Marine Cpl. Paul W. Zanowick II

Remember Our Heroes

Marine Cpl. Paul W. Zanowick II, 23, of Miamisburg, Ohio

Cpl. Zanowick was assigned to 3rd Battalion, 4th Marines, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Twentynine Palms, Calif.; died June 3, 2011 in Helmand province, Afghanistan, while conducting combat operations.

Cpl Zanowick graduated from Miamisburg High School in 2008. He enlisted in the United States Marines in January of 2008.

Cpl Zanowick married his wife, Ryan Lynn, in October of the same year.

"I just want people to remember him for who he was," said wife, Ryan. "You know not only was he a great Marine, but he was also a great son, brother, husband and father."

Cpl Zanowick was known to family and friends as “Rocky”. After news of Zanowick’s death spread throughout the city, neighbors of his parents put out American flags to honor the man who walked their streets as a Boy Scout, selling popcorn.

Paul Zanowick Sr. said his son knew early on that he wanted serve his country."You don't want this day to happen. That was a huge fear, but I respect what he choose to do and I honor it, but I would gladly have gone instead," he added.

Cpl Zanowick, anti-tank missile man, deployed in April this year. This was his second deployment.

"Overwhelming," said Zanowick Sr. "I just want to thank everybody who has contacted us, tried to contact us, prayed for us. If not for the prayers I'm not sure we could do this.”

Cpl Zanowick’s high school track coach, Melvin Johnson, remembered the young man as a doer. "He pole vaulted and the 800 and 400 for me."
“Whatever we asked him to do, he was willing to do it,” Johnson said. “He was a team player and he wasn’t a superstar but whatever we wanted him to do, he did for us.”

"Paul was very likeable. By all the students and he was the one. If any one would get down on the team he was the one going around and picking them up. He was so energetic and outgoing. Very outgoing individual", said Coach Johnson.

Cpl Zanowick's awards and decorations include:

Combat Action Ribbon
National Defense Service Medal
Afghanistan Campaign Medal
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
Purple Heart

A Catholic Mass was held Saturday, June 12, at 11 a.m. at Our Lady of Good Hope Catholic Church in Miamisburg, immediately followed by a military rites and honors ceremony in the church parking lot. There will be no graveside service.

CPL Zanowick is survived by wife, Ryan, 22-month-old son, Uriah; mother, Nanette; father, Paul Sr. and sister, Nicole.

Marine Cpl. Paul W. Zanowick II was killed in action on 6/3/11.