LIEUTENANT JUNIOR GRADE ANDREW STEPHEN BEERWA; U.S. NAVY

March 20, 1922 (Beacon, NY) – April 7, 1945; 23 years old
Unmarried
Last local address: 1 Pine Hill Avenue, East Norwalk
Enlisted July 27, 1942
Service Number: O-320876
USS Bunker Hill (CV-17)
Missing In Action (MIA)

Born to Stephen (1885-1969) and Catherine Beerwa (1889-1967). Brothers John (1925-1977), and Frank (1927-1951). Sister Anna Beerwa Cox (1919-1964).


Brother Frank Beerwa, 4 years younger, was also killed in action during the Korean War.


Norwalk High School Class of ‘40


2nd row, 2nd from left


Seated, third from right.


USS Bunker Hill diary, April 1945

From The Norwalk Hour May 5, 1945

Lieutenant (j.g.) Andrew Stephen Bearwa, 22, USNR, son of Steve Bearwa of Pine Hill Road, is missing in action in the Pacific Theatre of War according to word received today by his father. Lieutenant Bearwa, a plane pilot, was on a plane carrier. He has been missing since April. Lieutenant Bearwa was commissioned in November 1943 at the Naval Air Training Center in Pensacola, Florida.


USS Bunker Hill

From www2db.org: Just 5 weeks after LtJG Beerwa’s plane was lost, on May 11, 1945, the USS Bunker Hill was hit by two Japanese special attack aircraft off Okinawa, Japan, killing 373.


Memorialized as Missing in Action or Buried at Sea, Tablets of the Missing, Court 5, at Honolulu Memorial, 2177 Pueowaina Drive, Honolulu, Hawaii. Photo from findagrave.com.


END

Published by jeffd1121

USAF retiree. Veteran advocate. Committed to telling the stories of those who died while in the service of the country during wartime.

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