Walter Jerome Domkoski was born on 30 October 1919, in Oglesby, Illinois, to Polish immigrants John and Antoinette (Kruswicki) Domkoski. His mother had immigrated to the United States with her parents in the late 1800s, while his father arrived from Poland in the early 1900s. The couple married on 6 February 1907, and initially settled in Peru, Illinois, where John worked as a coal miner, like many of their neighbors, who were also Polish immigrants. By 1920, the Domkoski family had moved to, a neighborhood in Oglesby known as Crocketville. By 1930, they relocated to 773 Hazen, just west of their previous residence. Around the same time period, Walter’s father, John, transitioned to work as a laborer at the local cement mill.
Walter grew up in a large family, the middle child among four brothers and four sisters. In 1940, the family still lived on Hazen Street, and his father was employed at the Alpha Cement Plant in LaSalle. However, the economic hardships of the Great Depression had hit the family hard—John had been out of work for nearly half a year in 1939. Walter, like many young men during that time, sought work wherever he could. By the time of his draft registration on 1 July 1941, Walter was living at the Grand Hotel in Rockford and working at the Gunite Foundry. Standing 5 feet 10 inches tall and weighing 160 pounds, Walter was described as having gray eyes and brown hair. His life changed when he enlisted in the U.S. Army in January 1942 at Camp Grant, Illinois.
During his military service, Walter rose to the rank of Sergeant and was assigned to Company D of the 40th Tank Battalion, 7th Armored Division. The 7th Armored Division played a critical role in several key campaigns across Europe. By November 1944, Walter’s unit was heavily involved in the campaign to liberate the Netherlands from Nazi occupation. On 2 November 1944, just two days after his 25th birthday, Sergeant Domkoski was killed in action near Nederweert, Holland, as his battalion engaged German forces two miles east of the town. The 40th Tank Battalion was at the forefront of intense fighting during this period, supporting the Allied effort to push the enemy out of crucial areas in the Netherlands as part of the broader drive to breach the Siegfried Line and enter Germany.
Initially, Walter was laid to rest in the Henri-Chapelle American Cemetery in Belgium. After the war, his family requested that his remains be brought home, and he was reinterred in St. Hyacinth’s Cemetery in his hometown of LaSalle, Illinois. Among the personal items returned to his family were a baseball, glove, photos, a rosary, and two holy pictures, a reflection of his deep faith and personal interests.
Walter’s legacy of service extended beyond his death. His brother Sylvester enlisted in the U.S. Navy in 1943 and served until 1946, while his brother John served in the U.S. Marine Corps during the Korean War. Their sister Eleanor married Edward Kopacz, a World War II veteran, further linking the family to the proud tradition of military service.
Sergeant Walter Domkoski made the ultimate sacrifice in service to his country. He is remembered as a son, brother, and soldier whose bravery helped secure the freedoms enjoyed by future generations. His burial in St. Hyacinth’s Cemetery stands as a solemn reminder of the price of liberty.
This story is part of the Stories Behind the Stars project (see www.storiesbehindthestars.org). This is a national effort of volunteers to write the stories of all 400,000+ of the US WWII fallen saved on Together We Served and Fold3. Can you help write these stories? If so, visit www.storiesbehindthestars.org and fill out the contact form.
If you noticed anything erroneous in this profile or have additional information to contribute to it, please reach out.
- SBTSProject/Illinois/LaSalle
- SBTS Historian: Pam Broviak
You can also access this story at the following sites:
Fold3 Memorial: https://www.fold3.com/memorial/664274182/walter-jerome-domkoski/stories
Sources:
- 1910 U.S. Census, John Dombkowski, Ancestry.
- 1920 U.S. Census, John Dombkowski, Ancestry.
- 1930 U.S. Census, John Dombkowski, Ancestry.
- 1940 U.S. Census, John Dombkowski, Ancestry.
- “Illinois Marriages, 1815-1935”, John Domkowski and Antonina Kruswicka, 1907, FamilySearch.
- https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/69460531/eleanor-h.-kopacz
- “John A. “Jay” Domkowski,” Kenosha News, 18 October 2007, Newspapers.com.
- “U.S., World War II Draft Cards Young Men, 1940-1947,” Walter Jerome Domkoski, Ancestry.
- “U.S., World War II Army Enlistment Records, 1938-1946,” Walter J Domkoski, Ancestry.
- “Rockford’s oldest manufacturer brings drum brakes back to USA,” mystateline.com.
- “U.S., Headstone Applications for Military Veterans, 1861-1985,” Walter J Domkoski, Ancestry.
- IDPF for Walter J Domkoski, received via email from NARA, September 2024.
- “U.S., Department of Veterans Affairs BIRLS Death File, 1850-2010, Sylvester A Domkowski, Ancestry.
- Morning Report 2 November 1944, Co. D 40th Tank BN, 7th Armored Division, 7tharmddiv website.
- After Action Report, 40th Tank Battalion, 7th Armored Division, Sept 44 thru June 45, Ike Skelton Combined Arms Research Library.
- https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/80226054/walter-j.-domkoski
