Waterbury Jewish War Dead - World War IINames taken from the Jewish War Veterans Memorial, Stillson Road. Waterbury CT

Apirian - US Army Air Corps Corporal Robert H. Apirian, 20th Air Force - born in Waterbury 1925, died in 1945, at age 20, when the plane he was in collided during a training mission. His mother and father were from Russia. They lived at 36 Hawkins Street, Waterbury, off Cooke Street. US Army serial number 11104438, enlisted 04/17/1943. He was a Radio Operator aboard a B-29 Superfortress. On August 17, 1945, at 2128 CWT, Boeing B-29 # 44-86276 and B-29 # 42-93895 collided in mid-air and crashed about three miles west of Weatherford, Texas, killing 18 fliers and seriously injuring two others. Co-pilot F/O Edwin F. Smith and gunner Cpl. Earl E. Wischmeier were able to parachute to safety from B-29 # 42-93895. B-29 # 44-86276 took off from Alamogordo Army Air Field, New Mexico; B-29 # 42-93895 took off from Clovis Army Air Field, New Mexico. Both airplanes were on separate training flights. The collision occurred at about 15,000 feet. The co-pilot of 42-93895 observed the starboard wing and engines of B-29 # 44-86276 approaching from the right front. An instant later the airplanes collided nearly head-on. The starboard wing of B-29 # 44-86276 collided with the starboard wing of B-29 # 42-93895. Both airplanes burst into flames in the collision and went out of control, both breaking up and trailing flames as they tumbled to earth. The co-pilot bailed out of the co-pilot window and his shoe was cut by the number-three propeller. The gunner was able to break out the plexiglass side gunner's dome and bail out. B-29 # 42-93895 was on auto pilot at the moment of collision. The pilots of each

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airplane were unable to make any evasive maneuver, the airplanes suddenly colliding out of nowhere at night. Killed in the crash of B-29 # 44-86276 were: 1Lt. Aubrey K. Stinson, pilot; 2Lt. Harold L. Swain, co-pilot; 2Lt. Gordon E. Myers, navigator; 2Lt. Benson W. Cohen, bombardier; 2Lt. Edward E. Lahniers, flight engineer; Sgt. Donald V. Lefebvre, radio operator; Sgt. John A. Moseley, central fire control; Sgt. Donald E. Reed, right gunner; Sgt. Clarence A. Jurgens, left gunner. Killed in the crash of B-29 # 42-93895 were: 1Lt. Robert A. Mayer, pilot; 2Lt. Robert L. Knight, bombardier; 2Lt. John W. Burris, navigator; F/O Robert Q. Zaleska, radar operator; SSgt. Clifford D. Longmire, engineer; Cpl. Robert H. Apirian, radio operator; Cpl. Jasper C. Wilson Jr., gunner; Cpl. Willard A. Byerly, gunner; Cpl. Anthony J. Agliata, gunner.

A marker was created at the Weatherford, Texas, Public Library in 2003 listing the names of the men lost. http://www.hmdb.org/marker.asp?marker=57589

Block - US Army 2nd Lt. Leonard Block, 56th Field Artillery, 8th Infantry Division. US Army SN# 31169313. Born in Waterbury, September 12, 1919, died February 28, 1945. Leonard enlisted August 19, 1942. The 8th Infantry Division (Pathfinders) were in on the action quickly - they landed July 4th, 1944 at a beach near Cherbourg, France. He was the son of Casper and Bessie Block, of Ward Street, Waterbury. He had two brothers - Howard and Sidney. Leonardʼs brother Sgt. Sidney Block also served in the US Armyʼs 8th Pathfinders - Sid returned home to his home on 25 Chauncey Street, Waterbury, in July 1945.

Bodian - US Army Private Samuel I. Bodian, 36th Armored Infantry Regiment, 3rd Armored Division, died September 6, 1944, and is buried at: Plot G Row 14 Grave 29 Henri-Chapelle American Cemetery, Henri-Chapelle, Belgium. US Army SN # 31382567. The Bodian Family, Abraham and Rebecca, he from Russia, she from Austria, spoke Yiddish and lived on Greystone Road, Plymouth, near the outskirts of Waterbury. Samuel had four brothers - Hyman, Louis, Abe and Henry. On Sept. 12, 1944, a task force of the 3rd Armored Division had completed the first invasion of Germany in force since the time of Napoleon. Samuel Bodian had died just prior to that success.

Frank - US Army PFC Leo Frank, 25th Armored Infantry, 5th Armored Division, died December 21, 1944, during fierce fighting in the Battle of the Bulge. Leo lived at 126 Cherry Street with his mother Fanny and his father, Charles. Leo had four siblings, Geore, Arthur, Marion, and Sidney.

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Franken - US Army Private Allan C. Franken, 21st Infantry Regiment, 24th Infantry Division, SN# 31343392, died May 24, 1945 of wounds received during the liberation of the Philippines. His 21st Infantry Regiment fought bravely to liberate the Island of Luzon and the city of Manila. He is Buried at: Plot A Row 14 Grave 131, Manila American Cemetery, Manila, Philippines. In the year 2000, the Waterbury Veterans Memorial Committee decorated and photographed his grave at Fort Bonifacio, Manila.

Isaacs - US Army PFC David Isaacs, 180th Infantry, 45th Infantry Division (Thunderbirds). SN# 31440477 Born October 17, 1911, died September 27, 1944. Enlisted August 10, 1943. Son of Louis and Sarah Isaacs, of 45 Bishop Street, Waterbury. David had two siblings - Ida and Samuel.

Jalkow - US Army PFC Joseph C. Jalkow, born in 1925, entered the US Army on April 18, 1944. He was assigned to the 10th Mountain Division, 85th Mountain Infantry Regiment. On April 15, 1945 in an assault on Castle DʼAiano, Hill 913, Italy, Company I of the 85th Inf. had suffered so many casualties that Lt. Col. Shelor had Company K pass through to take Hill 913 from the southwest end. Lt. Keith J. Kvam, Company I weapons platoon leader, was killed instantly by a mine, which went off when he stepped on the release. Lt. John D. Mitchell, rifle platoon leader in Company I, was killed by a sniperʼs bullet while leading his platoon in the attack. Lt. Robert Dole, another Company I rifle platoon leader, was seriously wounded during the attack. The tanks, moving up to assist Company I, encountered difficulty when one struck a mine near Road Junction 771 (south of Famaticcia) and others were held up behind it. Pfc. Joseph Jalkow, a BAR-man in Company K, was killed by a sniper. Lt. Frank Slight, rifle platoon leader in Company K, exposed himself to the deadly sniper fire by going out and bringing Pfc. Jalkow back to a covered position. Lt. Slight was killed shortly afterward while trying to locate the snipers who were picking off his men. It was the difficulty experienced by the men of Company I that caused Company K to be called into the battle. Josephʼs father, owned Jalkowʼs Pharmacy at the corner of Brewster Street and Cooke Street.

Johnson - US Army Pvt. Paul Morris Johnson, 64th Coast Artillery, Anti-Aircraft, Battery B, was stationed at Fort Shafter, Oahu, Territory of Hawaii, in 1941. Pvt. Johnson was the nephew of World War I Pvt. David L. Fannick and, according to the family, he always wanted to be a soldier. He was wounded in the December 7th, 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor, and died of his wounds the next day. Fort Shafter is about 3 miles from Pearl Harbor. Pvt. Johnson was the first casualty from Waterbury in World War II. US Army SN# 11010756. He enlisted April 23, 1941. Paul graduated from Mary Abbott School, Leavenworth High School, and was born October 3, 1922.

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The Johnson family lived on Greenwood Avenue.

Krakower - US Navy Fireman 2nd Class Robert Norton Krakower. F2C Krakower was serving aboard the USS Juneau (CL-52) when it was struck by a torpedo from IJN Submarine I-26. 687 men died when the Juneau broke in two on November 13, 1942, including the 5 Sullivan Brothers. The Krakower Family lived in the apartments at 135 West Main Street, Waterbury.

Margolis - US Marine Corps Reserve PFC Joseph Gurmon Margolis, born in 1917, entered the US Armed Forces on December 26, 1942. SN# 32602579. He was killed in action on May 21, 1945, in the Battle for Okinawa, and is buried at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific (Punchbowl). He left behind his, parents Anna (Soble) Margolis and Benjamin Margolis, 232 Plaza Avenue, Waterbury. PFC Margolis had two siblings, Samuel and Pauline, and Samuel, Ida, and Leon Soble as step-siblings (1920 census Philadelphia, 513 Jackson St). PFC Margolis was interred on March 3, 1949 at the Punchbowl, Oahu.

Misky - US Army PFC David R. Misky, 116th Infantry Regiment, 29th Infantry Division, son of Nathan and Mary Misky, lived at 40 Beacon Street, Waterbury, with his siblings, Freeda and Abraham. Born October 22, 1909, died February 27, 1945. Both parents from Russia. From his unit history “The 29th Infantry Division trained in Scotland and England for the cross channel invasion, October 1942-June 1944. Teamed with the 1st Division, a regiment of the 29th Division (116th Infantry) was in the first assault wave to hit the beaches at Normandy on D-day, 6 June 1944. Landing on Omaha Beach on the same day in the face of intense enemy fire, the Division soon secured the bluff tops and occupied Isigny, 9 June.The Division cut across the Elle River and advanced slowly toward St. Lo, fighting bitterly in the Normandy hedge rows. After taking St. Lo, 18 July 1944, the Division joined in the battle for Vire, capturing that strongly held city, 7 August. Turning west, the 29th took part in the assault on Brest, 25 August-18 September 1944. After a short rest, the Division moved to defensive positions along the Teveren-Geilenkirchen line in Germany and maintained those positions through October. (In mid-October the 116th Infantry took part in the fighting at the Aachen Gap.) On 16 November the Division began its drive to the Roer, blasting its way through Siersdorf, Setterich, Durboslar, and Bettendorf, and reaching the Roer by the end of the month. Heavy fighting reduced Julich Sportplatz and the Hasenfeld Gut, 8 December.From 8 December 1944 to 23 February 1945, the Division held defensive positions along the Roer and prepared for the offensive. The attack jumped off across the Roer, 23 February, and carried the Division through Julich, Broich, Immerath, and Titz, to Munchen-Gladbach, 1 March 1945. The Division was out of combat in March. In early

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April the 116th Infantry helped mop up in the Ruhr area. On 19 April 1945 the Division pushed to the Elbe and held defensive positions until 4 May. Meanwhile, the 175th Infantry cleared the Klotze Forest. After VE-day, the Division was on military

government duty in the Bremen. clave.

Nathanson - US Army Corporal Franklin G. Nathanson, born in New York in 1925, enlisted in the US Army from Waterbury, July 7, 1943. SN# 31379498, Died, non-battle.

Rosenberg - US Army PFC Harvey A. Rosenberg, 343rd Infantry, 86th Infantry Division, born July 9, 1925, died January 21, 1946 in the occupation of the Philippines. PFC Rosenberg was a member of Yale ʼ45, and Trumbull and Jonathan Edwards colleges. Harvey Rosenberg withdrew from Yale and voluntarily went on active duty in the Army at Fort

Devens, Massachusetts, on November 5, 1943. He had been accepted for the Army Specialized Training Program at Fort Benning, Georgia, but when a phase of this program was discontinued, he was transferred to Camp Livingston, Louisiana. Rosenberg received amphibious training at Camp Cooke and Camp San Luis Obispo, California and in February, 1945, sailed for Europe with the 86th Black Hawk Division. He served in France, the Ruhr pocket, Bavaria, and Austria as a PFC and his division included the first American troops to cross the Danube. On June 17 he returned with the 86th Division to the United States and was given a brief furlough. On July 21 Rosenberg was assigned to Camp Gruber, Oklahoma, and then to Camp Stoneman, Port of Embarkation for San Francisco. After having seen service in the European theater of operation he was sent to the Pacific on August 28, 1945, to take part in the occupation of the Philippine Islands. On Luzon he studied statistical analysis at the Armed Forces Institute and wrote the sports page of the regimental newspaper." PFC Harvey Rosenberg was killed on January 21, 1946, on Luzon when he came in contact with a metal wall in the company laundry which in some way had become electrically charged. He was the last casualty from Waterbury to die in WW II. He was the only son of Jacob and Bertha Rosenberg, 228 Cooke Street.

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Swirsky - US Army PFC Irving Swirsky born April 11,1924, 311th Infantry, 78th Infantry Division. Died February 3, 1945. SN#313240020 enlisted 2/18/1943 From his unit history “It was slow, arduous work, but it brought results. By Feb. 2, Kesternich -- a town no longer, but a name which never will be forgotten by the 78th Division -- was captured and cleared of Germans. To the south, Konzen, Am Gericht, Huppenbroich and Eicherscheid already had fallen. Treacherous minefields, veiled by heavy snow, took their toll, but Lightning soldiers would not be stopped. Hammer, on the Roer, was seized. Next, Co. C, 311th, struck out for Dedenborn, a small town across a crook in the river, approximately two miles southeast of Kesternich. The swift stream was a formidable obstacle, but a water crossing was effected. Hanging onto a cable strung from one bank to the other, the company stumbled and swam across. Swarming up the opposite shore, doughs rushed the town. After a short, furious battle, German defenders were overcome. Dedenborn belonged to the 78th.” It was here that here that PFC Irving Swirsky lost his life.

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data compiled by Robert G. Dorr, Secretary,WVMCcontact: bobcva4064@aol.com

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Waterbury Veterans Memorial Committee