January 21, 1945


Fondly remembered by
   family and friends

— MMS3C Edward J. Mazur, 20, died January, 21, 1945. Ed was a machinist and was running to his battle station to help defend his ship and his country, when one of the two Japanese suicide planes hit the USS Ticonderoga CV-14 that day. When the ship pulled into port after the attack, Ed's brother Joseph, who was also in the navy, boarded the ship in search of his brother and learned Ed was listed as 'missing in action'.
    Born in 1924, the son of Mr. and Mrs. John A. Mazur, Ed was the youngest of 12 children. Before joining the navy, Ed attended New Kensington Vocational High School, New Kensington, Pennsylvania. He held track and field records at the school and was considered quite an athlete. Along with his athletic ability, Ed is remembered as being quite acrobatic and would perform some amazing and entertaing stunts for family and friends including walking about on just his hands as well or better than some on thier feet. He was also very artistically talented and could do pencil portraits of people. Someone out there may still have one.
    After finishing school, Ed was employed by Westinghouse and declined jobs as an acrobat with the circus, instead volunteering to serve his country with the U.S. Navy in March 1944. After training at Bainbridge, Md. Ed was assigned to the USS Ticonderoga at its commisioning and went to sea in September 1944. In addition to his parents and brother, Joseph, Ed left three other brothers and seven sisters.
For giving his time and eventually his life to serving his country, Ed was awarded the Purple Heart, which is currently held with pride by his nephew Fred Mazur, who contributed information for this memorial.