Unknown – 13Nov1942
Please help. Nick is the only Edison Hero whose date of birth is unknown. If you have any knowledge of his DOB, please contact mike@edisonheroes.com.
Edison Days
Nick graduated with the Class of June 1940. He was active in Football and Hi-Y.
Nick was a letterman his senior year.
Military Service
Rate: Parachute Rigger 3rd Class
Branch: United States Navy
Ship: USS San Francisco
Records indicate that Nick joined the Navy on 29Aug1940.
He attended basic training at Great Lakes Naval Training Station in North Chicago, Illinois. He completed basic training in November 1940 and reported to the USS Mississippi at Bremerton, Washington on 15Nov1940.
Muster rolls seem to indicate that Nick did not stay on the Mississippi for long as he was transferred to the USS San Francisco on 9Dec1940.
In June 1941 Nick was sent to Parachute Riggers school at Naval Air Station San Diego, California. While in school, the San Francisco was scheduled to undergo an overhaul at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii from October to December 1941. Amazingly, even though the San Francisco was in Pearl Harbor on 7Dec1941, it was untouched by the Japanese attack!
Nick completed his schooling in January 1942 and returned to the San Francisco. The United States was now at war with Japan.
As soon as Nick rejoined the ship, the San Francisco was steaming West to join the fighting. From mid-January to mid-April 1942 the San Francisco was involved in several actions in the South Pacific.
Over the next month Nick and the San Francisco sailed back to Hawaii and then on to San Francisco, California.
In May 1942 the ship sailed all the way to Australia and the back to Pearl Harbor. June and July were spent in and around Hawaii preparing for major offensive.
In August 1942 the San Francisco was back in the South Pacific to participate in the invatsion of Guadalcanal. San Francisco would spend 2 months in the waters around Guadalcanal. operations planned for the South Pacific.
On October 11-12 San Francisco was supported the naval victory in the Battle of Cape Esperance.
November 12-13 would prove to be a fateful time for Nick and the San Francisco.
Serving as flagship for Rear Admiral Daniel J. Callaghan’s Task Group 67.4, San Francisco was screening U.S. transport ships unloading reinforcements and supplies near Lunga Point, Guadalcanal. In the afternoon (around 2:10–2:18 pm), Japanese aircraft attacked in multiple waves. The critical incident involved low-flying G4M “Betty” torpedo bombers. One Betty, already hit and on fire from anti-aircraft fire, released its torpedo (which missed) and deliberately crashed into the ships after control station.
The crash and resulting fire killed approximately 24–35 men and wounded about 45. The impact destroyed the after-control station, damaged radar and fire-control equipment, knocked out several 20mm guns, and started a serious fire. The ship also suffered minor damage from near misses and friendly fire incidents involving nearby destroyers.
Despite the damage and casualties, the crew fought the fires, and the ship remained operational. The transports continued unloading after the raid.
That night, Callaghan’s force (composed of 2 heavy cruisers including San Francisco, 3 light cruisers, and 8 destroyers) intercepted a powerful Japanese bombardment force under Vice Admiral Hiroaki Abe. The Japanese group included the battleships Hiei and Kirishima, plus cruisers and destroyers aiming to shell Henderson Field.
Around 1:35 am, the forces collided in a chaotic, close-range night melee in Ironbottom Sound near Savo Island. Ranges dropped to as little as a few hundred to 3,000 yards.
San Francisco opened fire on Japanese ships. She engaged multiple targets, including scoring at least 17 eight-inch hits on the battleship Hiei, which helped disable her steering.
Japanese ships concentrated fire on San Francisco. She took approximately 45 shell hits (a mix of 5-inch, 6-inch, 8-inch, and 14-inch battleship shells). A direct hit on the navigation bridge killed or mortally wounded nearly everyone there, including Rear Admiral Daniel J. Callaghan and Captain Cassin Young.
The ship suffered catastrophic topside damage: fires, destroyed gun mounts, wrecked superstructure, and loss of steering and control at times. However, no hits penetrated below the waterline, which was critical to her survival. She extinguished 22 fires and remained combat-effective enough to continue fighting and then withdraw.
The battle resulted in an estimated 77 to 86 killed and approximately 105 wounded. Nick was one of the sailors killed. He was buried at sea.
The Edison Record student newspaper reported on Nick’s death.
Nick’s is 1 of 36,286 names inscribed on the Tablets of the Missing at the Manila American Cemetary and Memorial in the Philippines.
Edison Heroes 