Project 888
Name: George Edward McKEE Jr.
Rank / Rating: S1-Seaman First ClassService #: 862 06 33 DOB: Mar 31, 1925 From: Detroit, Michigan Parents: George "Ted" and Florence McKee Went Aboard: Sep 01, 1943 Age When Ship Went Down: 20 years, 3 months, 30 days Spouse: Children: Grandchildren: Bio Submitted By: Admin |
 MCKEE, George E Jr. |
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Seaman First Class Mckee Jr. was born at home on March 31, 1925 in Detroit, Michigan. “Junior” was the only son of George “Ted” and Florence McKee. This joyous occasion was shared by Grandmother Martha and Aunt Marie (who later gave him an uncle by marrying Eddie Williams).
An average student, Junior loved to play baseball and make model airplanes. When niece Joyce was born with colic, he became chief “cuddler”-only Junior could make her stop crying. Later, he'd deliver his paper route with a grinning and squirming Joyce perched on a pillow on his bike's handlebars.
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 At Cooley High School Junior's grades couldn’t keep up with his budding personality. He loved to tool around in an old Chevy with a trick front seat, that, without warning, went crashing into the back seat, until the car got stuck in a snowbank in the woods behind his house.
With World War II came the draft and in 1943 Junior chose the Navy. He returned from boot camp two inches taller (now six feet), physically fit, and the most handsome blonde blue-eyed man (“please, call me George”) his family had ever seen.
Junior was good about writing home but seldom mentioned the war (“loose lips sink ships”) except to marvel at battles fought with ice a foot thick coating the “big guns” or to complain about “beans everywhere” after a Kamikaze hit the ship. He suffered minor injuries (“just a scratch, mom”), unmentioned until he came home on leave.
A big Memorial Day family gathering ended his last home leave. The war had changed George, Jr. (“Dad, I’m going back to school after the war, and his time I’m really studying hard.”) he took Cousin Joyce aside for a special goodbye and some words of wisdom. “Do your very best in school and always remember to smile, a beautiful smile makes everyone happy.”
Life was different for his friends and family after July 30, 1945; the Joy was gone. He was dearly missed by the families McKee, Williams, Provenche, Tillman, Kaiser, Ramus and Gruezke.
MICHIGAN MEMORIAL PLAQUE
See photographs (posted below) to view a copy of a memorial plaque that was dedicated circa 1946 to honor seventy-two (72) State of Michigan men who served on USS Indianapolis CA-35 and who were Lost At Sea.
George Edward McKee, Jr's name is listed on the plaque!
Per the caption on one of the photos, the plaque was originally planned in 1946 for display at a proposed Detroit Civic Center. The plaque was initially displayed at the Detroit Naval Post VFW #233. However, the plaque had vanished for decades, fueling rumors of theft, being melted for scrap, or hidden away in a private basement.
Thanks to the tireless efforts of Jeff Ortiz (nephew of LAS Y3 Orlando Ortiz) and Joni Deaver (cousin of LAS sailor S2c Charles Roof Jr.), this priceless piece of history has been re-discovered in the Detroit Historical Society storage basement in Michigan.
One of the photos shows Jeff Ortiz and Ralph McNabb (nephew of LAS F2 Thomas McNabb, Jr) standing behind the very dusty plaque as it was found.
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