![[Anuskewicz Photo]](AnuskewiczBT_02.JPG)
Benjamin T. Anuskewicz, Col. (1900 - 1967)
WW II veteran, Polonia activist
Colorful Soldier
Col. Benjamin T. Anuskewicz, 67, one of Polonia's outstanding military heroes, was buried with high military honors on June 6 in Arlington National Cemetery. He died in New York City on June 1.
His army career began over 50 years ago when at the ago of 17 he enlisted in "Black Jack" Pershing's 500-mile penetration into Mexico seeking the notorious Pancho Villa. At the age of 20, he became the youngest First Sgt, in the U.S. Army. He served in World War II. In 1935 he was in command of Civilian Conservation Corp. unit and for his services in rescue work in Oxford. N.Y. which was struck by a cloudburst, he received the Soldiers' Medal, highest peacetime award.
During the 30's he served as the American Legion Delegate in the War Victims Commission in Poland, Romania, Italy and France. He also held many public positions, starting as Deputy U.S. Marshall, winding up as Chief Aid to Gen. Hershey, Director of the Selective Service System.
During World War II, Col. Anuskewicz, was twice wounded on D Day landing at Normandy Beach. He was the recipient of numerous medals and citations.
On the Polonia front, he was active in the Polish Falcons, organized the N.Y. State Dept. of the Polish Legion of American Veterans, chaired the General Krzyzanowski Memorial Committee, and served as Chairman of Military Affairs of the American Polish Civil War Centennial Committee. He was also active with the Order of Lafayette.
Source: Polish American Journal, June 24, 1967.
Gen. Eisenhower's Polish friend
One of Gen. Eisenhower's better known Polish friends was the late Col. Benjamin T. Anuskewicz whom he called 'Ben'. The General respected The Great Neck, N.Y. Pole because the Colonel had requested active duty at an age when most warm chairs. As a result Col. Anuskewicz was one of the oldest American officers (55) to hit the beaches of Normandy on 'D DAY' where he was twice wounded and almost given up for dead.
The above photo was taken by your Editor on the occasion of the "Freedom Award" to Gen. Eisenhower by the Order of La Fayette in New York in November 1964.
Source: Straz (Guard), April 10, 1969.
Anuskewicz (Anuszkiewicz), Benjamin T.
Major U.S. Army, enlisted in the U.S. Reserve, Chemical Warfare Service, attached to the 61st Cavalry Division in 1939. He is an army veteran of the Punitive Expedition to Mexico in 1916 and World War I. After the war served on the Victims Commission of the Federation of Inter-Allied War Veterans (F.I.D.A.C.) and also participated in the congresses of the same organization in Paris, Warsaw, Athens, Bucharest and Belgrade as delegate and secretary of the delegation of the American Legion. Served also as Commanding Officer with the Civilian Conservation Corps, in which he distinguished himself by earning the highest peace time decoration awarded by the War Department, the "Soldier's Medal for Valor" for heroic service in the New York State flood in 1935. In 1937 he was decorated by Poland with the Golden Cross "Polonia Restituta" for services rendered to the independence of Poland. Residence: 37 Ridgewood Ave., Brooklyn, N. Y.
From: "Who's Who in Polish America" by Rev. Francis Bolek, Editor-in-Chief; Harbinger House, New York, 1943