Wirtick, Walter

Description

Early Life

Walter John Wirtick was born on May 7, 1896, in Fiume, then part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire (modern-day Croatia), the son of Jacob Wirtick and Josephine Colan. He immigrated to the United States as a young man, arriving in New York in 1913, part of a broader wave of European immigration in the years leading up to the First World War.

By the time of his draft registration, Wirtick was living and working in the Rye and New York area, employed as a lifeguard. His early life reflects the experience of a recent immigrant establishing himself in a new country while navigating the obligations and uncertainties of wartime America.

World War I Service

Walter J. Wirtick entered military service on September 19, 1917, when he was inducted into the United States Army in Westchester County, New York. At the time of his induction, he was not yet a fully naturalized citizen and was classified as a declarant, reflecting his status as an immigrant undergoing the naturalization process.

He was assigned to Company L, 305th Infantry Regiment, part of the 77th Infantry Division, and trained at Camp Gordon, Georgia. His service coincided with the Army’s rapid expansion and training efforts in preparation for deployment to Europe as part of the American Expeditionary Forces.

However, Wirtick’s military service was brief. He was discharged on February 16, 1918, after approximately five months of service. His discharge classification as an “alien enemy” reflects wartime policies affecting individuals who were not yet fully naturalized citizens, particularly those originating from nations then at war with the United States or its allies. There is no record of overseas service or combat engagement.

Life After Service

Following his discharge, Wirtick remained in the United States and continued the process of building his life and career. He married Signe Charlotte Andersson in 1919, and the couple had one son, Robert Walter Wirtick. Over time, he established himself professionally, eventually working as a supervisor for the New Haven Railroad.

He later became a naturalized citizen and spent much of his life in New York before relocating to Florida in his later years. His life reflects the trajectory of many immigrants who, despite early challenges, established long-term stability and success in the United States.

Walter John Wirtick died on November 30, 1979, in Pinellas County, Florida, at the age of eighty-three.

At the time of his death, he was survived by his son, Robert Wirtick of St. Petersburg; one grandchild; and two great-grandchildren.

Although his military service was brief, it remains part of his broader story as an immigrant who answered the call to serve during a time of global conflict.