John Allen Simcox (1924 - 1945)

Born 31 May 1924 in Akron, Summit, Ohio, United States

Ancestors

Died 30 Jul 1945 at age 21 in Philippine Sea

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Biography

Fireman 1st Class John Simcox served in the United States Navy in World War II
Service started: 1945
Unit(s): USS Indianapolis (CA-35)
Service ended: 30 Jul 1945

Fireman 1st Class John Simcox was Killed in Action during World War II.

John Simcox was awarded the Purple Heart.

John was born in 1924. His parents were Archer Clifton Simcox 1894–1938 and Gertrude M Seesdorf Simcox 1893–1947.

John enlisted in the naval reserve about 1945, he was stationed on the USS Indianapolis on 11 May 1945, where he served as Fireman 1st Class.^[1]

In July 1945 the USS Indianapolis was sent on a secret mission to deliver the components of the Little Boy atomic bomb to Tinian Island without an escort, on the return trip, still without escort, it was attacked by a Japanese submarine. The USS Indianapolis sank in 12 minutes on 30 Jul 1945 with some 300 of the 1,195 crewmen aboard going down with the ship. With few lifeboats and many without life jackets, only 316 of the nearly 900 men set adrift survived the 4 days in shark infested water before rescue. John was posthumously awarded the Purple Heart. The crew of the USS Indianapolis was later awarded the Congressional Gold Medal.^[2][3][4]

John is honored at three memorials: Greenlawn Cemetery, Uniontown, Stark County, Ohio; USS Indianapolis National Memorial, Indianapolis, Marion, Indiana and Fort William Mckinley, Manila, Philippines.^[5][6][7]

Sources

1. ↑ U.S., World War II Navy Muster Rolls, 1938-1949 https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/32066223:1143?_phsrc=wGA4&_phstart=successSource&gsfn=John+Allen&gsln=Simcox&ml_rpos=1&queryId=5fd27e20ec45372a247bd353abb63bbb
2. ↑ U.S., Navy Casualties Books https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/55493:2324
3. ↑ U.S., Rosters of World War II Dead https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/293505:1102
4. ↑ U.S., Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency, Unaccounted-for Remains, Group B (Unrecoverable) https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/16256:62207?tid=&pid=&queryId=45f5cf0ce8ecbf0670216a6a29fcbccc&_phsrc=EzO7822&_phstart=successSource
5. ↑ Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/39152779/john-allen-simcox: accessed 05 October 2023), memorial page for John Allen Simcox (31 May 1924–30 Jul 1945), Find a Grave Memorial ID 39152779, citing Greenlawn Cemetery, Uniontown, Stark County, Ohio, USA; Maintained by Dirt Hero Paula (contributor 46917490).
6. ↑ Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/194045026/john-allen-simcox: accessed 05 October 2023), memorial page for John Allen Simcox (31 May 1924–30 Jul 1945), Find a Grave Memorial ID 194045026, citing U.S.S. Indianapolis National Memorial, Indianapolis, Marion County, Indiana, USA
7. ↑ Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/56766138/john-allen-simcox: accessed 05 October 2023), memorial page for F1 John Allen Simcox (31 May 1924–30 Jul 1945), Find a Grave Memorial ID 56766138, citing Manila American Cemetery and Memorial, Manila, Capital District, National Capital Region, Philippines; Maintained by IrishEyes (contributor 47644540).

• "United States Census, 1930", database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:X4C1-JH8 : Thu Sep 21 20:38:06 UTC 2023), Entry for Archer Simcox and Gertrude Simcox, 1930
• "United States Census, 1940", database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KWLR-MW3 : Thu Oct 05 05:10:05 UTC 2023), Entry for Grace Seesdorf and Gertrude Simcox, 1940
• John is included on the USS Indianapolis in World War II Wikitree Space Page https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Space:USS_Indianapolis_%28CA-35%29_in_World_War_II