My Dad Defended Pearl Harbor. 63 Years Later, He Finally Let the Tears Come

It was early 1940 and my dad Eddie Maruszewski and a few friends saw that New York State was looking for people to fill positions in the NYS National Guard. They all lived in Jersey City, but for some reason at that point in time it was okay to cross state lines to join the National Guard in a different state. He ended up in the “Fighting 69th.” I did ask him how he, with such a non-Irish surname, got into the 69th and he told me that he signed up as Eddie O’Mara. Now, that has become a family legend.

Before the year was up he had moved on from the NYS National Guard to become part of the regular army of the United States of America. He was the “baby” of his family with one sister and 4 brothers. The oldest brother, Chester, had already served in the Navy during World War I.

In time, he received his orders and was a little disappointed. He was going to ship out to Hawaii while two of his friends from Jersey City were going to the Philippines. He related to me that he was jealous of them as they had “heard” that being stationed in the Philippines was a great place to head. Remember, there was still a depression lingering and going to a “tropical” paradise for city guys had to be viewed as fantastic.

This 19-year-old Jersey City native and first generation American figured he’d tough it out in Hawaii. He celebrated his 20th birthday in October of 1940. The photographs that I’ve seen show him and his fellow soldiers happy, smiling, and playing with the company dog, Paperweight. Some photos showed him wearing a puka shell necklace, which kind of surprised me, but… when in Hawaii, as they say.

Eddie (bottom right) wearing a puka necklace and petting the company dog Paperweight. Photo colorized and repaired by MyHeritage

Eddie hanging out with his fellow soldiers. Photo colorized, enhanced, and repaired by MyHeritage

On Soldiers Beach

Two months after his birthday in 1941, the laughter, smiles, going to Soldiers Beach, or playing with Paperweight were over.

‘All hell broke loose’

On the morning of December 7, 1941 it all ended. At that time he was part of Company K, 19th Infantry housed at Schofield Barracks. When the attack started, he headed to his assigned post to defend the island. “All hell broke loose,” he told me. I don’t recall just how long he waited for an invasion that never happened but in time his company and infantry unit was sent to Australia for training. And yes, the company mascot, Paperweight, and the Rock of Chickamauga also shipped out. The dog and “rock” went with the men of the 19th infantry throughout the Pacific Theater.

The “Rock of Chickamauga”

Needless, to say the “kid” from Jersey City did the job that he was trained for and came back home to that city where he met and married my Mom, Evelyn Mielach.

Eddie and Evelyn on their wedding day

He didn’t talk much about his experiences. Veterans of that period of history put those events in a private place where only they could remember them or share small pieces when ready. He did share a couple of events with me but more with my son. Guess he was ready for some reason. Lots of repeat stories about a place called Good Enough Island and a mission to go out into the jungle, find and capture an enemy soldier. No matter what the story was he’d usually end it with, “I was just doing my job, we all were.”

When the 50th anniversary of the attack was getting close, his brother, Steve, shared a newspaper article announcing a commemorative coin for survivors of the attack. He didn’t want it. His brother got the form, filled it out and being an “older” brother told him to sign it because he deserved it as much as anyone else who was there on December 7, 1941. He got the coin and now since his passing I have it. He once said that he’d let people know he was a survivor when he was the only one left.

50th anniversary commemorative coin for Pearl Harbor survivors

As I was growing up I learned that he had multiple bouts of malaria and was hospitalized at least twice. He had trouble with one leg as a result of being wounded. With both of these he suffered on and off for years. Earning a living as an upholsterer in post-war America and for years after took a toll on both of his legs, along with several malaria-related episodes.

The second time I ever saw my dad cry

I’d only seen my Dad cry twice in my lifetime. Once when my Mother died after a long battle with cancer. The other was when he received a gift of a hat. Yes, a hat that was bought specifically for him. It was purchased at Pearl Harbor and it declared “PEARL HARBOR SURVIVOR.” He cried for quite a while. Perhaps all of those years keeping things locked up and finally just burst though, but when asked “Are you okay?”, tears still flowing, he said: “All those guys in the Navy, on the ships, they really got hit hard.” Maybe he was seeing it all again, but in 2007, sitting in his wheelchair looking at his great-grandson, Joseph.

Eddie with his son, granddaughter, and great-grandson

My dad died in 2008. The Pearl Harbor hat went with him when he was laid to rest alongside his brother Steve.

His great-grandson Joseph just turned 19 and is entering his second year of college. While at Middletown High School, Joseph was a member of the NJROTC (Naval Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps) and he loved it. I thought that he may go into military service once he graduated, or perhaps go on and join the ROTC (Reserve Officers’ Training Corps) program in college. He and I have talked about his great-grandfather and how he viewed his “job” while in the military. Joseph had a lot of questions and sadly I had very few answers, answers that only my Dad could give. I have copies of all of his military records saved after the July 1973 fire at the National Personnel Records Center. There’s a lot missing but together we read and reviewed page after darkened and signed page looking for information about his years of service to the nation.  We actually found a reference to his Good Conduct Award in those papers.

Eddie’s military awards

 Now there are a total of 8 great-grandchildren and they all have seen his photo album and medals and asked questions that still have no answers. Sadly the only one that met him is Joseph.

Eddie with Joseph

Many thanks to MyHeritage user Edmund Maruszewski for sharing his father’s incredible story and photos. Explore more American Family Stories and discover how ordinary families experienced extraordinary moments in U.S. history on MyHeritage’s America 250 hub.