SF2c Erwin H. Naasz

Erwin H. Naasz was born Jan. 4, 1916 in Kingman, Kansas 40 miles west of Wichita to John Naasz, a farmer and Russian immigrant, and Wilhelmin “Minnie” Fiechtner Naasz, a homemaker.

Erwin attended Kingman High School, where the local newspaper reported that he had perfect attendance in 1932. His father died the next year. Erwin graduated in 1934.

He enlisted in the Navy in July 1938 and was a shipfitter and petty officer second class on the U.S.S. Arizona when he was killed in the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, Dec. 7, 1941.

A memorial service in February 1942 at the high school gym paid tribute to Mr. Naasz and to two other Kingman County men killed in the early days of World War II. The Veterans of Foreign Wars officiated, assisted by a Baptist preacher.

All of his younger brothers served in the military — Albert and Elmer in Army glider units in WWII and Robert, born in 1931, in the Air Force.

Sources: the Kingman (Kansas) Journal; The Leader-Courier of Kingman; the Oracle of Kingman; Census; Navy muster roll; cenotaph; the Billings (Montana) Gazette; Frank Funeral Home of Kansas; Department of Defense. This profile was researched and written on behalf of the U.S.S. Arizona Mall Memorial at the University of Arizona.