Ancestry Chapter 54
1944 Ordination, Pacific Theater Death, Grandchildren, Great Grand Children
Peter Norek ordained, 1944
Peter Norek was ordained a priest of the Catholic Church on August 15, 1944.
He entered the priesthood as a member of the missionary order of the Society of the Divine Word (SVD), Techny, Illinois.
Left photograph.
Taken as Peter Norek is ordinated.
Peter is now the Rev. Peter Norek, S.V.D., but normally known as Uncle Father Pete.
Right photograph.
The Rev. Peter Norek with his proud
parents, Antonia and Michael.
Left bottom photo. Michael and Antonia seated in second row, aisle seats.
Right photo.
Michael and Antonia seen at photo bottom. Across the aisle, Larry and Lois
in middle of 4th row. Steve and Ruth in 5th row.
Although not marked on photo back, believe see Mike Jr. and Vi in 6th row.
Thomas Norek
killed in action, Pacific Theater, WWII, 1944
The Hell
Diver piloted by Tom Norek went down in the Pacific Theater in the first
battle of Okinawa, on October 10, 1944. Although initially listed as
Missing in Action, fliers who were behind him stopped at the Norek home.
They had seen Tom's plane hit, go up in flames, and had seen no parachutes.
Survival was not possible.
Tom was killed in action less than two months after his brother Peter was ordained. From joy to tragedy.
Right.
Card in memorial of the death of Thomas G. Norek on October 10, 1944.
Left. Memorial inscription for Lt. Thomas Norek engraved on the side of the Norek tombstone.
Mentioned above in the "Norek men in WWII service" medley of photos was that George was just 18 and Tom still 20. Tom never was 21. He dies 2 months and 19 days before that birthday.
Above Tom's name on the tombstone are Mary Norek (whose death certificate is in 1908, not 1907) and Anton Norek who died in the motorcycle accident.
Inscriptions appear to have been engraved at the same time. For Tom, this is a memorial inscription only. He and his crew member went down with the plane in the area of Okinawa.
Charles born
1944, Chicago
Dolores and Chuck's first child, Charles (Chuck) was born in 1944.
1944 Great Grandchildren births: three
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