Adolph John Grozkowski was born Rome, Oneida County, New York on April 22, 1913. From the 1920 U.S. Census, we learned that his mother Anna, 39, had two children living at home at this time; John seven years old and Mary, ten. His father Antoni, 38,was a molder at a kettle factory. Both parents were born in Calica, Austria (now Poland). In addition, Anna’s brother Tony Yakowski lived with the family. They all lived on Henry Street in Rome, New York. Adolph graduated from Rome Free Academy in 1933 where he was on their Cross Country team. His yearbook entry below hinted at his running prowess.

Very little information about his Navy career is available. (It should be noted that the few records found used John as his first name instead of Adolph. Adolph was not a popular American name during this war!) From the Navy Muster Rolls for World War II, it is recorded that he joined the Navy on April 3, 1935. Since no records were available prior to 1939, nothing could be found. In 1939, the one record where he was a passenger on the light cruiser USS Northampton, a clue was included. The note read “Transferred from USS Chaumont for discharge.” So, he must have been a crew member of that ship that returned to Norfolk, Virginia. He attained the rating of Gunner’s Mate, Third Class with a Navy Service Number of 258 50 19.

On February 28,1939 Gorzkowski was transported aboard the light cruiser USS Northampton from Gulera, Puerto Rico to Naval Receiving in Norfolk, Virginia. There he received an Honorable Discharge and returned home to Rome, New York. As with all dischaged personnel, he automatically became a member of the Naval Reserve for two years.

On September 8, 1939 Adolph John Grozkowski married Gertrude E. Zielinski. The wedding took place in New York City. They set up housekeeping back in Rome.

The 1940 U.S. Census (see image below) provides more information: Adolph, 26, and Gertrude, 24, were living with his father, Anoni, 60, and sister Mary, 31. Adolph was working as a breakdown laborer. He worked 40 weeks in 1939 and earned $504. The rent for the house at 208 Henry Street was $25.

On October 16, 1940, Grozkowski registered for the WWII Draft in Rome. He was working for the General Cable Company. This document recorded his height as 6 feet tall and weighed 170 pounds at 27 years old. Adolph listed his wife Gertrude as his next of kin.

Draft Registration Card

After the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor triggered World War II, Grozkowski was called back to active duty. He was assigned to a ship (no records could be found by this researcher). Tragically, William Grozkowski, had an accidental fall on the deck of his ship in the Philadelphia Naval Yards. He died from an intercranial injury on April 15, 1944 . The report from the Naval Hospital in Philadelphia listed the cause as a “rupture of a cerebral aneurysm.”

Adolphs body was transported back to his family in Rome. He was interred at the Rome Cemetery in Oneida County, New York. The inscription on the headstone reads, “Gorzkowski Adolph J 1913-1944 U.S. Navy, Gertrude 1916 – “

Gorzkowski's father Antoni was given a Gold Star flag to hang in his window at 208 Henry Street in Rome, New York. This was recorded in the U.S. Navy WWII Casualties Books.

RESOURCES:

1920 U.S. Census: https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/110815881:6061

1940 U.S. Census: https://www.ancestry.com/family-tree/person/tree/170449978/person/322405244279/facts

WWII U.S. Draft Registration: https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/303323721:2238

USS Northampton Navy Muster Rolls, WWII: https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/24084940:1143?tid=&pid=&queryId=b25ac959-e5a4-4b89-8fdc-04d38806facd&_phsrc=hWQ87&_phstart=successSource

Naval Receiving Muster Rolls: https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/49741489:1143?tid=&pid=&queryId=00d03052-779c-4cad-a8a2-fdd74ef488ab&_phsrc=hWQ93&_phstart=successSource

Pennsylvania, U.S., Death Certificates: https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/4548990:5164?tid=&pid=&queryId=fb8eacb7-bb5a-4529-8dcc-36b8566586fa&_phsrc=hWQ80&_phstart=successSource

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/19800978/adolph-j-gorzkowski

Syracuse Herald Journal (Syracuse, New York) 1946 September 16

New York State, Marriage Index: https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/7398629:61632?tid=&pid=&queryId=bc504f38-7706-4af2-93e7-a45086b6760e&_phsrc=hWQ77&_phstart=successSource

https://www.history.navy.mil/research/histories/ship-histories/danfs/c/chaumont.html

U.S., Veterans Administration Master Index, Norfolk, VA: https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/2493076:61861?ssrc=pt&tid=170449978&pid=322405244279

World War II Scrapbook from the estate of Army veteran Robert Albert Mieskiel (1930-2014) of Rome, NY. Donated to the Oriskany Museum Collection in May 2016.