Vietnam veteran Darrell Malmarowski of Hartford to fly on Nov. 3 Honor Flight | By Samantha Sali

Oct. 25, 2018 – Hartford, WI – Vietnam War veteran Darrell Malmarowski, 75, of Hartford is heading to Washington D.C. on Nov. 3 as part of Stars & Stripes Honor Flight.

Born in Milwaukee on Nov. 6, 1942, Malmarowski graduated West Division High School (now Milwaukee High School of the Arts) in 1961.

At age 22, Malmarowski was drafted in April 1964 and served two years.

After completing basic training at Ford Leonard Wood, Missouri, Malmarowski completed additional training at Fort Benning, Georgia.

Malmarowski was then stationed overseas in Gelnhausen, Germany with the 1st Batallion, 48th Infantry, 33rd Army Division as a vehicle mechanic. His main job was fixing tanks, Jeeps, and armored personal carriers.

“My nickname was Beak because I had a big nose,” Malmarowski said.

When his service ended in April 1966, Malmarowski became a Milwaukee Police Officer; he married his wife, Chris, in 1989.

Malmarowski retiring in November 1994. His family relocated to Hartford approximately nine years later.

When asked how Malmarowski was feeling about the flight, his wife, Chris, answered on his behalf. “He’s really excited, especially with his brothers going on the same flight,” she said.

There will be a total of six Malmarowskis on the upcoming Honor Flight including Darrell, his two brothers, and their individual guardians.

Darrell’s guardian is his son, David.

The Malmarowski brothers were drafted and served around the same time, but each were assigned to different squads.

Donald Malmarowski, 77, a retired Milwaukee Firefighter, served in France, while the youngest, Louie, 73, served in Vietnam, and retired from Milwaukee Tool & Die.

There will be 16 Vietnam veterans from Washington County on the Nov. 3 Honor Flight.This will be the 49th mission for the Honor Flight. Two planes carrying 75 vets each will take off from Mitchell International Airport.

Since 2008 the Stars & Stripes Honor Flight has flown 6,199 local veterans.

Vietnam vets on this flight include: Robert Hertzfeldt, Army, from Jackson.

West Bend veterans who served during Vietnam include Louis Malmarowski, Army, Michael O’Leary, Army, Donald Harter, Army, Robert Pfeifer, Marines, Theodore Harris, Army, Robert Mueller, Army, Ronald Henderson, Army, and the husband-wife team of John and Donna Kleinmaus.

Hartford veteran Darrell Malmarowski Shadow, Army and David Wierzba, Air Force.

Germantown veteran Robert Drewek, Army and William Eusebio, Army, Dale Schuldt from Hubertus and Army vet Gustave Totsky from Richfield.