Frank Kubiak, married and a father of two children, enlisted in the Navy at the age of 28 and well past the age of being exempt from service. Frank felt duty calling as the war held on in mid-1943, enlisting on June 10th, and completed boot camp at the the Great Lakes Naval Training Station. Upon completion of training Frank transferred to the Pacific where he joined the Calvert’s 2nd Deck Division on August 12, 1943. Frank served aboard the Calvert until late March, 1945. He then spent time in Bremerton, Washington and Manila, Philippines. He was also aboard the S.S. Tachibana Maru, the famous Japanese Hospital Ship captured late in the war, in August of 1945.
Frank was a lifelong resident of Chicago (having emigrated from Poland with his parents) and worked for Johnson & Johnson as a machinist before and after the war. Sadly, Frank died in 1969.
Appreciation to Frank’s grandson, Larry O’Connell, for the photographs below and solving a big question I’ve had for many years: i.e., A firm date for the 2nd Division Boat Crew photograph below, and here.
Frank Kubiak, USN Seaman First – Class
