SCHUYLKILL COUNTY AT PEARL HARBOR DECEMBER 7, 1941

At dawn on 7 December 1941 more than half of the United States Pacific Fleet, approximately 150 vessels and service craft, lay at anchor or alongside piers in Pearl Harbor. All but one of the Pacific fleet battleships were in port that morning, most of them moored to quays flanking Ford Island. By 10:00 a.m. the tranquil Sunday calm had been shattered, 21 vessels lay sunk or damaged, the fighting backbone of the fleet apparently broken. Smoke from burning planes and hangers filled the sky. Oil from sinking ships clogged the harbor. Death was everywhere. The fleet in Pearl Harbor, the focus of the attack, suffered the greatest loss; almost half the total casualties occurred when the USS Arizona blew up. Army, Navy, Army Air Force, and Marine Corps facilities across the length and breadth of Oahu, from Kaneohe to haleiwa to Malakole, bore their share of death and destruction. Hickam, Wheeler, and Bellows Army Air Force bases lost 217 men and 77 aircraft.

Among those killed in action is three Schuylkill County soldiers and sailors.

MAHANOY CITY  YOUTH FIRST COUNTY SOLDIER TO BE KILLED

DECEMBER 7, 1941

A 21 year old Mahanoy City young man became the first  soldier to lose his life during the Second World War.

He was Jerome Szematowicz of 401 West Mahony St., a graduate of Mahanoy City High School.

Jerome was a chief mechanic in the squadron. He became an Army Air Corps Mechanic after completing courses at Chanute Field, Ill.

He was killed in action at Hickam Field, Hawaii, during the Japanese air assault on Sunday  December 7, 1941.

Jerome enlisted at Pottsville in 1939 and was serving with the 22^nd Material Squadron.

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In researching the action at Hickam Field on this day. It was reported that the first bombs dropped on the field killed a group of soldiers from the 22^nd Material Sqd,, working on and trying to move a B-24 bomber. The Japs hit at 7:55 A.M., his squadron lost 27 men killed. The attack consisted of two waves of low level and high level attacks.

A flight of some 50 dive bombers and fighters struck Hickam Field. The first targets hit were the Hawaiian Air Depot's engineering building and the hangar area, where A-20, B-18, and B-17 bombers were parked wingtip to wingtip. With the large population of Japanese in the local community, sabotage had been feared more than an enemy attack; so instead of being dispersed and in readiness for immediate takeoff, the aircraft were bunched together in one place where they could be closely guarded. Consequently, they were easy targets for the Japanese, whose attack then widened to include the big new consolidated barracks and mess hall, the base theater (which was also used as a chapel), the post exchange, enlisted men's beer garden, and the fire station and guardhouse.

A total of 27 men from the squadron were killed in action on this day.

United States Army Air Corp.
Hawaiian Air Force, Hq & Hq Squadron,

- 17th Air Base Group, Hq & Hq Squadron
- 22nd Material Squadron
Station: Hickam AFB, Pearl Harbor, Oahu, Hawaii
Casualty List: 28 KIA - 42 WIA*

POTTSVILLE SAILOR GAVE LIFE FOR THE UNITED STATES.

John E. Burns a graduate of Pottsville Catholic High School in 1933 was killed at Pearl Harbor while serving aboard the USS Arizona which was sunk by Japanese Aircraft.

Weeks before the attack Burn’s family received a letter that stated  he was to be reassigned to San Diego for schooling in diesel engineering.

In early January his family received  the letter.

A telegram received by his parents stated,

“After exhaustive search it has been found impossible to locate your son John E. Burns, of the USN and therefore has been officially declared to have lost his life in the service of his country as of December 7, 1941. The department expresses to you its sincere sympathy.”

COALDALE SAILOR KILLED AT PEARL HARBOR

MAKING COUNTY DEATH TOLL AT 4.

Seaman 2/C George Stembrosky, 20 who entered the Navy in September 1940 was killed in action at Pearl Harbor, December 7, 1941.

Killed While serving aboard the U.S.S. Nevada BB-36..

George is buried in the Gettysburg National Cemetery.

On December 7, 1941 At 0910 at Hospital Point, Honolulu the crippled 

  USS Nevada was trying to escape the harbor when Japanese planes concentrated their attack on it. Afraid that if the ship sank, it would block the harbor entrance, Admiral Pye ordered it beached five minutes after its skipper, Captain Scanlan, came aboard. The Nevada had three officers and 47 enlisted men killed, and five officers and 104 enlisted wounded. The Nevada was back in service

before the end of 1942.

The Nevada Beached 

SCHUYLKILL COUNTY SOLDIERS AND SAILORS WHO SERVED AT

PEARL HARBOR

DECEMBER 7, 1941

LISTED IN THE POTTSVILLE REPUBLICAN ON 

DECEMBER  8, 1941.

AS STATED THIS LIST IS INCOMPLETE.

AT HICKAM FIELD

Pvt Edward Cullen Hq. Sqd. 11 Bomb Group, Shenadoah.

Pvt. Metro Stednitz, 18^th Air Base Sqd., St. Clair

Pvt. Herman Chattlin, 12 th Signal Platoon Chief Telephone Operator. St. Clair.

T/Sgt. Harry Fetterolf, Mediucal detachment, Llewellyn.

Corp Norman J. Smeltzer..Port Carbon

Pvt. Clyde N. Seabold 18^th Bomb Wing, Port Carbon

Pvt. Charles E. Goss, 31^st Bombing Sqd. Port Carbon

PFC William Auer HQ. 5^th  Group.

Pvt. Walter Barasha, 58^th Bombing Sqd. Shenandoah.

Pvt. Peter Brunda, 23 Material Sqd. Coaldale.

PEARL HARBOR

Pvt. Fred W. Corbin Battery G 3^rd Defense Battery. Ashland.

Harvey Smith Jr….USS West Virginia.

John M. Roberts Asst. Gunner US Navy Pottsville.\

Oscar Welde, USS Cachalot.

PO Lawerence J. Ryan USS San Francisco, Mahanoy City.

WO. Richard Wagner, USS Louisville. Port Carbon

1/C Seaman Thomas M. Coogan USS Tucker, Port Carbon.

Pvt. Eaymond Klitsch 53^rd Brigade AA. Pottsville

Pvt. Lamar Kintzel, QM Corps, Pine Grove.

Pvt. Joseph J. Yutgus HQ Battery 53^rd Coast Artillery AA. New Phila.

Pvt. Alphonse Msedalis Battery 64 Coast Artillery. Minersville.

Pvt. George Klutchka 64^th Coast Artilery Battery F. Minersville.

Pvt. John J. Knarr In telligence Battery 53^rd Coast Artillery. Mahanoy City.

Pvt. Evert Hoffman 64^th Coast Artillery Battery K, Locust Dale.

Corp. John J. Shuler Battery A Coast Artillery, Llwellyn.

Pvt. James L. Heim Battery E 64^th Coast Artillery, Sacramento.

Pvt. Joseph Kentusky Battey K 64^th Coast Artillery, Shenandoah

Pvt. Francis McDonald Intell Battery 54^th Coast Artillery, Middleport.

Pvt. Albert A. Saluta Battery K 64^th Coast Artillery, Shenadoah.

Pvt. Michael E. Delinko HQ Battery 53^rd AA Battery Arnout’s Addition.

WHEELER FIELD

S/Sgt. Edward Covelsky 44^th Pursuit Sqd. Pottsville.

Pvt. Michael E. Delinko 45thPursuit Sqd. Pottsville.

PFC Guy Hand Army Mechanic 741^st Ordance Company. Schuylkill Haven.

Pvt. Francis P. Zigmund Mechanic in Air Corps. Port Carbon.

Corp. George D. Pollack 25^th Material Sqdn. New Phila.

Sgt. John Kudlak  45^th Pursuit Sqd. Marlin.

Pfc. Joseph Botto HQ Sqd. 18^th Air Base, St. Clair.

Pfc David Fessler, 741^st Ordance Company, Summit Station.

Pfc Charles A. Zelonis 18^th Air Base. Shenandoah.

Sgt. Alfred Drabinis, 44^th Pursuit Sqd. Middleport.

SCHOFIELD BARRACKS

Pvt. John Weiss, Station Hospital. Pottsville.

Corp. Paul Smerko Co. F.35^th Infantry.Minersville.

S/Sgt Vincent F. Seminsvage 35^th Infantry Hq. Battery. St. Clair.

Pvt. Emil Sanilko HQ, Company 35^th Infantry. Pottsville.

Corp James J. Whalen Co. I 27^th Regiment. Mahanoy Plane.

Pvt. Anthony Gregonis Co. M 27^th Infantry. Minersville.

\Pvt. Eugene Carlin, Company C 21^st Infantry. Mahanoy City.

Pfc Mike Vengin, 1^st Batt. 8^th Field Artillery. Llewellyn.

Pfc Joseph Ondo, HQ Service Company 11^th Medical Regt. Llewellyn.

Pfc George Schuler, Co. C 10^th Infantry, Llewellyn.

Pvt. William J. Clery, Co. L 21^st Infantry, Tremont.

Pvt. William A. Lesher,  Hq. Com. 25^th Infantry, Ashland.

Pvt. John J. Coyne Co. E 3^rd Engineers. Ashland.

Pfc Peter A. Vasura, Co. K 35^th Infantry, Port Carbon.

Pfc Martin Peelman, Co. M 27^th Infantry. Poret Carbon.

Corp. Edmond Lynaugh, Co. H. 77^th Infantry ,Port Carbon.

Pvt.Donald F. Sorber Co. K 35^th Infantry, Shenandoah.

Pvt. Paul F.Buckley Battery C 13 Field Artillery, Shenandoah.

Pvt. Robert Heisler Signal Company Aircraft Warning. Schuylkill Haven,

Pvt.Nick Latanishen, Co. B. 19^th Infantry, Buck Run.

Pvt. Francis L. Edwards Signal Company Aircraft Warning, Hegins.

Pvt. Paul Ridgers, Battery A Field Artillery 24^th Infantry Div. New Phila.