DOB/DOD: March 11, 1916 (Brooklyn, NY) – February 25, 1945; 28 years old
MARITAL STATUS: Married to Estelle “Stella” Srokowski Richick (1918-2022) on October 28, 1939, in Marblehead, Ohio. Estelle remarried Paul Adykoski in 1947.
LOCAL ADDRESS: 308 Windsor Avenue, Hartford
ENLISTMENT: April 11, 1944, in Hartford, Connecticut
SERVICE NUMBER: 962785
UNIT: Company F, 2nd Battalion, 25th Marines, 4th Marine Division
MILITARY OCCUPATIONAL SPECIALTY: 0604, Machine Gun Crewman
FAMILY: Born to John (1889-1966), born in Austria, and Pauline Kataryuk Richick (1893-1960). John was born in Austria, and Pauline was born in Hungary. Three sisters, Magdalene “Maggie” Richick Twarek (1925-2006), Anna Richick Turinsky (1928-2004), and half-sister Lena Richick Batcha (1919-2001). 1 Worked for Vincent Srokowski as a painter prior to the service (possibly related to his wife Estelle; same last name). 3
CIRCUMSTANCES: Boot camp at Parris Island, South Carolina, in the Spring of 1944. Transferred to the 5th Replacement Draft in the Summer of 1944. Assigned to the 4th Marine Division, 25th Marines, 2nd Battalion from the Fall of 1944 through the Battle of Iwo Jima. 5 Died due to trauma to his left arm. 4 PFC Richick and Private Francis Carlson of Waterbury were in the same company. They died 16 days apart.
Honored on the Gold Star Casualties of World War II Marker, 281 Broad St., Windsor, Connecticut. Photo by Jeff DeWitt.
From The Peninsular News, Marblehead, OH, January 14, 1949
The body of Private First Class Steve Richick arrived in Port Clinton on Wednesday from the Pacific area and will be brought to the home of his parents in Marblehead on Friday, and friends may call. Services will be held Sunday at 2 o’clock in St. Mary’s Greek Catholic Church, the Reverend George Simchack officiating. The military services will be conducted by the Veterans of Foreign Wars and by the American Legion. The son of Mr. and Mrs. John Richick, Steve was born in Brooklyn, New York, and came with his family to Marblehead when he was three years of age. He attended the local schools and went into the service of his country in April 1944. On April 11, 1944, he went to Parris Island, South Carolina, with Platoon 239 of the 13th Battalion. He returned to his home in Wilson, Connecticut, on furlough for one week and then was sent to Camp Lejeune at Tent City, New River, North Carolina, on June 8 with Company B, Platoon 20, 67th Replacement Battalion. On July 21, he was transferred to the Marine barracks in San Diego, California, with Company B, Platoon 20, and was sent overseas on August 26 with the 4th Marine Division in a Machine Gunner’s outfit in 1944. He lost his life on Iwo Jima on February 25, 1945. His body arrived on January 12, in charge of Sergeant Walter Ford of New Orleans. Surviving is his widow, Estelle of Wilson, Connecticut; his parents, Mr. and Mrs. John Richick, Marblehead; and three sisters, Mrs. Joseph Batcha, Mrs. Coleman Turinsky, and Magdalene Richick, all of Marblehead.
Initially buried in 4th Marine Division Cemetery on Iwo Jima, Plot 1, Row 17, Grave 814. His wife, Estelle, deferred to PFC Richick’s father for final disposition. At his father’s request, his remains were repatriated and buried on January 18, 1949, in St. Mary’s Greek Catholic Cemetery, 101 East Main Street, Marblehead, Ohio; plot number unknown. 4 Photo from FindAGrave.com. 2
1 – 1940 census https://www.ancestry.com/cs/1940-census
2 – https://findagrave.com
3 – https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/2238
4 – USMC Casualty Report received via FOIA request
5 – USMC Muster Rolls: https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/1089/