World War II Honoree

Michael Galajdik

Branch of Service

U.S. Navy

Hometown

Lockport, Illinois

Honored By

Orville L. Kline

Rank: Fireman First Class. He was inducted into the United States Navy April 16, 1940 at Chicago, Illinois. Served aboard the USS Oklahoma Battleship BB-37 and based at Pearl Harbor, Territory of Hawaii. On Sunday Morning, December 7, 1941 the Emperor of Japan’s Naval Aviators launched a devastating, surprise attack on the U.S. Naval Base, and other military installations on Oahu. The Oklahoma moored on Ford Island along with her shipmates came under attack, and she sustained multiple torpedo strikes, which caused the warship to capsize. The Battle of Pearl Harbor took his life on the day of the attack, and interred in the Oahu Nuuanu Cemetery, Territory of Hawaii. After the cessation of hostilities with Japan, personnel from an American Graves Registration Company disinterred the unknown remains from the Oahu Cemetery, and laid them to rest in the Honolulu National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific, 'Punchbowl' Hawaii. In June of 2015, personnel from the Defense Prisoners of War/Missing in Action Accounting Agency disinterred an unknown from Punchbowl, and transferred the remains to their Honolulu’s laboratory for analysis, where he was identified. The family of this Sailor received his remains for burial. He was laid to rest with Military Honors, April 22, 2017 at the Abraham Lincoln National Cemetery in Elwood, Illinois. This American Patriot was awarded the Purple Heart posthumously, for his ultimate sacrifice in defense of his country.