Project 888
Name: George Joseph NOWAK
Rank / Rating: F2-Fireman Second ClassService #: 727 11 83 DOB: 1927 From: Chicago, Illinois Parents: Stanley and Sophie Nowak Went Aboard: May 7, 1944 Age When Ship Went Down: 18 Spouse: Children: Grandchildren: Bio Submitted By: Marilyn Northcutt Henry |
 NOWAK, George J |
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Fireman second class George Joseph Novak was born c1927 from information on the 1940 US Census. (No draft card could be located). He was born in Chicago, Illinois to Stanley and Sophie Nowak. He was the youngest of five children, having two older sisters, Mae and Elsie, and two older brothers, Benjamin and Leonard.
George enlisted in the Navy on February 3, 1944, and completed basic training at Great Lakes, IL. While there, on April 8, 1944 his rate advanced to S2c. He was transferred to the Naval receiving station in San Francisco, CA., on April 30, 1944.
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| A Navy Muster Roll dated May 1, 1944 showed that George boarded U.S.S. Cambria (APA 36) from San Francisco to FRAY (meaning he was being delivered to a battle area). Listed as fellow travelers were three other men who joined George on USS Indianapolis CA-35, boarding May 7, 1944 - Kenneth Mitchell, Troy Nunley, and Richard Calvin McVay. All four sailors now on board Indy would participate in major battles resulting in the capture of Saipan and Guam, the capture of Tinian Island (for use as a strategic air base), the Western Caroline Operations, the capture of Iwo Jima and the beginnings of the Okinawa Gunto Operations in March 1945. These five battles were part of the ten battles for which Indianapolis was awarded ten battle stars. All four men were on board when the secret cargo was delivered to Tinian- now an American airbase. All were on board when Indianapolis left Guam to join other ships to plan for the final invasion of Japan. On July 30, 1945, Indianapolis would be torpedoed and sunk by a Japanese submarine. Kenneth Mitchell, Troy Nunley and Richard McVay would be rescued; George Novak would not. Survivors received a Purple Heart Medal before returning to the states; George’s parents would receive their son’s Purple Heart through mail. Source: 1940 US Census, IL, Chicago, Cook Co., Ward 22. HH #227, Cleaver Street. | |
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