John Pavlik

Temple Shrine Club, Milwaukee, WI National Commander of Veterans of World War 1

Bro. John Pavlik was born in 1900 in Pennsylvania, while his father worked in mining.  The family later moved to Crystal Falls, Michigan, and then to Iron River, Michigan, where John left home at about 15 years of age to find a job in Milwaukee.

In January 1917, at the age of sixteen, while working at the Illinois Steel Company, John enlisted in the Wisconsin National Guard.  His unit, the Ambulance Company No. 2, eventually became the 126th Ambulance Company, 107th Sanitary Train, of the 32nd Infantry Division. 

They were issued their white ambulances and then traveled to Camp Douglass in Wisconsin for training.  He was later sent to Camp Arthur in Waco, Texas, for more advanced training.

Private Pavlik, an ambulance driver, departed for France on transport 40, from Hoboken, NJ, on 10 February, 1918.

In France, they were stationed near Paris until the Germans were stopped and then began to retreat.  They were then sent to be part of the Saint-Mihiel campaign.  From there to the Argonne sector where they remained until the Armistice.  His unit then part of the Army of Occupation stationed in Koblenz, Germany.

Brother Pavlik departed France from Brest on 7 May, 1919, aboard the U.S.S. Virginia, on his way to Camp Morrison in Newport News, VA.

After the war, Bro. Pavlik became very involved in Veterans affairs, joining the 32nd Division Association, The American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars, and he was a charter member of Veterans of World War 1, later becoming the National Commander.

When Bro. Pavlik retired from the Milwaukee Fire Dept. in 1951, he devoted even more of his time to Veterans work.  He was appointed to the advisory committee for the Milwaukee County Commission on Aging.

He addressed the Hearing Before the Subcommittee on Housing and Memorial Affairs of the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, House of Representatives, Ninety-Eighth Congress Second Session on 2 October, 1984.

He also addressed the Joint Hearing Before the Subcommittee on Hospitals and Health Care of the Committee of Veterans’ Affairs and the Select Committee on Aging, House of Representatives, Ninety-Fifth Congress, First Session on 23 April, 1985. 

On 25 August, 1985, Bro. Pavlik was honored by the Milwaukee Temple Shrine Club with this commemorative envelope.

In 1989, Bro. Pavlik was interviewed by the Wisconsin Veterans Museum.  Read the entire interview here: https://wisvetsmuseum.pastperfectonline.com/archive/3BC2D4EC-35D3-433F-AC1A-629994466730

Brother Pavlik entered into the Celestial Lodge above in 1991.

Soft and safe be thy resting place. Bright and glorious be they rising from it.

Lest we forget…