Michael Carr

EVENING COURIER
CAMDEN, N.J., TUESDAY, JUNE !3, 1944

15 DEAD, 2 MISSING FROM SOUTH JERSEY
Former Camden Resident, Holder of Six Awards, Among New Casualties
SHILOH FLIER LISTED DOWNED IN EUROPE

Fifteen South Jersey men were among the 1511 reported by the War Department today as killed in action on the six fighting fronts. Two others from this area are reported missing.

Killed:
   Staff Sergeant Ronald J. Pearce, of 330 Delancey Street, Philadelphia, formerly of 3404 Federal Street, Camden.
   Private First Class Charles La Porta, of 142 Chestnut Street, Williamstown.
   Private Frank Ballerino, of 2004 South 10th Street, Camden.
   Sergeant Elmer F. Day, of 521 Lexington Avenue, Merchantville.
   Corporal William T. Eastlack, of 142 I Street, Carney's Point.
   Private Clarence T. Jaggers, of Columbia Road and St. James Walk, National Park.
   Sergeant Carl E. Johanson, of 5019 Jefferson Avenue, Pennsauken.
   Corporal Steven V. Koscianski, of 966 Bulson Street, Camden.
   Private First Class William R. McKeon, of Pine Avenue, Blackwood.
   Sergeant Andrew W. Olsen, of Dorothy.
   Corporal Aldo Steffanice, of 74 Norman Avenue, Pennsgrove.
   Private First Class John A. Landicina, of 402 Southeast Avenue, Vineland.
   Michael Carr, of 1059 Everett street, Camden.
   Captain Carlton P. Hogan, of 207 East Union Street, Burlington.
   Corporal Millard E. Buckingham, of 38 Grant Street, Deepwater.

Missing:
   Lt. Robert Probasco, of Shiloh.
   Lt. John Ruggiero, of Bridgeboro Road, Beverly.

3 On Troopship Lost

Ballerino, Koscianski, and Carr are believed to have met their fates on the same transport. War Department telegrams to families of all three men reveal that each was a passenger on a troopship that was lost due to enemy action in the Mediterranean on Nov. 27, 1943. All have been awarded Purple Hearts.

Carr, 29, was employed as a machinist by McAndrews and Forbes prior to his induction. He entered the service two years ago. 

The following reported as dead in today's official casualty list were previously reported as missing: Sergeant Day, Private Jaggers, Corporal Koscianski, Private McKeon, and Private Steffanice.

Also listed as dead in today's official casualty list but previously reported in these columns are: Private Michael Yachus, 679 Ferry Avenue, Camden; Joseph H. Johnson, 1273 South Merrimac Road, Camden; Private Harry V. Taylor, 3 Kings Highway East, Haddonfield; Private Merl H. Reagle, Maple Avenue, Lindenwold; Private Jacob K. Jenkins, Marne Highway, Mt. Holly, formerly of Pennsauken; Private Harry E. Harker, 6 Beach Avenue Blackwood; PFC Jack S. Dubois,  Church Street, Williamstown, and Charles R. Stewart Jr., 319 Linden Street, Camden.

TECHNICIAN FIFTH CLASS MICHAEL CARR was born in 1915 to John and Mary Carr, who had immigrated to the USA from what was then Austria-Hungary. John, born in 1890, was a laborer in a paper factory, had come here in 1912, Mary, seven years his junior, a year later. Both had learned English and had become American citizens. Michael was the oldest, after him came Olga, Claude, Anna, Jean (Jennie), Gloria, and Walt. He grew up at 1625 Fillmore Street in what was then Camden's 8th Ward. 

Before the Army called he had married, and was living with his wife Anne at 1059 Everett Street in the Whitman Park section of Camden, working as a machinist for the McAndrews and Forbes Company at their licorice plant at South 3rd and Jefferson Streets. Drafted in the summer of 1942, he was assigned to the 31st Signal Construction Battalion, and trained with them at Camp Atterbury IN. Michael Carr was killed in action when the transport HMT Rohna was sunk by a German guided missile off the coast of North Africa in November of 1943. A survivor of the sinking who was with him at the time reported that he was able to leap clear of the ship, but was not seen again after entering the water. He was 29 years old.

Michael Carr was survived by his wife, brother Walt, and sisters Olga, Gloria, Anne, and Jennie.