Hiram Campbell Fitzgerald, Jr., 85, of Lake Limestone, passed away Friday, Oct. 6, 2006, in a Bonham, Texas hospital. Funeral services will be at 10 a.m. Wednesday, Oct. 11, at Groesbeck Funeral Home Chapel with Dr. Robert Herzig officiating. Burial will follow in Lost Prairie Cemetery.
Hiram was born in Personville, Texas, to the late Hiram Campbell Fitzgerald, Sr. and Cordelia (Rankin) Fitzgerald. He graduated from high school at the age of 16. As a young man, he felt compelled to defend the country that he loved so well, and promptly enlisted in the United States Navy. He was ultimately assigned to the battleship USS South Dakota, BB-57, also known as Battleship X. He served in World War II and re-upped for the Korean War.
Following his naval service, H.C. knew he wanted to be an electrical engineer, and he graduated from Texas Tech as just that. From Lubbock, he moved briefly to Chicago to pursue his Master's, and in 1954, he began a long career with Westinghouse Electrical Corporation. Domiciled in San Marcos, Texas, he traveled the world over from power plant to power plant and at one time was personally responsible for 6% of the total world's electrical generation.
He was a Registered Professional Engineer. He associated with other affiliations such as the Veterans Administration, the Veterans of Foreign War (VFW) and the American Legion. He loved God, his family, his country and Texas.
H.C. is survived by his son, James Patrick Fitzgerald, of Keller, Texas; daughters, Deanna Ruth Fitzgerald, of Waco, and Lindy Fitzgerald Spears, of Houston; grandchildren, Shelton James Fitzgerald, of Keller, Texas, Chelsea Fitzgerald, of Denver, Colo., Alex Spears and Corey Spears, of Houston; nephew, L.D.; and Mary Ann Wilson, of Groesbeck.
Waco Tribune-Herald: 10/12/2006
Electrician's Mate Second Class (EM2/C) Fitzgerald Enlisted in the US Navy on the 12 December 1938 and served during WWII. He was assigned to the Battleship USS South Dakota BB57 on 21 March 1942 in the E Division. The USS South Dakota is the most decorated battleship of WWII, earning 13 Battle Stars and a Navy Unit Citation. She sailed 250,000 miles and crossed the equator 30 times and the Arctic Circle once. She is accredited with downing 64 Japanese planes, 9 shore bombardments, and unofficially sinking 3 enemy cruisers. She set a record during the Battle of Santa Cruz, shooting down 23 planes in a single engagement. She and the USS Washington fought a slugging match with the Japanese battleship Kirishima during the Second Naval Battle of Guadalcanal. One of only two battleship vs. battleship engagements of the entire Pacific Theater. She was there for the Japanese surrender and led the fleet back to San Francisco.
Hiram was born in Personville, Texas, to the late Hiram Campbell Fitzgerald, Sr. and Cordelia (Rankin) Fitzgerald. He graduated from high school at the age of 16. As a young man, he felt compelled to defend the country that he loved so well, and promptly enlisted in the United States Navy. He was ultimately assigned to the battleship USS South Dakota, BB-57, also known as Battleship X. He served in World War II and re-upped for the Korean War.
Following his naval service, H.C. knew he wanted to be an electrical engineer, and he graduated from Texas Tech as just that. From Lubbock, he moved briefly to Chicago to pursue his Master's, and in 1954, he began a long career with Westinghouse Electrical Corporation. Domiciled in San Marcos, Texas, he traveled the world over from power plant to power plant and at one time was personally responsible for 6% of the total world's electrical generation.
He was a Registered Professional Engineer. He associated with other affiliations such as the Veterans Administration, the Veterans of Foreign War (VFW) and the American Legion. He loved God, his family, his country and Texas.
H.C. is survived by his son, James Patrick Fitzgerald, of Keller, Texas; daughters, Deanna Ruth Fitzgerald, of Waco, and Lindy Fitzgerald Spears, of Houston; grandchildren, Shelton James Fitzgerald, of Keller, Texas, Chelsea Fitzgerald, of Denver, Colo., Alex Spears and Corey Spears, of Houston; nephew, L.D.; and Mary Ann Wilson, of Groesbeck.
Waco Tribune-Herald: 10/12/2006
Electrician's Mate Second Class (EM2/C) Fitzgerald Enlisted in the US Navy on the 12 December 1938 and served during WWII. He was assigned to the Battleship USS South Dakota BB57 on 21 March 1942 in the E Division. The USS South Dakota is the most decorated battleship of WWII, earning 13 Battle Stars and a Navy Unit Citation. She sailed 250,000 miles and crossed the equator 30 times and the Arctic Circle once. She is accredited with downing 64 Japanese planes, 9 shore bombardments, and unofficially sinking 3 enemy cruisers. She set a record during the Battle of Santa Cruz, shooting down 23 planes in a single engagement. She and the USS Washington fought a slugging match with the Japanese battleship Kirishima during the Second Naval Battle of Guadalcanal. One of only two battleship vs. battleship engagements of the entire Pacific Theater. She was there for the Japanese surrender and led the fleet back to San Francisco.
Hiram Campbell Fitzgerald, Jr., 85, of Lake Limestone, passed away Friday, Oct. 6, 2006, in a Bonham, Texas hospital. Funeral services will be at 10 a.m. Wednesday, Oct. 11, at Groesbeck Funeral Home Chapel with Dr. Robert Herzig officiating. Burial will follow in Lost Prairie Cemetery.
Hiram was born in Personville, Texas, to the late Hiram Campbell Fitzgerald, Sr. and Cordelia (Rankin) Fitzgerald. He graduated from high school at the age of 16. As a young man, he felt compelled to defend the country that he loved so well, and promptly enlisted in the United States Navy. He was ultimately assigned to the battleship USS South Dakota, BB-57, also known as Battleship X. He served in World War II and re-upped for the Korean War.
Following his naval service, H.C. knew he wanted to be an electrical engineer, and he graduated from Texas Tech as just that. From Lubbock, he moved briefly to Chicago to pursue his Master's, and in 1954, he began a long career with Westinghouse Electrical Corporation. Domiciled in San Marcos, Texas, he traveled the world over from power plant to power plant and at one time was personally responsible for 6% of the total world's electrical generation.
He was a Registered Professional Engineer. He associated with other affiliations such as the Veterans Administration, the Veterans of Foreign War (VFW) and the American Legion. He loved God, his family, his country and Texas.
H.C. is survived by his son, James Patrick Fitzgerald, of Keller, Texas; daughters, Deanna Ruth Fitzgerald, of Waco, and Lindy Fitzgerald Spears, of Houston; grandchildren, Shelton James Fitzgerald, of Keller, Texas, Chelsea Fitzgerald, of Denver, Colo., Alex Spears and Corey Spears, of Houston; nephew, L.D.; and Mary Ann Wilson, of Groesbeck.
Waco Tribune-Herald: 10/12/2006
Electrician's Mate Second Class (EM2/C) Fitzgerald Enlisted in the US Navy on the 12 December 1938 and served during WWII. He was assigned to the Battleship USS South Dakota BB57 on 21 March 1942 in the E Division. The USS South Dakota is the most decorated battleship of WWII, earning 13 Battle Stars and a Navy Unit Citation. She sailed 250,000 miles and crossed the equator 30 times and the Arctic Circle once. She is accredited with downing 64 Japanese planes, 9 shore bombardments, and unofficially sinking 3 enemy cruisers. She set a record during the Battle of Santa Cruz, shooting down 23 planes in a single engagement. She and the USS Washington fought a slugging match with the Japanese battleship Kirishima during the Second Naval Battle of Guadalcanal. One of only two battleship vs. battleship engagements of the entire Pacific Theater. She was there for the Japanese surrender and led the fleet back to San Francisco.
Hiram was born in Personville, Texas, to the late Hiram Campbell Fitzgerald, Sr. and Cordelia (Rankin) Fitzgerald. He graduated from high school at the age of 16. As a young man, he felt compelled to defend the country that he loved so well, and promptly enlisted in the United States Navy. He was ultimately assigned to the battleship USS South Dakota, BB-57, also known as Battleship X. He served in World War II and re-upped for the Korean War.
Following his naval service, H.C. knew he wanted to be an electrical engineer, and he graduated from Texas Tech as just that. From Lubbock, he moved briefly to Chicago to pursue his Master's, and in 1954, he began a long career with Westinghouse Electrical Corporation. Domiciled in San Marcos, Texas, he traveled the world over from power plant to power plant and at one time was personally responsible for 6% of the total world's electrical generation.
He was a Registered Professional Engineer. He associated with other affiliations such as the Veterans Administration, the Veterans of Foreign War (VFW) and the American Legion. He loved God, his family, his country and Texas.
H.C. is survived by his son, James Patrick Fitzgerald, of Keller, Texas; daughters, Deanna Ruth Fitzgerald, of Waco, and Lindy Fitzgerald Spears, of Houston; grandchildren, Shelton James Fitzgerald, of Keller, Texas, Chelsea Fitzgerald, of Denver, Colo., Alex Spears and Corey Spears, of Houston; nephew, L.D.; and Mary Ann Wilson, of Groesbeck.
Waco Tribune-Herald: 10/12/2006
Electrician's Mate Second Class (EM2/C) Fitzgerald Enlisted in the US Navy on the 12 December 1938 and served during WWII. He was assigned to the Battleship USS South Dakota BB57 on 21 March 1942 in the E Division. The USS South Dakota is the most decorated battleship of WWII, earning 13 Battle Stars and a Navy Unit Citation. She sailed 250,000 miles and crossed the equator 30 times and the Arctic Circle once. She is accredited with downing 64 Japanese planes, 9 shore bombardments, and unofficially sinking 3 enemy cruisers. She set a record during the Battle of Santa Cruz, shooting down 23 planes in a single engagement. She and the USS Washington fought a slugging match with the Japanese battleship Kirishima during the Second Naval Battle of Guadalcanal. One of only two battleship vs. battleship engagements of the entire Pacific Theater. She was there for the Japanese surrender and led the fleet back to San Francisco.
Family Members
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
Explore more
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
