World War II Christmas Eve tragedy claimed Greene County soldier
Courtesy of Stories Behind the Stars
One of the worst losses by an American Infantry Division from an enemy submarine during World War II occurred Dec. 24, 1944.
One of those lost was a Greene County resident.
The sinking of the troopship SS Leopoldville in the English Channel cost the lives of 763 U.S. soldiers, including Lt. Harry Cybak Jr.
Cybak was born Sept. 22, 1919 in Graceton, Indiana County, but eventually moved to Nemacolin, Greene County, where he grew up.
Cybak registered for the draft in Carmichaels and enlisted in the Army at Fort George G. Meade July 24, 1941. He became part of Company H, 262nd Infantry Regiment, 66th Infantry “Black Panther” Division.
Cybak was killed in action Dec. 25, 1944 when the SS Leopoldville sank in the English Channel after being torpedoed by German submarine U-486 five miles off the coast of Cherbourg, France.
Cybak’s remains were recovered and buried at Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial, Colleville-sur-Mer, France. He posthumously received the Purple Heart.
Cybak, who worked for Buckeye Coal Company as a track layer helper, was not married at the time of his death. He had eight siblings. His father, Harry Sr., worked in the coal mines after emigrating from Eastern Europe.
Volunteers from the non-profit Stories Behind the Stars have written memorials honoring each of Pennsylvania”s soldiers who lost their lives in the tragedy. Stories Behind the Stars is a nonprofit organization dedicated to honoring each of the more than 421,000 fallen Americans from World War II, including more than 31,000 from Pennsylvania.
The Army ordered the 66th Infantry Division soldiers to conceal details about the sinking of the SS Leopoldville and censored their letters home during the rest of World War II. At discharge, survivors were ordered not to talk about the sinking at the risk of losing GI benefits as civilians.
The U.S. government declassified documents about the SS Leopoldville in 1959 but made no effort to inform families or the public. British documents were classified until 1996.
Details about the tragedy finally emerged with the publication of “A Night Before Christmas” by Jacquin Sanders, “The SS Leopoldville Disaster” by Allan Andraide, and the broadcast of television documentary “History Undercover: Cover Up – The Sinking of the SS Leopoldville.”