Subject: uss terrydd513
Date: Thu, 28 Feb 2002 01:35:59 EST
From: KeithKndfs@aol.com
To: bobrsr@erols.com
Bob,
My name is Keith Novara. My father, John Novara, served on the USS
Terry DD513. He was a "machinist mate." I think that's how he referred to it.
He often said, "I was in the "engine room."
My father passed away 13 years ago (1989). I have been thinking about him a lot
lately. He always spoke about his ship and told many stories. When I
found your site, I was elated. "Dad's ship." What a thrill! I have printed
and shared this information with my mother, brothers and sister. They are also
amazed.
I still have my dad's purple heart that he received from being shot in the
leg while on the ship. I have it placed with his flag from when he passed
away, in a shadow box in my home.
My mother was a WAC in the Army. I would love to find a
site, if you know of any, to show my mother regarding her career in the
military. Her maiden name was Lorraine Margaret Knichel. My parents met and
married while in the service.
I have a lot of neat stories that I would love to share with you. My sister,
Terry, was named after the ship. Boy, was dad proud to name her Terry. She
used to hate it when dad would tell everyone that she was named after a ship.
She was the first of six children. Five boys and one girl.
My father told me stories about cooking, boxing, etc., while on the ship. I
wish we had this information when he was alive. He was a great man, and I
miss him dearly.
Please e-mail me back with any information, thoughts, ect. I find this
fascinating.
Thank you,
Keith Novara -- Keithkndfs@aol.com
P.S. My family and I have some old photo's of my mother and father from when
they were in the service that we would like to share with you for the web
site.
Subject: Terry
Date: Thu, 28 Feb 2002 17:41:24 EST
From: KeithKndfs@aol.com
To: bobrsr@erols.com
Bob,
Thank you for getting back to me so quickly.
John Novara was on the Terry from 1942-1945. His Rank was MM2.
John Novara passed away in August 8, 1989, he was born August, 16,1922
He was buried at the Jefferson Barracks Memorial Cemetery in St. Louis,
County, MO.
(I visit the site on holidays and his birthday) I am always amazed at how
beautiful this place really is.
My mother, Lorraine M. Novara (nee Knichel) was in the Army, stationed at
Wichita Falls Texas, from 1943-1945 as a Corporal.
I contacted my mother by phone and read her the history on the Terry. She
really enjoyed it and would stop me and tell me things that my father had
said regarding different battles ect.
She advised me that my father was wounded on March 1st, while assisting the
USS Capps DD550 in search for a Japanese submarine. (Iwo Jima.) He happened
to be on the deck when the incident occurred with the plane. One of his ship mates
asked him to "get on the 40 MM gun and help." He did, and in the end he
had taken two bullets from the plane in the leg. He recovered and continued
his tour of duty on the Terry. He earned the Purple Heart.
I have also found some other pictures of my father and mother from the
Service that I will be sending you soon.
NOTE: I E-mailed and also spoke with Mr. Ed Strakna from the Terry. We had
a nice chat and he remembered the day that my father was hit while on the 40MM
gun. It was really neat to speak with someone who remembered the
incident and my father.
I will get my photo's together for you. I will have a lot as we have a very
large family.
John Novara MM2 US Navy
Lorraine M. Novara (nee Knichel) Corp. US Army
Children:
Terry A. Adams (nee Novara) Daughter, born 1946
John G. Novara, son, born 1949
Daniel G. Novara, son, born 1953
Kevin J. Novara, son, born 1958
Keith G. Novara, son, born 1966
Mark A. Novara, son, born 1969
We are all married with children, and one of us - "Terry" - is even a
grandparent already.
Take care,
Keith Novara
