Lyle Edgar Umenhoffer (1923 - 2015)

Born 27 May 1923 in Orange, California, United States

Ancestors

Died 27 Oct 2015 at age 92 in California, United States

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

Biography

Seaman 1st class Lyle Umenhoffer served in the United States Navy in World War II
Service started: 18 Apr 1942
Unit(s): USS Indianapolis (CA-35)
Service ended: 1945

Seaman 1st Class Lyle Umenhoffer was Wounded in Action during World War II.

Lyle Umenhoffer was awarded the Purple Heart.

Lyle was born in 1923, he was the son of Calvin A. Umenhoffer and Emma Sutter. ^[1]

Lyle enlisted in the navy on 20 Feb 1942 and was stationed on the USS Indianapolis on 18 Apr 1942 as Seaman 1st 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. Lyle was awarded the Purple Heart. The crew of the USS Indianapolis was later awarded the Congressional Gold Medal.^[2][3][4]

Lyle was transferred on 6 Aug 1945 to the USS Tranquillity (AH-14) for medical treatment after the sinking of the USS Indianapolis. He was transferred to Navy Hospital (#926) on 8 Aug 1945.^[5][6]

Lyle married Mary Helen Rogers^[7]

Lyle passed away in 2015, he is buried at Rose Hills Memorial Park, Whittier, California.^[8]

Sources

1. ↑ "California Birth Index, 1905-1995," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VG6Y-WRS : 27 November 2014), Lyle E Umenhoffer, 27 May 1923; citing Orange, California
2. ↑ U.S., World War II Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard Casualties, 1941-1945 https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/17483:1122?tid=&pid=&queryId=1fef3174ac22c321af6fbbbbe42984ab&_phsrc=nXQ1&_phstart=successSource
3. ↑ U.S., World War II Navy Muster Rolls, 1938-1949 https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/30414179:1143?tid=&pid=&queryId=1fef3174ac22c321af6fbbbbe42984ab&_phsrc=nXQ3&_phstart=successSource
4. ↑ U.S., World War II Navy Muster Rolls, 1938-1949 https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/30414179:1143?tid=&pid=&queryId=1fef3174ac22c321af6fbbbbe42984ab&_phsrc=nXQ3&_phstart=successSource
5. ↑ U.S., World War II Navy Muster Rolls, 1938-1949 https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/45700062:1143?tid=&pid=&queryId=1fef3174ac22c321af6fbbbbe42984ab&_phsrc=nXQ6&_phstart=successSource
6. ↑ U.S., World War II Navy Muster Rolls, 1938-1949 https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/45700560:1143?tid=&pid=&queryId=1fef3174ac22c321af6fbbbbe42984ab&_phsrc=nXQ7&_phstart=successSource
7. ↑ "California, County Marriages, 1850-1952", database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q2ZB-MY9W : 9 March 2021), Lyle Edgar Umenhoffer and Mary Helen Rogers, 1946
8. ↑ "Find A Grave Index," database, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q2DV-Z4NF : 21 July 2020), Lyle E Umenhoffer, 2015; Burial, , ; citing record ID , Find a Grave, http://www.findagrave.com

• "United States Public Records, 1970-2009", database, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KYSV-HR6 : 24 June 2021), L Umenhoffer, 1978-2008
• "United States Census, 1930," database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XCDS-WNQ : accessed 24 December 2022), Lyle E Umenhoffer in household of Emma Umenhoffer, San Gabriel, Los Angeles, California
• "United States Census, 1940" https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:K9WV-F9C
• "California, World War II Draft Registration Cards, 1940-1945," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QGF9-S2CX : 2 March 2020), Lyle Edgar Umenhoffer, Garvey, Los Angeles, California, United States; from "Draft Registration Cards for California, 10/16/1940 - 03/31/1947." Database and images. Ancestry. (www.ancestry.com : n.d.); citing Draft Registration, Garvey, Los Angeles, California