Lucky Bag Yearbook

From the 1944 Lucky Bag:

Richard Jerome Krotkiewicz

On entering the Academy Krocky straightway started to make a place for himself in athletics, academics, the eye of the “Exec” Department and the hearts of his classmates. Plebe summer he won two bouts by knockout and dropped one by decision for the company boxing squad. Winter found him on the swimming team. By youngster year he was Navy’s number one diver. He stood high in his class despite a lack of academic interest. His keen judgment and strong will won him four stripes. His many friends testify to his place in the esteem of his classmates.

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He commanded the 2nd Battalion for the 1st set. The Class of 1944 was graduated in June 1943 due to World War II. The entirety of 2nd class (junior) year was removed from the curriculum.

Loss

Richard was lost when USS Tang (SS 306) was sunk by a circular run of her own torpedo on October 24, 1944 in the Taiwan Strait.

Other Information

From researcher Kathy Franz:

In 1938, Richard’s father, a delicatessen store proprietor, was found guilty of selling meats and groceries on Sundays. The law was upheld. In 1939, he had collected $23,000 for the Polish defense fund. It had to be stopped in September because of the President’s neutrality proclamation. $12,000 was deposited for the Polish government in a New York bank, and $11,000 was given to the Polish Red Cross. His father, who was born in Detroit, was blind in his left eye.

Note that he changed his name at some point to Kroth from Krotkiewicz. On Eternal Patrol also lists him as a recipient of the Silver Star; this is also mentioned in the book, The Bravest Man, by William Tuohy, about the USS Tang and its skipper, Richard O’Kane. In this book Richard is referred to as “Dick Kroth”.

He has a memory marker in Manila. He was survived by his father Edmund, a radio broadcaster; mother Emelia, brothers Edmund and LeRoy.