USS Whitehurst Death Card

[Trevor Arendall]

Hello all,

 

I would like to share a rather interesting item in my collection. This is a death card to James Xavier Mochak. He was a sailor on board the USS Whitehurst and was killed when a "Val" dive-bomber crashed into the ship's forward superstructure on the port side of the pilot house on April 12, 1945 while on patrol off Okinawa. The "Val" actually continued through the ship and blew up an estimated 50 feet off the bow. Out of the 213 crew of the USS Whitehurst, 42 died in the attack. The image on the death card is an actual photograph of the sailor. I have included the Report of changes for the USS Whitehurst that lists Mochak as KIA and a picture of the destroyer escort. 

 

Please feel free to comment below! 

[HelmetguyCT]

Very nice. I have only three or four cards like such. They aren’t easy to come by. Great piece.

[Trevor Arendall]

Just now, HelmetguyCT said:

Very nice. I have only three or four cards like such. They aren’t easy to come by. Great piece.

Thank you! Are your cards army, navy or marine? 

[HelmetguyCT]

I have one airborne guy, two air corps, infantry, and a few post-war church services 

[Trevor Arendall]

5 hours ago, HelmetguyCT said:

I have one airborne guy, two air corps, infantry, and a few post-war church services 

All too cool! Thank you for sharing