Louis P. Pazzelli
Era: World War II
Military Branch: Army
Louis P. Pazzelli of Eveleth, Minnesota entered the Army in June 1942.
He attended Officer Candidate School and was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant and served as an infantry unit commander with the 106th Infantry Regiment, 27th Infantry Division in the Pacific Theater.
He says: "We participated in the battles of Kwajalein and Eniwetok, Marshall Islands, Saipan and Mariannas. On June 28, 1944, a Japanese artillery shell landed close by me and a few pieces of shrapnel pierced my helmet. The head wound caused paralysis on the left side of my body.
"After several surgeries at the 147th General Hospital, Hawaii, I was sent to Hamilton Field in California. From there I went to Mayo General Hospital in Galesburg, Ill. where I had two more surgeries and more shrapnel fragments were removed from my skull and a silver plate was inserted to remain there permanently."
Mr. Pazzelli received the: Purple Heart, Combat Infantryman Badge, Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Service Medal with two bronze battle stars.
He was discharged on Jan. 13, 1945.
Source: Hometown Heroes: The St. Louis County World War II Project. 240.
