Difficult reading…
On March 19, 1945, the most significant historical event – in terms of Allied casualties incurred during a single military action – occurred when the aircraft carrier USS Franklin was struck by two semi-armor-piercing bombs dropped from a single D4Y “Judy” dive-bomber, while conducting strikes against the southern part of the Japanese island of Kyushu as part of Task Group 58.2.
One bomb struck the flight deck centerline and penetrated to the hangar deck, while the second struck aft and penetrated through two decks. Due to a combination of factors – 21 aircraft on the hangar deck, many fueled and some armed; the hangar deck’s aft gasoline system remaining in operation; the presence of 31 fueled and armed aircraft on the carrier’s flight deck; “Tiny-Tim” air to surface rockets loaded onto aircraft on both both decks – the carrier endured a series of external and internal explosions (particularly on the hangar deck … a gasoline vapor explosion combined with the ricochet and explosion of Tiny-Tim rockets, the combined effects of which which left only two survivors), the ship experienced the loss of over 800 crewmen, leaving the Franklin as the most heavily damaged American aircraft carrier to survive the Second World War.
The ship was saved due to the efforts of her crew, and, the assistance of cruisers Pittsburgh and Santa Fe, and, destroyers Miller, Hickox, Hunt, and Marshall, the latter four vessels making a particular effort to retrieve crewmen who had either been blown over the Franklin’s side by explosions, or who’s jumped to save themselves from smoke and flames.
A vast understatement, but it gives you an idea…
You can read far more about this event (and avail yourself of many historical references) at Wikipedia, from which the above account has been taken.
The photo below has been reproduced innumerable times in print and pixels, but deservedly so, and is an apropos introduction to this post. The image is excellent simply “as” an example of photojournalism, in terms of composition, focus, lightning, and visually capturing the dramatic entirety of a naval vessel fighting for its life. Historically, the picture vividly shows the carrier’s post-attack list to starboard, smoke rising from the rear of the hangar deck, its damaged island, and many surviving members of the ship’s crew standing on the flight deck (at least, those able to do so).
“USS Franklin (CV-13) … afire and listing after she was hit by a Japanese air attack while operating off the coast of Japan, 19 March 1945. Photographed from USS Santa Fe (CL-60), which was alongside assisting with firefighting and rescue work. Official U.S. Navy Photograph 80-G-273880, now in the collections of the National Archives.”
On May 18, 1945, the following map accompanied the Times’ articles about the Japanese strike on the Franklin. Though correct in placing the carrier’s location on March 19 as generally east of Kyushu and south of Shikoku, in reality, when the ship was struck by bombs, the carrier’s position was substantially east of that shown here…
… as you can see in the two Oogle Maps, below. The blue oval shows the position generated by placing the carrier’s reported position in degrees and minutes into Oogle Maps’ position locator. (To be specific, 32 01 N, 133 57 E, via Pacific Wrecks.) Here, I’ve replaced Oogle’s “red circle and arrow” with a tiny group of blue pixels (it looks better.) …
…which also appears below, in this view at a far smaller scale.
I have more more information about the March 19, 1945 Japanese attack upon the USS Franklin, comprising transcripts and images of newspaper articles published in the Philadelphia Record, Philadelphia Inquirer, The Evening Bulletin, and (to a very limited extent!) The New York Times, plus a few videos and numerous links, here.
Of the crewman aboard the Franklin one of the oldest was Electrician’s Mate 2nd Class George Benjamin Shapiro (7083561). The son of Benjamin Shapiro of 346 New York Ave. in Brooklyn, he was born in Vilna on May 10, 1900. The husband of Sylvia (Hannes) Shapiro, the couple’s address (or at least Sylvia’s wartime address) seems (?!) to have been 393 7th Ave. in Manhattan, which is directly across the street (still today as much as in 1945!) from Penn Station.
Having emigrated to the United States at the age of eight, George unsurprisingly registered for the Draft upon the advent of America’s entry in World War One, and served in L Company, 23rd Regiment, of the New York National Guard. His WW II military service was never actually chronicled by the National Jewish Welfare Board because – as revealed in the accounts below and paralleling the lives of many American Jewish WW II servicemen – he was not (fortunately!) wounded or injured, and (c’est la vie … not that important in the scheme of things!) he simply does not seem to have received any military awards, other than the invaluable and intangible award of survival.
He simply did his duty, survived the war, and returned to his family and civilian life, within a culture and era that have passed into history, and perhaps in 2024’s retrospect, were a historical anomaly.
(Truly, the past is indeed a foreign country.)
George died at the age of ninety four on December 17, 1994, and is buried at Sharon Gardens Cemetery in Valhalla, New York.
Perhaps due to the combined circumstances of his age, survival on the Franklin, and simply having been a Jew, George was the subject of news articles in the Brooklyn Eagle (on June 17) and The Jewish Times of Delaware County, Pa. (on July 13). Though the Eagle article is uncredited, in the context of the timing and content of the Times article, it’s obviously by the author of the latter: Ben Samuel, who penned many articles about the WW II military service of American Jewish servicemen. The clue is straightforward: Both articles share and present their content in an identical way (for instance, mentioning Commander (then Lieutenant) Donald A. Gary, who was instrumental in saving the lives of some 300 of the Franklin’s crew members, let alone raising steam in a boiler in extremely dangerous conditions), but with different emphasis and length. The Eagle article also includes the only photograph of George that I’ve thus far located.
Though the Eagle’s article was published first, it’s obviously been abstracted from the content of the Times article, which, appearing a month later, obviously represented Samuel’s original text. Both articles address Shapiro’s very extensive sports background and his enlistment in the Navy, the content of the Times’ article paying notable attention to Jewish religious services aboard the Franklin, the implication being that there were always enough men for a minyan. (The Jewish prayer quorum which as understood through the Tanach – Numbers and Leviticus – necessitates the presence of 10 men, regardless of social status, learning, or intellect.) The article includes the names of some of the Jewish sailors who were among the ship’s fallen, and closes with the remarkable quote (remarkable given the universalistic, self-negating American Jewish mindset of the mid-twentieth century) that one of George’s motivations for military service was actually to contribute to the war against the Third Reich.
It didn’t quite work out that way, but that did not diminish the nobility of his intent.
Here are the two articles:
“Pop” of the U.S.S. Franklin
Ben Samuel
The Jewish Times (Delaware County, Pennsylvania)
July 13, 1945
When enemy bombs struck the USS Franklin, Electrician’s Mate Second Class George F. Shapiro was in the electric repair shop. Two-bombs had hit. Shapiro made his way forward toward the wardroom.
There were two hundred men trapped in that room. The bulkheads had closed automatically. Smoke was seeping in. The men had small hope of being rescued.
When we spoke to George last week and asked him what they did in that room, he said, “we just sat there and prayed, I guess. Then, when the smoke was getting heavy, Lt. Gary suddenly appeared in a ‘breather.’ He took out ten at a time through the air uptakes. When we got out we found the flight deck on fire. I joined a fire control party. Men trapped by the fire had to jump overheard to save their lives. Most of them were picked up later by destroyers. Then the Santa Fe came alongside and I helped tie her up to our ship. A gangplank was heaved across and a lot of men were ordered to leave the ship.”
George could have left the ship, but he and many others stayed aboard the Franklin.
Recently, when the Franklin returned home, he was among the survivors.
Two years ago George Shapiro tried to enlist in the navy as an officer, but he was told that he was too old for a combat commission. He had won five varsity letters at City College, and in the light of his athletic record, he was offered an athletic instructor’s commission. But George at 43 didn’t feel old at all. He turned down the instructor’s commission, and went into the navy as a “boot”.
He went to school for a while, then was assigned to the Franklin.
The crew of the Franklin used to call George “Pop.” The nickname came about net only because of his age, but because the men used to go to him for advice all the time. They gave him a lot of respect. It was “Pop”, too, in the absence of a Jewish chaplain aboard ship, who used to conduct services. Every Friday night he’d hold a service in the ship’s library.
George told us about the first service held after the bombing attack.
“It was the Friday after,” he said. “There were just six of us there. Some had been taken off, some we didn’t know what had happened to them. Now we know, Ginde’s dead. Irving Fishman (S 2-c, Dorchester, Mass.), Morris Bocheneck (SK 1-c. Brooklyn, N. Y.) – both dead. Paul Fineberg (AM 2-c, Dorchester, Mass.), Morton Mittleman (MM 3-c, Bronx, N. Y.), Herman Tucker (SSML, 3-c) – they’re all missing. And there are others. But the six of us, we felt we had to hold the service, even if we didn’t have a “minyan.” We held it on the flight deck and we were sad, but we were proud too, because somehow holding our Jewish service on the damaged flight deck of ‘Big Ben’ meant a great deal to us, both as Americans and Jews.”
George came here from Russia when he was eight years old. He’s held a variety of odd jobs. Once he was a street car conductor. After he graduated from college, he played professional football for the Flatbush Giants. When the war’s over, he wants to go into the automobile business. He worked in that business before.
His athletic record at City College was exceptional. He was on the varsity teams in football, polo, track, swimming and wrestling.
We asked him why he turned down that athletic instructor’s commission when he joined up.
“I didn’t like what the Nazis were doing. I wanted to see some action – and I sure saw it!”
Franklin Crewman To Talk at War Plants
Brooklyn Eagle
June 17, 1945
Electrician’s Mate 3rd Class George P. Shapiro, 43, could have had a navy commission. He could have remained on shore and been an athletic instructor on the basis of his five varsity letters won at City College.
Instead, the Brooklyn sailor who was “too old” for a combat commission enlisted as a “boot” and joined the crew of the ill-fated airplane carrier Franklin. He was one of 200 men trapped in the wardroom when the bulkheads of the carrier closed after two Jap bombs struck her decks.
If it hadn’t been for the heroism of Lt. Donald A. Gary of Oakland, Cal., who rescued the men through the ventilation tubing, he would have suffocated in the smoke-filled room. When Shapiro got on deck he joined a fire-control part, and when told he could leave the ship for a rescue ship, he elected to remain aboard.
In Eight Attacks
A veteran of the invasions of Guam, Palau and Leyte and attacks on Luzon, Manila, Tinian, Formosa and the second battle of the Philippine Sea, Shapiro, who lives at 346 New York Ave., is about to tour the country to address workers. The trip will be a memorial to the buddies lost in the Franklin attack.
Since there wasn’t a Jewish chaplain aboard the ship, Shapiro, who was called “Pop” by the other sailors, conducted services Friday nights.
“There was only six of us at the first service after the attack,” he remembered. “We didn’t know what had happened to the others then. Now we know. They were dead or missing. We didn’t have a minyan (religious quorum) but we held the service anyway – on the damaged flight deck of “Big Ben”.
Shapiro served in the army during the first World War, but the armistice was declared while he was a student in Pre-Officers Training School. He was a member of the Reserve Officers Training Corps at college and served in the New York State Guard.
At City College he was renowned as that athletic rarity, the “five-letter man”. He was captain of the varsity polo team, acting captain of the football team, captain of the U.S. Volunteer Life-Saving Corps and member of the track and wrestling teams. This record, combined with the fact that he was president of his freshman and junior classes, the school’s athletic association and “Soph Skull,” honorary fraternity, influenced his naval classification board to list him as officer material this time. They wouldn’t make him a combat officer and he chose to be a seaman.
Shapiro was recently engaged to Sylvia Hannes of 1504 Sheridan Ave. After the war he expects to return to selling insurance.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
These three documents from George’s life are from Ancestry.com.
Here’s George’s WW I Draft Registration Card, showing that as on September 12, 1918, he was a Columbia University student, enrolled in the Student Army Training Corps (SATC), and residing in a place known as Brooklyn.
This is George’s WW I New York State Abstract of Military Service card. Cards of this format were used to record data for servicemen in other states. But, I don’t know if such cards were used by all states for this purpose, but to their uncertain absence from Ancestry, or – if they exist – their inaccessibility.
Moving ahead in time, here’s George’s WW II Draft Card, I think categorized at Ancestry.com as an “old man’s” draft registration card. By now, George was in his early 40s. Note that his employer was the Equitable Life Insurance Company, a profession to which he spoke of returning, within Ben Samuel’s article. Did he postwar? I don’t know!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
In much the same format as I’ve presented information about the military service of Jews in the Second (and First…) World War, below are records of the names of Jewish sailors and officers aboard the Franklin on March 19, 1945. Killed in action first, then wounded, and finally, those who emerged from the terrible day unhurt. What’s immediately noticeable in all but a very few cases (those of S2C Abraham J. Barbash – who could’ve emerged from a Damon Runyon story – and Lt. Cmdrs. Berger and Sherman, both of whom feature in another post), is the real absence of substantive information about them, “as people”. The degree of physical destruction that occurred on the carrier eventuated in the complete obliteration of personal possessions – particularly letters, photographs, and documents – that might in “normal” circumstances have been returned to their families, and thus have preserved in time at least a faded impression of their personas.
As before, the names of many of these men, especially the wounded, never appeared in American Jews in World War II.
Of particular note are the names of Ginde, Fishman, Bockenek, Fineberg, Mittleman, and Tucker, all of whom figured centrally in Ben Samuel’s article, as having been regular members of Friday minyans on the Franklin.
So, all that is left is their names, which in the fullness of time is true for all men, however high or low.
Or, as stated by Rabbi Shimon in Pirke Avot (The Ethics of the Fathers), Chapter Four, Verse Thirteen: “There are three crowns – the crown of Torah, the crown of priesthood and the crown of sovereignty – but the crown of good name surmounts them all.” (זָדוֹן. רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן אוֹמֵר, שְׁלֹשָׁה כְתָרִים הֵן: כֶּֽתֶר תּוֹרָה, וְכֶֽתֶר כְּהֻנָּה, וְכֶֽתֶר מַלְכוּת, וְכֶֽתֶר שֵׁם טוֹב עוֹלֶה עַל גַּבֵּיהֶן.)
Killed in Action
For those who lost their lives on this date…
Monday, March 19, 1945 / 5 Nisan 5705
– .ת.נ.צ.ב.ה. –
…Tehé Nafshó Tzrurá Bitzrór Haḥayím
May his soul be bound up in the bond of everlasting life.
Fallen of the USS Franklin
Commemorated at
Tablets of the Missing at Honolulu Memorial, Honolulu, Hawaii
Barbash, Abraham Jacob, S2C (Seaman), 8108675
Mrs. Minnie (Berkowitz) Barbash (wife), 940 Tiffany St., Bronx, N.Y.
Rabbi and Mrs. Aaron (4/25/80 (1883?) – 1/7/46) and Esther (Seslofsky) (8/15/84-6/13/64) Barbash (parents)
Anna, Leon, and Sylvia (sisters and brother)
2475 85th St., Brooklyn, N.Y.
Born Bronx, N.Y., 7/9/12
King Solomon Memorial Park, Clifton, N.J. – First Soroker Bessarabier in Jerusalem Section
Casualty List 5/10/45
The Franklin Comes Home – 39
American Jews in World War II – Not Listed
This photo of Seaman Barbash’s commemorative matzeva, from FindAGrave, is by dalya d
“S/2C Abe Barbash, from Tremont Avenue in the Bronx, was one of the others caught on the fantail. Abe, famed among his shipmates for running an almost nonstop (except when on duty) poker game in the laundry and quite advantageously, had never learned to swim, else he might have graduated from quartermaster school. He also possessed an unconquerable fear of heights. When a young seaman with both arms broken was carried out of the hangar area onto the fantail, Abe took off his own life jacket and laced it around the injured youth, who was lowered into the sea away from the explosions on the fantail. Abe then decided, in view of his lack of swimming ability, that he’d better locate another life jacket, even though he might not be able to muster sufficient courage to jump into the sea. He returned inside the hangar deck – and directly into the explosion of a 500-pound bomb. As a buddy would recall, “Not even his dog tags were ever found.”” – From “The Franklin Comes Home”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Berkowitz, Philip Alfred, COX (Coxswain), 2023661
Mr. and Mrs. Michael (11/25/98-4/15/72) and Ethel Marion (James) (7/26/02-3/12/73) Berkowitz (parents)
26 Lewis St., Medford, Ma.
Born Boston, Ma., 6/27/24
American Jews in World War II – 150
Bochenek, Morris, SK2C (Storekeeper), 7101788
Mrs. Sylvia Simon Bochenek (wife), 5516 12th Ave. / 1163 45th St., Brooklyn, N.Y.
Mr. Hyman (12/26/83-3/14/43) and Sera (Goodman) (1881-11/16/57) Bochenek (parents)
Abraham Boshnack (brother) (4/25/06-10/26/91)
5516 12th Ave., Brooklyn, N.Y.
Born Brooklyn, N.Y., 7/22/14
Casualty List 5/10/45
American Jews in World War II – 281
Fineberg, Paul Matthew, AM2C (Aviation Metalsmith), 2025182
Mr. Louis Meyer (9/12/99-12/10/76) Fineberg (father), 486 Blue Hill Ave., Dorchester, Ma.
Born Revere, Ma., 12/24/23
American Jews in World War II – 157
Fishman, Irving, S2C (Seaman), 5790445
Mr. and Mrs. Henry and Lillian Fishman (parents); Donald (brother), 7 Irma St., Dorchester, Ma.
Born 1926?
American Jews in World War II – 157
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Geller, Herbert, PhM3C (Pharmacist’s Mate), 8110314
Mrs. Gussie Geller (mother) (1892-5/28/67), 176 Varet St., Brooklyn, N.Y.
Born Brooklyn, N.Y., 12/16/21
Casualty List 5/10/45
American Jews in World War II – 319
This photo of Gussie Geller’s matzeva, which commemorates her son Herbert, at FindAGrave, is by Brooke Schreier Ganz
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Gindi, Jacob “Jack”, S2C (Seaman), 7118530
Mr. and Mrs. Isaac (1893-2/1/31) and Rachael (Dweck) Gindi (10/22/08-4/23/99) (parents)
Estelle, Ralph, and Sam (sister and brothers)
587 Bay Parkway, Brooklyn, N.Y. (1930 address is 587 Bay Parkway)
Mr. and Mrs. Stanley Edward (1/15/03-?) and Renee (“Renee Rachel”) (Dweck) Shamosh (step-father and mother) (10/22/05 (or 10/22/08)) – 4/23/99) (married 10/4/22)
Edward S., Joseph S., and Robert S. (half-brothers)
5729 6th St., Washington, D.C.
Born Brooklyn, N.Y., 10/5/26
American Jews in World War II – 76
Groll, Abraham L., S1C (Seaman), 7129183
Mr. and Mrs. Sam (1888-?) and Tsilka (Sophie) (Epstein) (1893-3/74) Groll (parents)
205 Powell St., Brooklyn, N.Y.
Gussie, Molly, Morris, Nathan (siblings); Sam (father?), 180 Chester St., Brooklyn, N.Y.
Born New York, N.Y., 1/11/27
Casualty Lists 5/11/45, 11/6/45
American Jews in World War II – Not Listed
Hoffman, Samuel, ACOM (Aviation Chief Ordnanceman), 4024449
Mr. Oscar Hoffman (father), 79 Tehama St., Brooklyn, N.Y.
Born New York, N.Y., 4/20/11
Casualty List 5/17/45
American Jews in World War II – 346
Mittleman, Morton Joel, MM3C (Machinist’s Mate), 8107153
Mr. and Mrs. Charles (8/15/78-4/72) and Estelle (Gluck) (4/5/05-9/11/01) Mittelman (parents)
2525 Grand Concourse, Bronx, N.Y.
Born New York, N.Y., 3/15/16
Casualty List 5/11/45
American Jews in World War II – 395
Perlman, Morris, RM3C (Radioman), 8175575
Died of wounds, aboard USS Santa Fe, on 3/23/45
Mr. and Mrs. Benjamin and Mollie Perlman (parents), 882 N. Marshall St., Philadelphia, Pa.
Born Philadelphia, Pa., 4/8/20
Jewish Exponent 5/4/45
Philadelphia Inquirer 4/21/45
ABMC lists as died 5/23/45 – incorrect!
American Jews in World War II – Not Listed
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Steppach, David Henry, Jr., PhoM3C (Photographer’s Mate), 6409983
Mr. and Mrs. Dave Henry (4/15/87-12/22/66) and Rose (Johns) (6/17/97-9/28/80) Steppach (parents)
1333 Harbert Ave., Memphis, Tn.
Sally Ann (Steppach) Loeb (sister) (9/24/19-6/26/07)
Born Memphis, Tn., 6/11/22
Temple Israel Cemetery, Memphis, Tn. – Cremieux Section, Lot 90
American Jews in World War II – 568
This photo of Photographer Mate Steppach’s commemorative matzeva, from FindAGrave, is by Patrick Whitney
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Stern, Robert Cyril, S2C (Seaman), 6345185
Mr. and Mrs. Leonard E. (3/12/96-11/15/91) and Ruth (Lewis) (1/23/03-6/80) Stern (parents)
2801 W. Chestnut St., Louisville, Ky.
Born Louisville, Ky., 8/18/21
American Jews in World War II – 130
Tucker, Herman, SSML3C (Ship’s Service Man Laundryman), 8146740
Mrs. Clara (Kramer) Tucker (wife) (4/18/19-9/12/04), 1557 Hoe Ave., Bronx, N.Y.
Born N.Y., 1915
Casualty List 5/12/45
American Jews in World War II – 462
Zassman, Harry, S1C (Seaman), 8022679
Mr. and Mrs. Louis (6/30/87-11/24/59) and Sarah (Shine) (5/19/90-2/13/71) Zassman (parents)
73 Franklin Ave., Revere, Boston, Ma.
Mr. Louis Zassman (father), 12 Grant St., Beverly, Ma.
Born Beverly, Ma., 11/5/24
Casualty List 5/11/45
American Jews in World War II – 185
Wounded or Injured – Survived War
Balaban, Jule Israel, ART2C (Aviation Radio Technician), 6504319
Rescued by USS Pittsburgh (after having been blown overboard?)
Mr. and Mrs. Uscher (Harry) (11/15/95-5/11/66) and Rose (Finkel) L. (1897-1988) Balaban (parents)
Edward, Estelle (Stella), Jessel, Marion, and Selgene (brothers and sister)
118 North Maine Ave. / 147 Dewey Place, Atlantic City, N.J.
Born Philadelphia, Pa., 11/9/21 – Died 5/8/09
American Jews in World War II – Not Listed
Berger, David, Lt. Cdr., 0-136584, Air Officer (Assistant), Silver Star
See more here.
Finkelstein, Arthur Julius, S 1C (Storekeeper), 8125189
Received aboard USS Santa Fe from U.S.S. Franklin
Mrs. Sarah Finkelstein (mother), 250 Stockton St., Brooklyn, N.Y.
Born N.Y.., 10/22/22 – Died 12/25/10
American Jews in World War II – Not Listed
Levine, Eugene, SK 2C (Seaman), 7078118
Received aboard USS Santa Fe from U.S.S. Franklin
New York, N.Y.
American Jews in World War II – Not Listed
Liebman, Simon, S2C (Seaman), 8160710
Received aboard USS Santa Fe from U.S.S. Franklin
New York, N.Y.
American Jews in World War II – Not Listed
Miro, David Maurice (David bar Avraham), Lt. JG, 0-374322, Communications Officer
Received aboard USS Santa Fe from U.S.S. Franklin
Mrs. Bernice Marcia (Goldman) Miro (wife) (6/14/15-6/20/93); Jeffrey and Judy (children), 1501 Burlingame, Detroit, Mi.
Mr. and Mrs. Samuel (1/4/82-11/15/44) and Fannie (Alden) (3/14/86-7/7/51) Miro (parents)
Lillian, Minnie, Morry, and Shirley (sisters and brother)
5430 Linwood St., Detroit, Mi.
Born Harrison, N.Y., 4/20/09 – Died 2/14/05
The Jewish News (Detroit) 5/25/45
American Jews in World War II – Not Listed
Rothstein, William, S1C (Seaman), 7115376
Received aboard USS Santa Fe from U.S.S. Franklin
Mr. and Mrs. Harry (1901-5/69) and Dora (1902-1990) Rothstein (parents); Betty (sister), 986 Rutland Road, Brooklyn, N.Y.
Born New York, N.Y., 9/13/25 – Died 2/23/68
American Jews in World War II – Not Listed
Schlesinger, Abraham Louis “Abe”, Jr, Lt., 0-101101
Received aboard USS Santa Fe from U.S.S. Franklin
Mr. and Mrs. Abraham L. (12/25/84-1953) and Elise (Cahn) (9/18/88-2/80) Schlesinger (parents), Gilmore Apt. # 210, Memphis, Tn.
Born Memphis, Tn., 2/18/15 – Died 9/24/97
American Jews in World War II – Not Listed
Serebrin, Leonard, S2C (Seaman), 8817317, Purple Heart
Mr. and Mrs. Max and Pearl (Sherman) Serebrin (parents), 601 North Cummings St., Los Angeles, Ca.
David and Edith (brother and sister)
Born Cleveland, Oh., 6/7/26 – Died 11/6/03
American Jews in World War II – Not Listed
Sherman, Samuel Robert, Lt. Cdr., 0-130988, Flight Surgeon, Navy Cross, Purple Heart
See more here.
Not Casualties – Survived War
Adelson, Albert, WT3C (Water Tender), 8100191, Letter of Commendation
Born Brooklyn, N.Y., 3/29/24 – Died 9/23/16
201 New Lots Ave., Brooklyn, N.Y.
USS Franklin Crew Commendation List
American Jews in World War II – Not Listed
Baruch, David, S1C (Seaman), 7110026
American Jews in World War II – Not Listed
Feldman, Hyman Samuel (Herschel ben Shmuel), S 2C (Seaman), 8530886
Mr. and Mrs. Samuel and Bessie (Blinder) Feldman (parents), 318 Summit Ave., Brighton, Ma.
Born Lynn, Ma., 3/20/17 – Died 11/9/99
American Jews in World War II – Not Listed
Friedman, Herman Samuel, SF1C (Ship Fitter), 8124906, Bronze Star Medal
Born 1916
317 (817?) E. 175th St., Bronx, N.Y.
New York Times 5/18/45, 5/22/45
USS Franklin Crew Commendation List
American Jews in World War II – Not Listed
Glasberg, Irving, AOM3C (Aviation Ordnanceman), 2044659, Letter of Commendation
Died 8/31/82
USS Franklin Crew Commendation List
American Jews in World War II – Not Listed
Hirschberg, Saul Benjamin, S1C (Seaman), 6436672
American Jews in World War II – Not Listed
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Kassover, Martin Louis (Mordechay bar Moshe), S2C (Seaman), 8106517, Letter of Coommendation
Mr. and Mrs. Morris and Martha (Zlosnick) Kassover (parents), Celia and Rose (sisters), 43 74th St., Brooklyn, N.Y.
Born New York, N.Y., 4/24/21 – Died 3/16/91
USS Franklin Crew Commendation List
American Jews in World War II – Not Listed
This image of Martin L. Kassover’s matzeva, at FindAGrave, is by Romper90069
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Sandler, Joseph, ACMM (Aviation Chief Machinist’s Mate), 2583242
Mr. Irvin Schaffer (friend), Baltimore, Md.
Born 1925 – Died 1999
American Jews in World War II – Not Listed
Schulman, Samuel, S2C (Seaman), 8151873
American Jews in World War II – Not Listed
Setner, Irving Jerome, S2C (Seaman), 9613842
American Jews in World War II – Not Listed
Shapiro, George Benjamin, EM2C (Electrician’s Mate), 7083561 – see above!
Skolnick, Seymour, S1C (Seaman), 7093448
Brooklyn, N.Y.
Born 1923 – Died 1988
American Jews in World War II – Not Listed
Soloway, Samuel Sidney, F1C (Fireman), 7116901
Mr. Jacob Soloway (father), Jack and Jerry (brothers), 185 Hillside Ave., Newark, N.J.
Born Bayonne, N.J., 11/1/25 – Died 1/27/99
American Jews in World War II – Not Listed
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Fallen of the USS Wasp
Commemorated at
Tablets of the Missing at Honolulu Memorial, Honolulu, Hawaii
The USS Wasp incurred damage from the same cause as that which befell the USS Franklin: An aerial attack. In this case, the loss – entirely severe enough if one was among the casualties – was nowhere near the same gravity as that incurred by the Franklin, and the carrier resumed operations not long after.
From Wikipedia: “In spite of valiant efforts of her gunners, on 19 March 1945, Wasp was hit with a 500-pound armor-piercing bomb. The bomb penetrated the flight deck and the armor-plated hangar deck, and exploded in the crew’s galley. Many of her shipmates were having breakfast after being at general quarters all night. The blast disabled the number-four fire room. Around 102 crewmen were lost. Despite the losses, Wasp continued operations with the Task Group and the air group was carrying out flight operations 27 minutes after the damage.”
Blatt, Melvin, EM2C (Electrician’s Mate), 8103051
Mr. Albert Blatt (father), 345 Georgia Ave., Brooklyn, N.Y.
Born Detroit, Mi., 7/15/23
Casualty List 5/8/45
American Jews in World War II – 278
Brust, Marvin S., S1C (Seaman), 8092779
Mr. and Mrs. Irving (?-11/16/54) and Anna (?-3/20/61) Brust (parents), Joseph (brother), 79-23 68th Ave., Middle Village, N.Y.
Born Brooklyn, N.Y., 1/31/24
Long Island Star Journal 5/7/45
Casualty List 5/8/45
American Jews in World War II – 286
Levine, Paul Harold, F1C (Fireman), 3138269
Mr. Louis Levine (father), 18027 Roselawn Ave., Detroit, Mi.
Born 1927
The Jewish News (Detroit) 4/13/45
American Jews in World War II – 193
Lippsett, Donald Michael, F1C (Fireman), 7128566
Mr. George Lippsett (father), 552 Shepherd Ave., Brooklyn, N.Y.
Born 1926
Casualty List 5/8/45
American Jews in World War II – 382
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
United States Marine Corps
During Battle of Iwo Jima
(This example of the 4th Marine Division shoulder patch comes from TTMilitaria.)
Wounded in Action
Eisenberg, Sidney Seymour, Pvt., 332718, PH
1st Battalion, Headquarters Company, 24th Marine Regiment, 4th Marine Division
Mrs. Phyllis Eisenberg (wife), 2056 Grand Ave., Bronx, N.Y.
Mrs. Rose Feller (mother), 68 West 94th St., New York, N.Y.
Born Bronx, N.Y., 2/1/24
Casualty List 7/13/45
American Jews in World War II – Not Listed
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
(This reproduction of the 3rd Marine Division shoulder patch is by WW II Impressions.)
Killed in Action
Norwitz, Nelson Nathan, Pvt., 829563, PH
34th Replacement Draft, 3rd Marine Division
Mrs. Nelson N. Norwitz (wife), 1729 N. Smallwood St., Baltimore, Md.
Mr. and Mrs. Benjamin (7/24/90-5/21/39) and Tillie (Cole) (4/12/93-7/28/68) Norwitz (parents)
Bernard and Herman (brothers)
1512 Appleton St., Baltimore, Md.
Born Baltimore, Md., 8/24/19 or 8/24/20
Honolulu Memorial, Honolulu, Hawaii – Plot N, Row 1, Grave 548
American Jews in World War II – 142
– Aboard the USS Franklin –
VMF-214
Killed in Action
Kuperwasser, Abraham, Cpl., 840002, Radio Technician, United States Marine Corps
Mr. and Mrs. Jacob and Itka (Gitla) Kuperwasser (parents), 1504 Charlotte St., New York, N.Y.
Mr. Eddie Caplan (friend?), 1416 North Mill St., Los Angeles, Ca.
Born Warsaw, Mazowieckie, Poland, 8/8/22
Casualty List 5/17/45
(U.S. Marine Corps History Division – Casualty Card Database and ABMC list date as 3/20/46 – one year plus one day after he was actually killed in action)
American Jews in World War II – Not Listed
Marine Detachment
Survived
Brody, Samuel Henry (Shmuel Hayyim bar Tzvi), PFC, 855237, Bronze Star Medal, 1 Oak Leaf Cluster, Purple Heart
Mr. and Mrs. Harry and Anna Brody (parents), Orchard and Landis Ave. (northeast corner), Vineland, N.J.
Born Los Angeles, Ca., 5/8/25 – Died 5/11/00
Navy Department Release 2/16/45
American Jews in World War II – 228
Killed in Action
Segal, Leon Harry, PFC, 828085, Purple Heart
Mrs. Rebecca (Kessler) Segal (wife) (2/4/14-3/11/95), 5510 Jackson St., Houston, Tx. (Married 10/17/38)
Mr. and Mrs. Abraham Nathan (1/24/79-8/22/67) and Mamie (Kaufman) (5/6/84-11/14/68) Segal (parents)
Bernard and Justine (brother and sister)
Born Nogalas, Arizona, 6/5/19 – Died 7/28/95
American Jews in World War II – 573
This photo of PFC Segal, from FindAGrave, is via Jaap Vermeer
References
Dublin, Louis I., and Kohs, Samuel C., American Jews in World War II – The Story of 550,000 Fighters for Freedom, The Dial Press, New York, N.Y., 1947
Herman, J.K., Flight Surgeon On the Spot: Aboard USS Franklin 19 March 1945, Navy Medicine, July-August 1993, V 84, N 4, pp. 409.
Hoehling, Adolph August, The Franklin Comes Home, Hawthorn Books, New York, N.Y., 1974
Webb, Eugene, Samuel R. Sherman, M.D., C.M.A. President-Elect, California Medicine, June, 1962, V 96, N 6, pp. 429-430.
The USS Wasp, at Wikipedia
And further…
Minyan
Minyan: The Prayer Quorum, by Aryeh Citron
Why Are Ten Men Needed for a Minyan?, by Shmuel Kogan
What if the tenth guy walks out?, by Menachem Posner
Why Is a Minyan Needed for Kaddish?, by Yehuda Shurpin