Gordon William Simcox (1915 - 1945)

Born 10 Oct 1915 in Mahoning, Ohio, United States

Ancestors

Died 30 Jul 1945 at age 29 in Philippine Sea

Problems/Questions Profile manager: v. Wilson [send private message]

Biography

Electrician’s Mate 3rd Class Gordon Simcox served in the United States Navy in World War II
Service started: 8 Sep 1943
Unit(s): USS Indianapolis (CA-35)
Service ended: 30 Jul 1945

Electrician’s Mate 3rd Class Gordon Simcox was Killed in Action during World War II.

Gordon Simcox was awarded the Purple Heart.

Gordon was born in 1915. His parents were William Clarence Simcox 1885–1948 and Erma Marie Gordon VanDyne 1895–1978.

Gordon married Melda (Lane) Simcox 1918–2001 about 1942. They had one child, Janet Kay Simcox Blagg 1943–1973^[1]

Gordon enlisted in the naval reserve on 8 Sep 1943, he was stationed on the USS Indianapolis on 27 Apr 1944, where he served as Electrician’s Mate 3rd Class.

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. Gordon was posthumously awarded the Purple Heart. The crew of the USS Indianapolis was later awarded the Congressional Gold Medal.^[2][3][4]

Gordon is honored at two memorials: USS Indianapolis National Memorial, Indianapolis, Marion, Indiana and Fort William Mckinley, Manila, Philippines.^[5][6]

Sources

1. ↑ "Ohio, County Marriages, 1789-2016", database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QPQ2-WXJ6 : 21 July 2022), Gordon Simcox and Melda Louise Lane, 1940
2. ↑ U.S., Department of Veterans Affairs BIRLS Death File https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/11759683:2441
3. ↑ U.S., Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency, Unaccounted-for Remains, Group B (Unrecoverable) https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/14660:62207
4. ↑ U.S., Navy Casualties Books U.S., Navy Casualties Books
5. ↑ Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/194044895/gordon-william-simcox: accessed 07 October 2023), memorial page for Gordon William Simcox (10 Oct 1915–30 Jul 1945), Find a Grave Memorial ID 194044895, citing U.S.S. Indianapolis National Memorial, Indianapolis, Marion County, Indiana, USA
6. ↑ Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/56766137/gordon-william-simcox: accessed 07 October 2023), memorial page for EM3 Gordon William Simcox (10 Oct 1915–30 Jul 1945), Find a Grave Memorial ID 56766137, citing Manila American Cemetery and Memorial, Manila, Capital District, National Capital Region, Philippines

• "United States Census, 1920", database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MDGK-X4W : Tue Oct 03 19:00:51 UTC 2023), Entry for William C Simcox and Anna Simcox, 1920
• "United States Census, 1940", database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KWD4-Z3R : Tue Oct 03 17:24:16 UTC 2023), Entry for William Simcox and Irma Simcox, 1940
• Gordon 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