USA > Indiana > Lake County > History Of Veterans Of Foreign Wars (1944) > Part 12
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He was married April 7 in Indianapolis to Miss Mary Jane Lewis, the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Lewis, 1904 Broadway, In- diana Harbor. Mrs. Shurman is a teacher at Roosevelt high school and had been with her husband in Dayton since shortly after the end of the school term in June.
A graduate of Washington high school, Lt. Shurman was the son of Jacob A. Shurman, 3830 Fern street, Indiana Harbor.
In addition to his father and his wife, he is survived by seven brothers and sisters.
He and seven other persons were killed, and two civilians parachuted to safety, when a four-engined transport and a twin-engined cargo ship collided and crashed when flying at a low altitude near the army camp.
IN NORTH PACIFIC
C. Frisk Hammond Times, July 12, 1943
Carl Frisk, Jr., 27, son of Mr. and Mrs. Carl Frisk, Sr., 4737 Towle avenue, Hammond, was promoted to carpenter's mate, second class, with a naval construction battalion serving in the north Pacific area.
A Hammond Technical high school grad- uate, Frisk enlisted in August, 1942. His brother, Arthur, 22, is an army reserve cadet. He is studying on the Indiana university, Bloomington, campus.
E. Pietrucha
Hammond Times July 25, 1943
For rescuing the entire crew of an Ameri- can tank which overturned in a hail of enemy gunfire during the recent Tunisian campaign, an East Chicago youth, Pvt. Edward A. Piet- rucha, 4803 Walsh avenue, East Chicago, was awarded the "Silver Star," given for gallantry in action.
According to a dispatch received in East Chicago, Pvt. Pietrucha, while seeking cover in a slit trench during enemy artillery fire, observed a United States tank turn over a short distance from his position.
Leaving the security of his slit trench and advancing toward the tank, he administered first aid to the tank crew (he is serving with an army medical division), and left them only when they had been completely evacuated.
Later in the day, the dispatch reported, the Twin City hero treated another casualty un- der similar dangerous circumstances.
"The gallantry, perserverance, and concern for the welfare of his wounded comrades dis- played by Pvt. Pietrucha reflects great credit upon himself and his organization and are highly commendable," the citation reads.
According to East Chicago sources, Pvt. Pietrucha is the first Twin City soldier to re- ceive the Silver Star decoration, which is a new medal cast for World War II heroes, and is shaped like a five-pointed star.
Pietrucha, son of Mrs. Adolph Pietrucha, entered service in January, 1941, received his basic training at Fort Knox, Ky., in the arm- ored division, medical detachment, and in 1942 first went overseas, landing in Ireland. He was in the convoy which carried the in- vasion forces to north Africa.
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WHITING BOYS MEET SOLDIERS HELD REUNION IN NAZI PRISON CAMP
Hammond Times, July 23, 1943
Through the persistent efforts of the Whit- ing chapter of the American Red Cross Pvt. John Paylo reported missing in action was lo- cated in a Germany prison camp before even the war department had made contact or notified the parents of their son's location.
In his first letter received last week by his parents, Mr. and Mrs. John Paylo, 2833 Schrage avenue, Whiting, Pvt. Paylo con- cluded "this is a small world after all" for two other Whiting boys, Pvt. John Fercik and Pvt. Walter Jamrose, recently reported prisoners of war in Germany, are staging a home town reunion together in the same prison camp.
Evidenced by the remarks in the two letters quoted below from Privates Paylo and Fercik, the Red Cross is doing a great service to boys in prison camps.
Pvt. Fercik the son of Mr. and Mrs. Stephen Fercik, 1533 - 121st street, Whiting writes:
March 20, 1943 Dearest Mother and Dad and All:
Well, I hope this letter doesn't take too long to let you know that I am safe and sound in Germany. I am treated swell and get plenty to eat, so please do not worry about me so much. Guess my fighting days are over with
Fercik
now, so just pray that this war should end soon so all of us can come home soon.
Jamrose and Paylo are with me and are in Page One Hundred Fourteen
the best of health. We lost everything we had so please send me some summer underwear, socks and handkerchiefs, toilet articles and an address book, I guess we are allowed a 10- pound package once a month. But check with the Red Cross to make sure. I could receive all the cigarettes you could send me. Tell my friends that I said Hello and to write to me. I could only write two letters a month and four cards so I will write always, and also send me a lot of candy bars. God bless you all.
Love, Johnny.
Pvt. Paylo mentions Pvt. Jamrose, whose parents are Mr. Joseph Jamrose, 2642 Schrage avenue, Whiting, in his first letter home since confinement writes:
March 20, 1943
Dearest Mother, Father and All:
Well, I hope it didn't take too long for this letter to reach you. I arrived safely in Ger-
Jamrose
many and am really being treated alright. I am feeling fine, and Jamrose and Fercik, who are with me, are fine also. We are allowed to write two letters and four postcards a month so you will receive a letter every week, I hope. Mom, you are allowed to send me a 10 pound package every month. However, you had better check with the Red Cross first and find out what you can send. Send me a couple of (Continued on next page)
suits of summer underwear, some socks and some handkerchiefs, toilet articles and the rest candy bars. Send me some cigarettes: how- ever, I believe they must be sent from the factory. Please, Mom, don't worry. I am be- ing treated fine, and now your worries of my getting hurt are over with, for I won't do any fighting any more. So check immediately with the Red Cross on what you can send. God bless you.
Johnny.
HOPE LT. EDWARD WALPOLE IS ALIVE ENDED BY WAR DEPARTMENT MESSAGE
Hammond Times July 25, 1943
Hopes of relatives that First Lt. Edward J. Walpole, son of Mrs. Lena B. Walpole, 18331 Sherman street, Lansing, still lives were blanketed yesterday by a war department mes- sage to the mother. The message said that Lt. Walpole, who has been listed "missing in ac- tion" since last November must be considered lost.
Lt. Walpole, who prior to his enlistment was employed by the Continental Roll and Steel foundry in East Chicago, was engaged to Miss Montie Garret of Albany, Ga. They planned to be married when the war ended.
The war department message said that, after an extensive search in the southwest Pacific area, where his plane was struck by anti-air- craft fire and crashed into the sea, no trace of his body was found. According to the mes- sage, all members of his crew also were killed.
Nov. 14, 1942, was given as the date of the tragedy.
Although there appears to be no hope that the lieutenant is alive, his mother will not accept the report as final. She says she believes that, as long as the body has not been found, there is no proof her son is dead.
Besides his mother, Walpole's family in- cluded two sisters, Mrs. Ann Page, with whom Mrs. Walpole has been making her home, and Mrs. Margaret Cavanaugh of Chicago, and a brother, James, of Milwaukee.
The young aerial navigator, who is better
known in East Chicago than in Lansing, was a graduate of the Washington high school, East Chicago, and later attended Purdue uni- versity, Lafayette, and Indiana university, Bloomington, majoring in engineering and journalism. He did not complete his study in either field, however, enlisting in the army air forces in March, 1941.
Walpole completed air force instruction as a navigator at Turner Field, Ga., in July last year and served as an instructor at the same camp until last September when he was sent overseas.
Lt. Walpole was 25 years of age when he was reported missing. He had an inventive turn of mind, and according to friends was working on a device for the government which would keep automatic account of navigation.
WITH MARINE ENGINEERS
Werkowski
Hammond Times, July 22, 1943
Sgt. John W. Werkowski, Jr., son of Mr. and Mrs. John W. Werkowski, 4435 Towle avenue, Hammond, is one of the hard-fighting marine engineers, who is helping to account for the success that the Yanks are having in slugging it out with the Japs in the Pacific. Young Werkowski enlisted in January, 1942, and after taking his boot training at San Diego, Calif., was immediately sent to the fighting zone. Although only 22, the young sergeant was one of the best students of mili- tary tactics in boot training and this was responsible for his sudden rise to a sergeantcy. A graduate of Hammond high school, the youth attended the University of Idaho where he studied aeronautic engineering and affil- iated with the Phi Delta Gamma fraternity.
Page One Hundred Fifteen
VETERAN HAS ANNIVERSARY 3 YEARS ON SUBMARINES, HE'S JUST 21
Hammond Times, July 25, 1943
Home for the second time in almost three years of sailing under, instead of on, most of the seven seas, Alvin Nowacki, "sub" veteran son of Mr. and Mrs. W. J. Nowacki, 7428 Van Buren avenue, Hammond, is shown cut- ting his 21st birthday cake (the date was last Wednesday) in true nautical fashion, "sight- ing" down the cake cutter. His mother looks on.
It must have seemed kind of funny to Alvin Nowacki, Hammond veteran of countless sub- marine excursions, to be kidded about "today you are a man" on his 21st birthday while home on leave this week. He's been doing a man's job for three years.
Nowacki enlisted in the navy in Sept., 1940, was trained at Great Lakes, Ill., and New London, Conn., and was sent in April, 1941,
Page One Hundred Sixteen
for active duty at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. From there he transferred to Manilla, but "the Japs got there first," and he proceeded to Australia, where he was based for approxi- mately six months.
Then came the incident Nowacki terms "plain disgustin' "-he was sent to the hospi- tal, not for a battle wound, after having plenty of chances to collect those, but for a fractured skull, the result of an accident, nothing more. He stayed, irate and restless, in a navy hospital, at Perth, Australia, for four months and 11 days, when he was assigned to Mare Island, Cal., and went back to the sea for five months.
Now he is home en route to New London, Conn., where he will await assignment on a submarine now under construction.
Over his heart he wears three ribbons, dec- orations for being in service before the attack on Pearl Harbor, for service in the American area, and for service in the Asiatic Pacific area, plus two stars standing for six naval engagements. He holds the rank of electri- cian's mate third class.
LT. RALPH JAMES BURIED WITH FULL MILITARY HONORS Hammond Times, July 23, 1943
R. H. James
Killed in line of duty at Moody Field, Val- dosta, Ga., on July 14, Lt. Ralph H. James, army air forces instructor and husband of the former Marion Hanson, who had become his bride a few weeks before his death, was buried Tuesday with full military honors. In addition to his widow, he is survived by his father, John R. James of Edinburg; two sisters, Marion of Urbana, Ill., and Joyce of Chicago, and two brothers, Cpl. Richard C. James sta- tioned at Fort Benning, Ga., and J. Robert James of Edinburg.
HAMMOND YOUTH, MARINE RAIDER KILLED IN ACTION
Hammond Times, July 23, 1943
Pvt. Snyder
A U. S. marine raider, Pvt. Eugene Snyder, 19, of Hammond, was killed in action some- where in the south Pacific battle zone, the war department has informed his sister, Mrs. Donald Fetterhoff, 7235 Missouri avenue, Hammond. No particulars of his death were given. The young hero enlisted Jan. 15, 1942, and was sent overseas last February. Born in Vincennes Feb. 19, 1924, he attended Henry Clay school in Chicago's Hegewisch section. In addition to Mrs. Fetterhoff, with whom he made his home, he is survived by another sister, Mrs. Arthur Gass, Dyer; two brothers, John Snyder, Hammond, and Cecil Snyder, Vincennes, and a grandmother, Mrs. Dora Snyder, Vincennes.
GRITTON IN NORTH AFRICA
Hammond Times, July 22, 1943
Mrs. Clarence Cloe, 5618 Howard avenue, Hammond, received word from her brother, Pvt. Joseph E. Gritton, who made his home with her in civilian life, that he has arrived safely in north Africa. Before induction in January this year, Pvt. Gritton was employed at O. F. Jordan Company, East Chicago. Friends who wish to write the Hammond serviceman may address 35580685, Company C, 31st Rep. Bn., APO 8938, care Postmaster, New York City, N. Y.
ne Hundred Seventeen
PROMOTED IN NORTH AFRICA
Hammond Times, July 22, 1943
Atkins
Stationed with the "Sea-Bees" in Algiers, north Africa, Robert L. Atkins, 913 - 174th place, Hammond, was promoted to electri- cian's mate third class. In north Africa for about three months, Atkins recently sent his wife and one-and-a-half year old son, Bobby, a souvenir piece of metal from a German bomber shot down in the African battle. At- kins enlisted in the "See-Bees" last Dec. 4, receiving training at Camp Edicott, Davis- ville, R. I., following graduation from Ham- mond high school in 1937 and service at the Standard Oil company, Whiting. He is the son of Mr. and Mrs. W. C. Atkins, 723 Cherry street, Hammond.
HARBOR BOY NAZI PRISONER
Hammond Times, July 22, 1943
The efficiency of the East Chicago chamber of commerce was demonstrated yesterday when, with few accurate clues, they delivered a message from Walter J. Cedulski, a German prisoner of war, to his parents, Mr. and Mrs. W. J. Cedulski, at 3816 Alder street in In- diana Harbor.
The search for the parents started yester- day morning when Leonard G. Kolg, assistant secretary of the chamber of commerce, re- ceived the following message from a card
written by Miss Adeline C. Hayes of Lafayette:
"I wish you would convey this message to W. J. Cedulski at 3816 - -. I did not get the street as the static on the short wave was too loud. It was short wave from Germany, from a prisoner of war, and sent to the above name. It stated that their son is well and he tells them not to worry. He is receiving fine treatment. I would appreciate it if you could locate these persons."
With no street name and with the name of the parents incorrectly spelled, Kolb traced the family within a few hours and delivered the message to the parents.
Cedulski, 24, was captured Feb. 17 during the African fighting. After that time his family did not hear from him until last week when they received a letter dated April 23.
The April letter told them that he had been captured and was placed in an Italian prison camp for a few weeks and then removed to a camp in Germany.
GETS NEW STATION, RANK
Hammond Times, July 7, 1943
BUCKMAN
Word has been received from Cecil Buck- man of Hammond that he has arrived safely in England, his current station, and has been promoted to staff sergeant. His wife lives at 992 Wentworth avenue, Calumet City.
Buckman's new address is S/Sgt. Cecil Buckman, 36620578, 79th service group, Hqs. and Hqs. squadron APO No. 637, c/o post- master, New York City, N. Y.
Page One Hundred Eighteen
Hammond Sergeant is Decorated for Fourth Time for Pacific Heroism
Hammond Times, August 6, 1943
Tech. Sgt. Perry Gusic
"For meritorious achievement . . . in an air flight over the Solomon islands," Tech. Sgt. Perry Gusic was decorated with the air medal of the U. S. army on his 23rd birthday anni- versary - July 1, his mother, Mrs. Thomas McGreevy, 242 Clinton street, Hammond learned yesterday. It was Sgt. Gusic's fourth decoration since he enlisted Nov. 16, 1939.
Sgt. Gusic was at Hickman field, Honolulu, when the Japs bombed the island on Dec. 7, 1941. He was decorated with the silver star last Sept. 16 for his part in battle of Midway island. Earlier he was among the first Hoosiers to win the distinguished flying cross in World war II-at Wake island and later won the oak leaf cluster to the cross in the Coral sea fight.
"I hope his fourth decoration means he will receive a short furlough," his proud mother wished yesterday. "I haven't seen him since he enlisted. He was sent overseas almost immedi- ately. Last Aug. 6-my birthday anniversary, he telephoned me to say he had been dec- orated. That's the last time I've heard his voice
and then I was so excited we weren't able to talk about everything we wanted to talk about."
Sgt. Gusic was graduated from Hammond high school, where he played on the first 10 in basketball. At Hickman field the Japanese first bomb blasted his car to bits, but he es- caped unscathed. The complete army citation for the air medal, also awarded to several other men in Gusic's bomber:
"For his meritorious achievement while participating as a crew of a bomber in an air flight over the Solomon islands on Jan. 8, 1943. Under difficult circumstances their skill and valor greatly contributed toward the safe return to its base of an entire formation of five D-17 bombers after they successfully completed bombing enemy installations. Three other bombers were crippled by a swarm of enemy interceptor planes. However, mainten- ance of position in the formation assured mu- tual support for the balance of the flight and safe return of all."
Page One Hundred Nineteen
SCHRAPNAL WOUND IN ARM
HOME FROM ACTIVE DUTY
H. Lewsoder, Jr.
Hammond Times, July 5, 1943
Homer Lewsoder, Jr., first class seaman, a former student at Hammond Technical high school, reports "plenty of action" in the south Pacific area, from where he was transferred to the west coast of this country to recuperate from a schrapnel wound in his arm.
His sister, Miss Novella Nash of Hammond, visited him recently in San Pedro, Calif., where he is located.
HOME AFTER THREE YEARS
W. Tryka
Hammond Times, July 5, 1943
Walter Tryka, 24, son of Mr. and Mrs. Martin Tryka, 1048 Ames street, Hammond, is home on leave for the first time in his three years of service with the U. S. navy.
Surprising his family and friends, he ar- rived in Hammond Saturday and will remain until July 6, when he will leave to report to school in Yorktown, Va. An electrician's mate, third class, a navy ranking equal to a sergeant's rank in the army, Tryka enlisted in the service in October, 1940 and has seen much active duty since then, starting with the bombing of Pearl Harbor.
E. J. Adamczyk
Hammond Times, July 5, 1943
Edward J. Adamczyk of Hammond is home on leave from active duty on the Pacific. Son of Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Adamczyk, 3904 Drummond street, Hammond, and a former Washington high school student, Adamczyk will return to his navy duties as a fireman first class, his second promotion in three months.
His brother, Edwards, currently is wearing several service bars for participating in major naval engagements.
SEAMAN VISIT IN EAST CHICAGO Youths are Veterans of Many Naval Actions
Hammond Times, July 6, 1943
U.S. NAVY
Matt Domsic
Veterans of more sea duty than many men who have seen years of service with the navy, Matt Domsic, 25, and Allen A. Smith, 18, both of East Chicago, are visiting friends and relatives during brief leaves from active naval
(Continued on next page)
Page One Hundred Twenty
duty.
Domsic, the son of Mr. and Mrs. Peter Domsic, 5003 Melville avenue, is a quarter- master, third class, while Smith, the son of Mr. and Mrs. Frank S. Smith, 704 West Chi- cago avenue, is a fireman, first class. Domsic serves as assistant navigator, frequently man- ning the wheel of his ship.
Allen Smith
The ship on which the two Twin City navy men have served has visited almost every At- lantic port and also has seen action in the Mediterranean.
Their ship was one of the fleet units that protected the first big convoy in the African invasion last November. Convoy and patrol assignments are their chief tasks and their campaign ribbons include Atlantic waters and the European theater, with a star for each indicating action in both areas.
On one trip, their ship picked up 22 men who had been on the open Atlantic in mid- winter for 21 days. They were survivors of a United Nations tanker that had been set adrift in life rafts after their ship was sunk by a Nazi submarine.
Both Smith and Domsic refuse to disclose the identity of their ship or to tell in detail a score of actions in which it has been engaged. From their months of active service, however, they have drawn a bitter hatred for the enemy that stalks the sea lanes of the Atlantic.
The chief gunner's mate on their unidenti- fied ship is Kenneth Walgreen, whose brother, Harry, lives at 7548 Jefferson avenue, Ham- mond.
Smith, a former Roosevelt high school foot-
ball player, has been in the navy since he left school two years ago. Domsic was a packer- operator at the E. I. DuPont plant in East Chicago prior to his enlistment in the navy.
The latter's brother, Joseph Domsic, a ser- geant in an army anti-aircraft artillery out- fit, has for the last five months been hospital- ized at Fort Bliss, Tex., recovering from wounds received during overseas duty.
3 AREA SOLDIERS ITALIAN PRISONERS
Hammond Times, July 6, 1943
Three Calumet region youths today were included in a list of men announced by the war department as being held prisoners of war by Italy.
They were Pvt. John J. Petruff, son of Mrs. Lena Petruff, 1659 Indianapolis boulevard, Whiting; Cpl. Stanley Karsarski, son of Mr. and Mrs. Charles Karsarski, Hebron, and Tech. Fifth Grade Lawrence W. Hershman, son of Mr. and Mrs. Oliver W. Hershman, Crown Point.
The list was based on 'prior notifications to next of kin," according to the announcement.
ARGENTINE BROTHERS IN SERVICE
Hammond Times, July 7, 1943
Pvt. Frank Argentine, Jr., has been trans- ferred from Camp San Luis Obispo, Calif., to the University of Arkansas, where he is studying a course in electrical engineering.
His brother, Pvt. Clarence P. Argentine, is receiving his basic training in field artillery at Fort Sill, Okla. They live at 6909 Calumet avenue, Hammond.
Page One Hundred Twenty-one
Griffith Soldier Prisoner of Nazis; Broadcasts to Wife From Berlin
Hammond Times, July 29, 1943
The sympathies of American war wives for one another in their common concern for the welfare of their husbands was amply dem- onstrated this week when Mrs. Steve Dolak, Griffith war wife, received 280 letters, tele- grams and telephone calls from other war wives in all parts of the nation advising her that her husband is being held a prisoner by the Nazis.
Pfc. Steve Dolak
Mrs. Dolak received the many messages fol- lowing a Thursday night broadcast by short- wave from Berlin, Germany, on which her husband, Pfc. Steve Dolak, spoke briefly to tell her he was being held a prisoner but not to worry. Mrs. Dolak was not tuned to the station, however, and did not hear her hus- band talk.
Pfc. E. Klemoff
Officially, however, the broadcast was recorded by Walter Duncan, 158 Hicks street, Brooklyn, N. Y., a government listener, who
Mrs. Steve Dolak
said her husband broadcast the following statements:
"Darling, I am well and safe. Please don't worry. I am treated good and the food is okay. Will write soon. Elmer is not with me."
Page One Hundred Twenty-two
Unofficially Mrs. Dolak received the 280 messages from other war wives in states as far away as Washington and New York advising her that they had heard the broadcast and thought she might like to know the where- abouts of her husband, if she had failed to hear the broadcast. Long distance telephone calls were made from as far distant a state as New York by sympathetic war wives.
Elmer, referred to by Pfc. Dolak in his broadcast, was identified yesterday by Mrs. Dolak as her brother, Pvt. Elmer Klemoff, 23, who trained at the same camps and was sent overseas in the same company with her hus- band, Elmer, Mrs. Dolak says was not on duty when the Germans captured an American army base in southern Tunisia last February 17. He therefore was not taken prisoner along with her husband and apparently still is in active service.
Mrs. Dolak said she has received several letters from her husband since he was taken prisoner and in all messages, he has insisted he is being treated well by his captors. The last were received a week ago.
In a breakdown of the messages she re- ceived, Mrs. Dolak said she was sent 116 let- ters; 112 cards; 31 telegrams and 21 telephone calls.
Pfc. Dolak has been in service for more than two years and has spent one year and six months of that time in overseas duty. His parents, Mr. and Mrs. Matthew Dolak, live at 4201 Delaware street, Gary. Mrs. Dolak's brother, Elmer, has been in service the same length of time.
HOBART SOLDIER IS FATALLY HURT
Hammond Times, July 19, 1943
Injured while swimming and diving near Savannah, Ga., Pvt. Robert Bonner, United States army, 23, Hobart, died Sunday as his wife, Myrtle, and his mother, Mrs. Clifford Bonner, raced to his bedside.
The two women were intercepted at Chat- tanooga, Tenn., and returned to Hobart to- day to await arrival of Pvt. Bonner's body.
Bonner, on maneuvers with army units from Savannah, was injured while swimming and never regained consciousness. The body probably will arrive here tomorrow with
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