Lavern Mazourek
Lavern B. Mazourek, 2007
Branch of Service: United States Army
Highest Rank: Tech Sergeant, T-4
Military Service: March 1941 - October 1945
Listen to the following sections by scrolling forward to the timecode.
0:00 - Enlisted
1:28 - Training on horses
3:02 - Pearl Harbor memory
3:56 - Training on tanks; scorpion bites and snakes
6:00 - Sent overseas; soldiers sick on the ship; camp life; France
11:53 - Experience on missions; tanks; enemy lines; Chateau-Thierry France
15:33 - 337 days on the frontlines; no bathroom or bedroom; Paris; Hurtgen Forest, lost a lot of men; enemy took Christmas dinner
21:29 - 337 days on frontlines; 1,200 miles traveled; bombers in front of them
24:14 - Worked on guns of six tanks; fought for every mile
31:07 - Feelings on the war in Iraq
32:19 - Life after the war
This story was recorded at an SDPB event in Wagner, SD.
Images Provided by Lavern B. Mazourek
![](https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/b190e2b/2147483647/strip/true/crop/2786x2091+0+0/resize/880x660!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Flegacy%2Fprod%2Ffiler_public%2Fkusd-bento-live-pbs%2FLearn%2FHomefront%2FArmy%2FLavern%20Mazourek%2Ffc96deee26_group.jpg)
![](https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/348d092/2147483647/strip/true/crop/2776x2066+0+0/resize/880x655!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Flegacy%2Fprod%2Ffiler_public%2Fkusd-bento-live-pbs%2FLearn%2FHomefront%2FArmy%2FLavern%20Mazourek%2Fd941c2c877_groupback.jpg)
Group photo taken in England of Troup E, 4th Calvary Reconnaissance Squadron
![](https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/429cfd7/2147483647/strip/true/crop/2351x3191+0+0/resize/880x1194!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Flegacy%2Fprod%2Ffiler_public%2Fkusd-bento-live-pbs%2FLearn%2FHomefront%2FArmy%2FLavern%20Mazourek%2F4cbee420d8_plaq%20002.jpg)
This bullet proof shoulder patch (plaque) of the 4th Calvary Reconnaissance Squadron was made in Frankfort, Germany after WWII. It was made from used casing of an artillery shell.
![](https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/65445b2/2147483647/strip/true/crop/2001x2006+0+0/resize/880x882!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Flegacy%2Fprod%2Ffiler_public%2Fkusd-bento-live-pbs%2FLearn%2FHomefront%2FArmy%2FLavern%20Mazourek%2Fc06903a767_article.jpg)
Veteran of the Month (Article from The Wagner Post provided by L. Mazourek)
![](https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/b7ecf7b/2147483647/strip/true/crop/2401x3111+0+0/resize/880x1140!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Flegacy%2Fprod%2Ffiler_public%2Fkusd-bento-live-pbs%2FLearn%2FHomefront%2FArmy%2FLavern%20Mazourek%2F222647281e_discharge.jpg)
![](https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/e13e9ba/2147483647/strip/true/crop/2391x3101+0+0/resize/880x1141!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Flegacy%2Fprod%2Ffiler_public%2Fkusd-bento-live-pbs%2FLearn%2FHomefront%2FArmy%2FLavern%20Mazourek%2F393e9dfbcd_discharge%20back.jpg)
Enlisted Record and Report of Separation, Honorable Discharge
![](https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/5eb907a/2147483647/strip/true/crop/694x976+0+0/resize/880x1238!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Flegacy%2Fprod%2Ffiler_public%2Fkusd-bento-live-pbs%2FLearn%2FHomefront%2FArmy%2FLavern%20Mazourek%2F2894468fe4_WAR%20Wagner%20Gen%20Photos%20017.jpg)
![](https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/3eceea6/2147483647/strip/true/crop/987x1095+0+0/resize/880x976!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Flegacy%2Fprod%2Ffiler_public%2Fkusd-bento-live-pbs%2FLearn%2FHomefront%2FArmy%2FLavern%20Mazourek%2F38f2c39525_WAR%20Wagner%20Gen%20Photos%20018.jpg)
![](https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/9ea509a/2147483647/strip/true/crop/1007x1089+0+0/resize/880x952!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Flegacy%2Fprod%2Ffiler_public%2Fkusd-bento-live-pbs%2FLearn%2FHomefront%2FArmy%2FLavern%20Mazourek%2F4a2c3b3620_WAR%20Wagner%20Gen%20Photos%20019.jpg)
The following men of the Fourth Cavalry Group paid the ultimate sacrifice during WWII. (The Cavalier, provided by L. Mazourek - scan of entire document, top, and bottom)
For more information about SDPB's educational resources
and services contact Steven Rokusek at
EdServices@sdpb.org or at (605) 222-3422