DOB/DOD: March 20, 1923 (Manhattan, NY) – March 2, 1945; 21 years old
MARITAL STATUS: Unmarried
LOCAL ADDRESS: 37 Third Street, Seymour
ENLISTMENT: December 4, 1942, in Springfield, Massachusetts
SERVICE NUMBER: 505562
UNIT: 31st Replacement Draft, 5th Marine Division
MILITARY OCCUPATIONAL SPECIALTY: 0522, Basic Marine; also 0746, Automatic Rifleman
FAMILY: Born to John (1895-1962) and Anna Senick (1895-1959). Third born of six children. Siblings are Martha Senick DellaBovi (1922-1969), Mary (1925-1972), Peter (1926-present) [a Battle of Iwo Jima survivor], Louis (1930-1993), and Theresa Senick Farrar (1932-present). 1
CIRCUMSTANCES: Boot camp at Parris Island, South Carolina, in early 1943. Assigned to the Naval Supply Depot in Bayonne, New Jersey, from April 1943 to April 1944. PFC Robert A. Rotunno of Stamford, Connecticut, was stationed there at the same time. They were both reassigned to different infantry units and ended up dying on the same day in the Battle of Iwo Jima. Died from gunshot wounds to the shoulder and chest on March 2, 1945. 3
Brothers Frank (left) and Peter (right). Peter served in the 3rd Marines on Iwo Jima. Photo contributed by Peter Senick and family.
Frank (left), sister Martha (middle), and Peter (right). Photo contributed by Peter Senick and family.
From The Waterbury Democrat November 3, 1942
The following have been accepted here and will be sent to the Marine headquarters in Springfield, Massachusetts, for final examination: Frank Senick and Frank Kowal of Seymour.
WEBMASTER NOTE: Frank Senick and Frank Kowal lived on the same street, Third Street, in Seymour, Connecticut. Frank Senick lived at #37, and Frank Kowal at #22. They were born a week apart, Kowal on February 24, 1923, and Senick on March 3, 1923. Frank Kowal survived the war and passed on March 25, 1975, at just 52 years old, after a brief illness.
Initially buried in the 4th Marine Division Cemetery on Iwo Jima, Plot 1, Row 19, Grave 935. At his father’s request, his remains were repatriated and buried on June 14, 1948, in Long Island National Cemetery, 2040 Wellwood Avenue, East Farmingdale, New York; Section H, Plot 9948. Photo by Jeff DeWitt.
1 – 1940 census https://www.ancestry.com/cs/1940-census
2 – https://findagrave.com
3 – USMC Casualty Report received via FOIA request
4 – Marine Corps Muster Rolls: https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/1089/