EDWARD MICKA, LT, USN
Edward Micka '39
Lucky Bag
From the 1939 Lucky Bag:
EDWARD MICKA
Billings, Montana
Eddie, Mike, Oscar
"Just watch it"—he warns, but the women only have eyes for fascinating Eddie. Yet the admiration of the fair sex has never gone to his head; he has always retained his desire to some day be jailed by the fair daughter of the home State Warden. Montana was the state and life for Eddie, and there has been a struggle between the great green wastes and the boundless blue waters. Always a fine athlete, Eddie has not often shown his versatility because of academic necessities. As a golfer he holds the course record. One of the boys, Eddie will most often be found with a group of good friends. Skilled hands and great determination have carried him far and will carry him further.
Golf Team 3, 2, 1; Company Rifle Team 2; 2 Stripes.
EDWARD MICKA
Billings, Montana
Eddie, Mike, Oscar
"Just watch it"—he warns, but the women only have eyes for fascinating Eddie. Yet the admiration of the fair sex has never gone to his head; he has always retained his desire to some day be jailed by the fair daughter of the home State Warden. Montana was the state and life for Eddie, and there has been a struggle between the great green wastes and the boundless blue waters. Always a fine athlete, Eddie has not often shown his versatility because of academic necessities. As a golfer he holds the course record. One of the boys, Eddie will most often be found with a group of good friends. Skilled hands and great determination have carried him far and will carry him further.
Golf Team 3, 2, 1; Company Rifle Team 2; 2 Stripes.
Obituary
From Find A Grave:
Edward Micka was born in Cayuga, North Dakota on 10 October 1915 to Mr. Thomas and Mrs. Sophia Micka located in Sargent County. 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 1 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.
Lt Mica's wife Evelyn gave birth to a daughter; her name is Barbara and she was born 1 Nov. 1942, just days before Lt Ed Micka's death.
Other Information
From researcher Kathy Franz:
Edward graduated from Baker High School in 1933. Along with two others, he gave the graduation speech on “Statistics.”
The family moved to Baker, Montana, in 1927. His father Thomas, who was born in Czechoslovakia, ran a meat market. He died on January 29, 1933.
Edward was survived by one other brother Joseph of Cincinnati, Ohio.
He is buried in Minnesota. His wife, Evelyn, was listed as next of kin.
Photographs
From the Lucky Bag
From Hall of Valor:
The President of the United States of America takes pride in presenting the Navy Cross (Posthumously) to Lieutenant, Junior Grade Edward Micka, United States Navy, for extraordinary heroism in operations against the enemy while serving as Pilot of a carrier-based Navy Fighter Plane in Fighting Squadron NINE (VF-9), attached to the U.S.S. RANGER (CV-4), during the occupation of French Morocco, from 8 to 11 November 1942. Leading a section of four planes in vigorous raids against hostile airdromes at Rabat-Sale and Port Lyautey, Lieutenant Micka, grimly pressing home his attacks in the face of relentless fire, contributed materially to the destruction of seventeen enemy planes on the ground and the silencing of three machine gun emplacements. Later, he participated in a series of hazardous, low-altitude strafing runs on the airdrome at Mediouna, persistently striking at his target through bursting shells of anti-aircraft fire until, on his fifth run, he was finally shot down. Lieutenant, Junior Grade, Micka's outstanding courage, daring airmanship and devotion to duty were in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service. He gallantly gave his life for his country.
Action Date: November 8 - 11, 1942
Service: Navy
Rank: Lieutenant Junior Grade
Company: Fighting Squadron 9 (VF-9)
Division: U.S.S. Ranger (CV-4)
Namesake
USS Micka (DE 176) was named in his honor. The ship was launched 22 August 1943 and commissioned 23 September 1943. Evelyn was the ship's sponsor.
The "Register of Commissioned and Warrant Officers of the United States Navy and Marine Corps" was published annually from 1815 through at least the 1970s; it provided rank, command or station, and occasionally billet until the beginning of World War II when command/station was no longer included. Scanned copies were reviewed and data entered from the mid-1840s through 1922, when more-frequent Navy Directories were available.
The Navy Directory was a publication that provided information on the command, billet, and rank of every active and retired naval officer. Single editions have been found online from January 1915 and March 1918, and then from three to six editions per year from 1923 through 1940; the final edition is from April 1941.
The entries in both series of documents are sometimes cryptic and confusing. They are often inconsistent, even within an edition, with the name of commands; this is especially true for aviation squadrons in the 1920s and early 1930s.
Alumni listed at the same command may or may not have had significant interactions; they could have shared a stateroom or workspace, stood many hours of watch together… or, especially at the larger commands, they might not have known each other at all. The information provides the opportunity to draw connections that are otherwise invisible, though, and gives a fuller view of the professional experiences of these alumni in Memorial Hall.
October 1939
June 1940
November 1940
April 1941
The "category" links below lead to lists of related Honorees; use them to explore further the service and sacrifice of alumni in Memorial Hall.
