VIRGIL H. TRAXLER, JR., ENS, USN
Virgil Traxler, Jr. '43
Lucky Bag
From the 1943 Lucky Bag:
VIRGIL HAROLD TRAXLER, JR.
Butler, Ohio
Trax was so affected by a two year sojourn in California that he set upon his career 180 degrees out of phase. He joined the Army and prepped at the Presidio with the aim of entering West Point. As always, Trax soon set himself aright and obtained a senatorial appointment to the Country Club. He has always managed to take Academics in stride and found plenty of time for his beloved squash, chess, and letter-writing. His easy-going disposition and natural ability to mix with the fellows has given him a large circle of friends, and will make him the ideal wardroom companion. Trax is the fellow you'll want on the bridge when the going gets rough.
The Class of 1943 was graduated in June 1942 due to World War II. The entirety of 2nd class (junior) year was removed from the curriculum.
VIRGIL HAROLD TRAXLER, JR.
Butler, Ohio
Trax was so affected by a two year sojourn in California that he set upon his career 180 degrees out of phase. He joined the Army and prepped at the Presidio with the aim of entering West Point. As always, Trax soon set himself aright and obtained a senatorial appointment to the Country Club. He has always managed to take Academics in stride and found plenty of time for his beloved squash, chess, and letter-writing. His easy-going disposition and natural ability to mix with the fellows has given him a large circle of friends, and will make him the ideal wardroom companion. Trax is the fellow you'll want on the bridge when the going gets rough.
The Class of 1943 was graduated in June 1942 due to World War II. The entirety of 2nd class (junior) year was removed from the curriculum.
Loss
Virgil was aboard USS Juneau (CL 52) when she was sunk on November 13, 1942 by Japanese submarine I-26 at the Naval Battle of Guadalcanal; all but ten men perished in the initial sinking or in the 8 days before they were rescued.
From the Class of 1943 anniversary book "25 years later…":
Trax was born on 11 May, 1920 in Mansfield, Ohio. He was appointed from Ohio and entered the Academy on 31 July, 1939. Upon graduation he reported to the cruiser USS JUNEAU in combat operations in the South Pacific. The JUNEAU participated in the Battle of Santa Cruz Islands and suffered slight bomb damage in October and the Battle of Guadalcanal. During the latter battle on 13 November, 1942 just after the JUNEAU had waded into action she was torpedoed in the forward fireroom and she was forced to drop from battle. As she retired another torpedo smashed into her side which literally blew the ship to fragments taking Trax and nearly all hands to the bottom. He wore the Purple Heart, American Defense Service Medal with Fleet Clasp and the Asiatic-Pacific Area Medal with two bronze stars. He was survived by his wife, Marjorie Jean who is now Mrs. George A. Baksanskas and whose last known address was Box 1271-A, St. Petersburg, Florida.
Other Information
From researcher Kathy Franz:
Virgil’s mother Mildred Bailey Traxler, a Mansfield school teacher, died on June 15, 1922. Virgil then lived with the McArdle family in Butler and graduated from Butler High School in 1938.
Mrs. Nina McArdle and two other aunts watched him graduate from the Naval Academy. He married Marjorie McCullough in August 1, 1942.
His father Virgil was in the Navy for 20 years. He had remarried in 1925 and died on July 5, 1945.
From Find A Grave:
ST. PETERSBURG TIMES, ST. PETERSBURG, FLORIDA, WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 1943, PAGE FIVE
NAVAL OFFICER KILLED IN ACTION First listed as "missing at sea" late last fall, Ensign Virgil Harold Traxler Jr., has now been announced as "killed in action" according to an Associated Press news release yesterday from Washington.
A graduate of Annapolis in June, 1942, Ensign Traxler was stationed at Norfolk, Va., until ordered to sea in August of that same year. On duty aboard the American cruiser, USS Juneau, he was listed as missing when that vessel was sunk by enemy action during the battle of the Solomons last November.
Ensign Traxler, son of V.H. Traxler of Washington, D.C., was married Aug. 1, 1942, in Norfolk, to Marjorie Jean McCollough, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Leon M. McCullough, 3443 Seventeenth avenue south. She resided here until March, when she left to take up defense work at Mansfield, O.
Crew member of the USS Juneau (CL-52)
Photographs
From his high school's 1946 yearbook
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