William J. Stilinovich
Era: World War II
Military Branch: Navy
William J. Stilinovich enlisted in the Navy on November 17, 1942. Home at entry: Hibbing, Minnesota.
He served as a Seaman First Class and Naval Armed Guard gunner aboard the merchant ships SS Irene DuPont, SS George Leonard, and SS Samuel Gorton in the Atlantic and Pacific theaters.
He recalls his wartime service: “A battle I remember took place between Greenland and Iceland March 16 to 20, 1943. My brother Joe’s ship, the SS Harry Luckenbach, and my ship the SS Irene DuPont were hit by two torpedoes at 12:40 and 12:55 a.m.
“The lifeboat I was in with 20 men capsized. There were nine of us left. It was terribly cold. The nine of us knew we could not last long in that cold water. The swells were about 20 to 25 feet. We tied a red light to the one oar we had and held it up. The HMS Mansfield got orders to make one last search of the area and spotted that light. When they got us on board I was very sick, swallowed oil, smeared with oil and very cold. I was sent to the hospital in Glasgow, Scotland, then back to the States on the Queen Elizabeth. I was then sent home on three weeks survivor’s leave.
"In that battle 22 ships were sunk and the loss of life was high: 292 Merchant Marine, 52 U.S. Navy Armed Guard, 17 Royal Navy gunners and 12 passengers.
“My next ship, the SS George Leonard, went to North Africa, Sicily, Italy and southern France. We spent many months at sea. My last ship, the SS Gorton, went up into the Persian Gulf to Iran with tanks for the Russian front. It was a dangerous trip; we sailed alone, no escorts. I later went to the Pacific, to the Marshall Islands, Marianna Islands, and ended up at Guam getting ready for the invasion of Japan.”
Mr. Stilinovich received the following: Combat Action Ribbon European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with three battle stars.
He was honorably discharged on Jan. 28, 1946.
Source: Hometown Heroes: The Saint Louis County World War II Project, 309.
His brother, Joseph A. Stilinovich, entered the Navy on November 17, 1942. He served as a Seaman First Class and Armed Guard gunner aboard Merchant ships in the European Theater.
William Stilinovich tells what happened to his brother: “He was assigned to a gun crew aboard the SS Harry Luckenbach. On the night of March 17, 1943, the Luckenbach was hit by two torpedoes. There was a tremendous explosion with smoke and flame. The ship sank in a matter of minutes.
“Three lifeboats did get away with survivors. It is not known how many were killed by the explosion. The lifeboats were seen by three destroyers: HMS Beverly, HMS Volunteer and HMS Pennyworth. The attacks were so severe they could not get to these lifeboats. None of the men from the Luckenbach were ever seen or heard from again. Joseph Stilinovich’s life ended in the waters of the Atlantic at age 20.”
Joseph Stilinovich received the posthumous award of the Purple Heart and the Combat Action Ribbon.
