time the census taker came around in 1940 - Floyd, Walter, Stephen, George, Louis, Theresa and Marcellus.
Before John's enlistment, John and his brothers, Floyd and later, Steven, helped on their family farm. Walter eventually acquired a job at the Defiance Machine Works before enlisting. His parents had lived in Adams Township but moved to Highland Township by this time.
On the 8th or 9th of January 1942, he enlisted at Camp Perry. As a member of the 145th Regiment, 37th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, he was on a ship, sailing under the Golden Gate Bridge by late 1943 -44,
heading for the islands near the Philippines.
From The Sons of Liberty Museum website:
"On January 9, 1945, the Buckeyes (another name for the 37th Division as it was dominated by Ohio men) came ashore on D-day at Lingayen Gulf and spearheaded MacArthur's return to Manila." The 37th raced inland to Clark Field and Fort Stotsenburg, but they met fierce resistance from the Japanese and didn't arrive at their goal until Jan. 31, 1945. This is the period of time when Sgt. Ricica was killed - on January 26, 1945. His hospital report indicated that he had a compound fracture of the pelvis with no nerve or artery involvement. He was 27 and it was a mortal wound.
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| On Luzon |
His parents were informed of his death on February 17, 1945. An article about SSgt Walter Ricica tells us of his heroism in battle, found in the Crescent-News published on March 15, 1946.
"BRONZE STAR AWARD REVEALS HEROISM THAT COST LIFE OF DEFIANCE SOLDIER
Heroism of a Defiance soldier, Sgt. Walter J. Ricica, costing his life in the Philippines, has just been revealed in the citation accompanying the posthumous award of the bronze star to his parents, Mr. and Mrs. John Ricica of Route 6.
Former employee of the Defiance Machine Works, Sgt. Ricica entered the Army Jan. 8, 1942, went overseas in October 1944, and was killed in action Jan. 26, 1945.
The parent recently went to Camp Perry where they receive the bronze star medal. The citation read:
'For heroic achievement in connection with military operations against the enemy at Luzon, Philippine islands on 26 January 1945.
When the advance of the second battalion of an infantry regiment was threatened with delay because of the action of a *Timm gun in its sector, Sergeant Ricica and Privates Staleny and Holappa, left their covered positions and ran across an open road to observe the hostile weapon.
As they advanced, an exploding shell struck nearby and mortally wounded them. Their disregard for the safety of their lives exemplified the spirit of courage and self-sacrifice which led to the ultimate successful conclusion of the operation.'"
*A Timm gun is a submachine gun.
Sergeant Ricica also received the Purple Heart.
His official place of death was Pampanga Province, Central Luzon, Philippines. He was buried at the Manila American Cemetery and Memorial in Manila. A photo of his cross was not available, but a certificate commemorating his burial had this appropriate quotation:
"Time will not dim the story of their deeds."
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