WWII combat medic, 95, honored for his heroic service

Three quarters of a century ago, Felix Lisovich was living day-to-day as a World War II combat medic tending to wounded soldiers in the Philippines, dodging kamikaze attacks from Japanese fighter planes, joining in jungle patrols.

For his distinguished service to his country, the 96-year-old Lisovich on Tuesday was awarded the Order of Military Medical Merit and the Regimental Honor Certificate before about 70 family members and friends during ceremonies at the American Legion Post 659 of North Belle Vernon.

“I did not realize it (ceremonies) would be so elaborate. I am a little shook up,” Lisovich said as he looked around the room at so many people and the news media.

Lisovich, a surgical technician with the 172nd Infantry Regiment, 43rd Infantry Division, already had been recognized for his heroism under fire. He was awarded the Bronze Star, given for heroic or meritorious deeds; the Purple Heart for being wounded; the Combat Medic Badge; and several other combat medals.

“This brings back a lot of memories from that time,” said Lisovich, of Washington Township, Fayette County.

The Order of Military Medical Merit Lisovich received is given to those with distinguished service who demonstrated the highest standards of integrity and moral character. The Order of Military Medical Merit, a private organization founded by the U.S. Army Health Services Command in 1982, bestows the award upon only 10% of Army medics.

“I stand here today because of giants like you. You are the picture of the soldier of the Army we want to be,” said Command Sgt. Maj. Michael Gragg from the Office of the U.S. Army Surgeon General. Lisovich is one of the reasons why Army medicine “has a magnificent history,” Gragg said.

Lisovich, one of 12 children whose family lived on a farm outside Charleroi, enlisted in the Army three weeks before Charleroi High School’s graduation in 1943, but had earned his high school diploma. He was following the path forged by three older brothers, who already were in the military. He was picked to be a combat medic while in basic training and underwent further training to be a surgical technician.

“They were short of medics,” Lisovich said, explaining why he was picked for that duty.

Lisovich recalled that he barely survived the explosion of a hand grenade thrown by a Japanese soldier. Tragically, the wounded soldier he was treating took the brunt of the blast and Lisovich was hit by shrapnel.

“I had a lot of close calls in the Philippines,” said Lisovich, father of two daughters, Suzanne Zdilla and Lynette Carpenter, and one son, Daniel Lisovich, all of whom live in the Belle Vernon area.

Lisovich is a survivor not only of his combat in World War II but of the inevitable aging process. Fewer than 500,000 of the 16 million Americans who served in the military during World War II were alive in 2018, and that number is expected to drop below 400,000 this year, according to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Lisovich is one of only about 26,340 Pennsylvanians from that war who still were alive last year.

Zdilla said her father is a humble man who did not talk much about his wartime service, until about four years ago. He compiled a 32-page memoir detailing his experiences.

“He did not want a big hoopla,” Zdilla said.

Lisovich’s recognition so long after the war ended was due, in part, to Col. Brian Bender, a childhood friend of Lisovich’s granddaughter, Noelle O’Bryan of Canonsburg. O’Bryan said Bender, a fellow Belle Vernon Area High School graduate, saw Facebook postings of Lisovich’s 95th birthday and mention of his role as a combat medic in World War II. From there, Bender got the ball rolling for the recognition that Lisovich received, O’Bryan said.

“I’m a real lucky guy,” Lisovich said.