North High School Wall of Honor Joseph William Fousek Would have graduated in June, 1943	fousek photo circa 1943
Research done by Claradell Shedd, class of 1953. PAGE IN PROGRESS
Joseph William Fousek
Joseph William Fousek would graduated from North High in the June, 1943 class. His next of kin was shown as ___________, Des Moines, IA. Joe enlisted in the US Navy in Des Moines, IA. His service number was _________.
Joseph William Fousek Year x Rank/Event x Status June, 1943 x x x Would have graduated from North High School November, 1943 x Enlisted US Navy x Enlisted at Camp Dodge, IA. Infantry Replacement Group. August, 1943 x US Navy x Two months of Boot Training at Great Lakes, IL. date x US Navy x To Mare Island, CA June 27, 1943 x Enroute x From Mare Island, CA to Hawii on *USS Bushnell (AS-15). date x Stationed x To Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. Then on to Midway Sept.,1943- April 27, 1944 x Enroute x To Midway Island. Several trips from Midway Island to Hawaii and return. February 5, 1945 x Enroute x Midway to Pearl Harbor . date x Enroute x Pearl Harbor to stateside. 1946 x Discharged x Where? 1947 x Employed x Married to Norma 1947-2009 x Employed x Worked in the Des Moines area, including ownership of a service station at West 12th and Euclid in the Oak Park Area.. date x Civilian x Living in CA.
USS Bushnell (AS-15/Submarine Tender) USS Bushnell Patch
*USS Bushnell (AS-15/Submarine Tender) USS Bushnell (AS-15) was launched on 14 September 1942 at the Mare Island Navy Yard; sponsored by Mrs. Luther Gibson; and commissioned on 10 April 1943, with Commander C. T. Bonney in command. On 27 June, she departed for Pearl Harbor, arriving on 3 July. While at the Submarine Base, Submarine Squadron 14 (SubRon 14) was assembled with Bushnell serving as tender and staff headquarters for the Squadron and Division Staff. Bushnell remained at Pearl Harbor until September 1943, when she sailed for Midway Island to deliver provisions and structural materials. Upon returning to Pearl Harbor in December, she resumed her task of refitting submarines until April 1944. Bushnell weighed anchor on 27 April for Majuro Atoll, Marshall Islands, laden with provisions, fuel, and material. Majuro Atoll soon became a regular submarine operating base, although entirely dependent upon the tender. On 5 February 1945, Bushnell returned to Pearl Harbor. On 29 May, the tender steamed to Midway to refit submarines arriving there from war patrols. She was thus engaged until the cessation of hostilities. From September-December 1945, Bushnell continued to act as a repair vessel for submarines throughout the period of demobilization and peacetime reorganization of the submarine force in the San Diego area. In January 1946, she sailed to Guam to tend submarines engaged in the occupation of Japan. This tour of duty continued until April, at which she was recalled to Pearl Harbor for duty with Submarine Squadron 1. Bushnell operated with SubRon 1 until 24 May 1947. At that time, she sailed to Mare Island for overhaul. Returning to Pearl Harbor on 10 September, she resumed her duties with SubRon 1. In December 1947, Bushnell returned to Mare Island and reported for inactivation. She was placed out of commission in reserve on 30 April 1948.
** adddional Bushnell not identical to above entry The second Bushnell (AS-15) was Launched 14 September 1942 by Mare Island Navy Yard; sponsored by Mrs. Luther Gibson; and commissioned 10 April 1943, Commander C. T. Bonney in command. On 27 June she departed for Pearl Harbor, arriving 3 July. While at the Submarine Base, Submarine Squadron 14 was assembled with Bushnell serving as tender and staff headquarters for the Squadron and Division Staff. Bushnell remained at Pearl Harbor until September 1943 when she sailed for Midway Island to deliver provisions and structural materials. Upon returning to Pearl Harbor in December she resumed her task of re-fitting submarines until April 1944. Bushnell weighed anchor for Majuro Atoll, Marshall Islands, 27 April laden with provisions, fuel, and materiel. Majuro Atoll soon became a regular submarine operating base, although entirely dependent upon the tender.[Supplemental: submarines serviced at the Atoll included Trepang, Snapper and Tilefish]. On 5 February 1945 Bushnell returned to Pearl Harbor. On 29 May the tender steamed to Midway to refit sub-marines arriving there from war patrols. She was thus engaged until the cessation of hostilities. From September to December 1945 Bushnell continued to act as a repair vessel for submarines throughout the period of demobilization and peacetime reorganization of the submarine force in the San Diego area. In January 1946 she sailed to Guam to tend submarines engaged in the occupation of Japan. This tour of duty continued until April, at which time she was recalled to Pearl Harbor for duty with Submarine Squadron 1. Bushnell operated with Submarine Squadron 1 until 24 May 1947. At that time she sailed to Mare Island Naval Shipyard for overhaul. Returning to Pearl Harbor 10 September she resumed her duties with Squadron 1. In December 1947 Bushnell returned to Mare Island and reported for inactivation. She was placed out of commission in reserve 30 April 1948. Bushnell was recommissioned 21 February 1952. After intensive training along the west coast Bushnell departed for the Atlantic 7 May 1952. She transited the Panama Canal 21 May and proceeded to Key West, Fla., for duty with Submarine Squadron 12. Since that time Bushnell has operated at Key West tending the boats of Squadron 12 and conducting brief periods of service at Norfolk and short cruises in the Caribbean.
Joseph William Fousek MoMM (Motor Machinist's Mate) US Navy
References (1) The World War II Army Enlistment Records contain information on more than nine million indivdual enlistments. These records can be found online at http://www.archives.gov/. (2) The comprehensive list of names from North High's 1893-2018 graduation classes are from Claradell Shedd's North Des Moines High School website. The names of North High School graduates can be found online at: http://www.ndmhs.com/. Joseph William Fousek's 1943 class page is: http://www.ndmhs.com/pages/yearclass1943(2008.65).html.
09/06/10. Died June 5, 2009.
Music: "Anchors Aweigh" by the U.S. Navy Band
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