US ARMY PRIVATE Marion Joseph Andrzejak

[GWS]

    So it appears that there is yet a third and fourth birthdate for Pvt. Andrzejak-August 12, 1899 according to the Indiana Book of Merit, and August 25, 1891 on his Enrollment and Registration card!  Your choice!  The Indiana Book of Merit was published in 1932.

    I tried to pick him out in the yardlong using the small and grainy photo in the Book of Merit with no success.  Facial recognition from a small photo like this is very difficult unless there is some distinctive facial feature. You may have better luck if another contemporary  photo of him can be found.  Good luck and let us know if you identify him in the yardlong photo.

 

                                                                                                                                                                                                                         Steve

[Taj Patel]

Ok thanks for sending me this I will try to find him

[Taj Patel]

Do you think that photo would be after the war?

[GWS]

Taj--most of the photos in the book  show men in uniform or at least military headgear on.  I know you can't really see it in the scanned photo, but the book photo shows what I  make out to be a tunic collar with the left collar disc visible. Not sure when this was taken, but either 1918 or 1919 I'd say.  Even though he was in the band, he may have been in military uniform for the photo you have, so don't overlook anyone outside the band members too. He should have 2 overseas chevrons on his left sleeve and probably a discharge chevron. Also he'd have either a garrison or overseas hat on, making it a bit tougher to identify him. I'll send you a PM a little later about him.

 

                                                                                                                                                                              Steve

[Taj Patel]

Could either of these guys be him? The first guy doesn’t look that much like the guy in the photo but he has a 1st division SSI and two overseas chevrons. The second guy’s shoulder is not visible so I cannot see if he has a patch but he has two overseas chevrons if you look close.

[GWS]

That's a tough one to call! The first one appears to be wearing 3 medals?, but not sure of that either. The second has more facial similarities to the In. Book of Merit photo and 2 medals. What makes it difficult for me is that the In. BoM (Indiana Book of Merit) photo has him posed at a slight angle to the camera whereas both men in the yardlong photo are looking straight on towards the camera.  I would try to look at the medals of man #1 closer(a good magnifier glass works well) His facial features, nose and ears, don't seem quite "right" either.  Man#2 looks closer to the In. BoM  photo facially, with the exception of his ears.  Both men's ears seem to stick out too much, but because of the angle difference of the In.BoM photo, it may make that feature less useful for identification.  Study it some more, leave it alone for a while, then take another look at it.  Try to find another contemporary photo of him for comparison if possible.  Back to where this started, a tough call!

 

                                                                              Steve

[BEAST]

Taj, This is a very nice photo! One detail tha tI really like is that they are wearing the St. Josephy County service medal.  While you find the medals, you don't often see photos of them being worn.  It also appears that some of the county medals have a device on them.  Not sure if that is a trick of the photo or if there is something actually on the medal.  

 

This is a photo of the medal being worn.

 

[GWS]

Thanks for pointing that out Erick, it didn't occur to me and this is the first photo I've  seen wearing a county issued medal.  Maybe my eyes are deceiving me, but in the first photo of post #30, does it appear  there might be a wound chevron on the right sleeve of the man in question?   And, is the first medal (left side) appear to be a star? Thanks again,

 

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   Steve