Milton Mucha

Milton Marvin Mucha

GM2

Milton was born in Granger, Texas on February 2, 1922 to John and Albina Mikesh Mucha. His Grandfather was one of the areas leading businessmen and his uncle had the first oil well in eastern Bell County Texas. His father was in agriculture before his untimely death. Milton's father passed away when Milton was 10 months old. His mother remarried to Rudolph Kalenda. Milton had two sisters Mildred and Martha. Three brothers Raymond, Calvin and Johnny. Milton was married to Nelda Wendler and they

had three children Carolyn, Ronny, and Vicky. He now has five grandchildren Alan, Kara, Kirby, Renda and Wesley. He has seven Great grandchildren twins Jenna and Meghan, Clayton, Corey, Jace, Caitlen, and Kyler. Milton was engaged in farming and ranching all his life. He loved fishing and his grandchildren. Milton died of colon cancer in April of 1986. He is buried at the Holland City Cemetery in Holland, Texas.

On June 26th 1942 Milton Marvin Mucha along with his brother Calvin Kalenda, friends Adolph Jarolik and Donald Stalmach ofTaylor, Texas enlisted in the U.S. Navy. Place of entrance into active service was Houston, Texas. They were sent to San Diego, California then to Bremerton, Washington. Milton, Adolph and Donald were assigned to the U.S.S.Nassau-CVE16. Milton was later on the LST-122. Milton served in the Aleutians, Attu Island operation, the Gilberts, Marshalls and Okinawa. Milton didn't talk a lot about the War years. He did talk about work in the gunnery tub when the Japanese would be shooting at our aircraft and the Nassau and getting so close you could see their faces as our gunners shot them. He talked about the happier things while in the Navy such as the time he and Adolph met up with another sailor from home, Edmond Smensky of Taylor in San Francisco. Milton's brother-in-law Frank A. Wood was on the U.S.S. Ammen DD-527. They were in Cold Bay Alaska at the same time as part of Task group 51, but they didn't know their paths had crossed until a later time. There was a time when the Nassau was docked at Espiritu Santo, New Hebrides. Milton's brother Calvin was on

the U.S.S. Cassiopeia AK-75. She was coming in and Calvin was searching ships to see if the Nassau might be there and if his brother was still on the Nassau. Calvin saw the Nassau and with much excitement he got permission to have a flag message sent to the Nassau to see if his brother, Milton was still on board. He was. Calvin requested permission to leave the Cassiopeia and again by flags to board the Nassau. Permission was granted. The two brothers had their only meeting during the war. They did not see each other again until December 1945 on the solid dirt of their hometown Holland, Texas. Calvin said the Nassau had movies, good food and ice cream. He said Milton's buddies and other crew members on the Nassau were some of the nicest he met during the war. He said when he left the Nassau and his brother he was "loaded down" with hair oil and other personal supplies and food. He said as he boarded the "Cassie" he was the most popular guy on ship.

Milton was honorably discharged from the Navy on 13 of November 1945 at Camp Wallace, Texas. He was awarded the Asiatic-Pacific Ribbon with four battle stars, the American Theatre Ribbon, Victory Ribbon, and Good Conduct medals.