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Size | Image Description | Contributed By And/Or Copyright |
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| Micka 0617601 Micka Micka | 53k | Edward Micka was born in Cayuga, Sargent County, North Dakota on 10 October 1915 to Mr. Thomas and Mrs. Sophia Micka. Lt. Edward "Eddie" Micka grew up in Billings,
Montana. He enlisted in the U.S. Navy 19 June 1934. Appointed midshipman from the Navy at large the following year in 1935, and was commissioned ensign 01 June 1939. He served in
Minneapolis and Clemson prior to receiving his wings as a Navy pilot and was attached to Fighting Squadron 9, onboard Ranger, in November 1942.
On the 8th, he led three flights in support of the initial phase of Operation "Torch," the assault and occupation of Morocco. In the first two flights he led his sections against airdromes
at Rabat-Sale and Port Lyautey, destroying at least 17 hostile planes on the ground. During his third flight he led his section in direct support of the ground forces by destroying several
machinegun nests. Two days later he participated in the attack on the Mediouna airdrome, conducting strafing runs at low altitudes. Lieutenant Micka lost his life on the fifth run when his
plane was hit by antiaircraft fire. He was awarded the Navy Cross posthumously "for extraordinary heroism and distinguished service in action as a pilot" during Operation "Torch." He was
also awarded the Purple Heart. USS Micka (DE 176) (1943-1946) was the first ship to be named in his honor. (Photo from the U.S. Naval Academy Yearbook; The Lucky Bag, Class of 1939.) |
Bill Gonyo Downey, Cal. Assoc. Researcher Navsource | |
| Micka 0617602 |
61k | November 1945: Pearl Harbor - Taken from USS Hemminger (DE 746). | Mrs. Jan Edwards via Robert Taylor | |
| Micka 0617603 |
95k | undated wartime image | Jason Stevenson for his grandfather, George Stevenson | |
| Micka's Commanding Officers Thanks to Wolfgang Hechler & Ron Reeves |
| Dates of Command | Commanding Officers |
|---|---|
| 1.) 23 Sep. 1943 - 03 Apr. 1944 | Lt. John Curtis Spencer, USN (Comm. CO) (USNA '39) (Richmond, Va.) |
| 2.) 03 Apr. 1944 - 02 Dec. 1945 | Lcdr. Robert Thornton Reid, USNR (Salem, Ind.) |
| 3.) 02 Dec. 1945 - 22 Feb. 1946 | Lt. Charles John Harvi, USNR |
| 4.) 22 Feb. 1946 - 26 Feb. 1946 | Lt. John Jacob Paull, USNR (Pittsburgh, Pa.) |
| 5.) 26 Feb. 1946 - 31 May 1946 | Lt.(jg) Irving Ernest Liss, USNR |
| 6.) 31 May 1946 - 14 Jun. 1946 | Ens. Joseph H. Wessman |
Contact information is compiled from various sources over a period of time and may, or may not, be correct. Every effort has
been made to list the newest contact. However, our entry
is only as good as the latest information that's been sent to us. We list
only a contact for the ship if one has been sent to us. We do NOT have crew lists, rosters, or deck logs
available. Please see the
Frequently Asked Questions section on NavSource's Main Page for that information.
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This Page Created And Maintained By Mike Smolinski All pages copyright Navsource Naval History by Paul R. Yarnall, All Rights Reserved. Page Last Updated: 22 July 2025 |