Project 888
Name: Richard C. KUCHENBACH
Rank / Rating: QM3-Quartermaster Third ClassService #: 868 54 87 DOB: Dec 19, 1924 From: Salt Lake City, UT Parents: John and Bertha Kuchenbach Went Aboard: December 23, 1943 Age When Kamikaze Struck: 20 years, 3 months, 12 days Spouse: Children: Grandchildren: Bio Submitted By: Marilyn Northcutt Henry |
 KUCHENBACH, Richard C |
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In the early morning of March 31, 1945 USS Indianapolis CA-35 was hit by a Japanese kamikaze plane during the Battle of Okinawa. Damages were not severe to Indy but fatal to 9 crew members including Richard Clarence Kuchenbach.
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 Quarter Master Third Class Clarence Kuchenbach was born on December 19, 1924 to John and Bertha Kuchenbach in Racine, Wisconsin. Richard was one of seven children. His siblings were brothers Harold, Art, Elmer and Charles; his sisters were Ethen and Viola.
Richard registered for the draft on December 29, 1942 at age of 18. He enlisted in the US Navy on April 27, 1943 at Milwaukee, WI. After basic training, he went aboard USS Indianapolis CA-35 on December 23, 1943 at age 19. His rate was Seaman First Class.
In June 1, 1944, Richard was advanced to Quartermaster Third Class.
An obituary in a local newspaper states Richard was President of the January 1942 Class of William Horlick High School. The Obit further stated that Richard had been in the Navy for some two years, listing his fiancee as Miss Lorraine Kaplan.
On the day of the Kamikaze attack, a funeral service for one Sailor was held. As the bodies of the other eight were recovered, a service for six was held on April 1, and for two on April 2, 1945. Each service was preformed with full military honors by the ship's chaplain, Father Thomas Conway.
After the funeral services, Clarence's body was carried from Indianapolis by his shipmates for burial in the US Armed Forces Cemetery located on Zamami Shima, Kerama Retto, off the island of Okinawa.
After the war, families were given the opportunity to request that the remains of their loved one be returned to the US for reinterment. It is not known if Richard's family made this request, but a government issued grave marker is present in the Graceland Cemetery, Racine, Racine Co., WI, which seems to indicate that they did.
Click or tap here to learn more about the kamikaze attack and to access links to each of the nine individual bios of the kamikaze victims.
Source:
Muster Roll, USS Indianapolis, Ending 31, December 1944. “1st Received on Board 12/23/1943”.
The Journal Times, (Racine, WI), Wed, April, 25, 1945, p. 4; citing primary obituary
The Journal Times, (Racine, WI), Sat, April 21, 1945, p. 3; citing a death notice
The Journal Times (Racine, WI), Mon, Sept 10, 1945, p. 11; citing Purple Heart
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