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Sgt Jimmie Gyovai
ID: 15337609
Branch of service: U.S Army
Hometown. Boone County, West Virginia
Jimmie Gyovai a single man from Boone County, West Virginia was born on the 18th December 1922. He enlisted as a Private in the Air Corps on the 25/10/42 at Fort Thomas, Newport, Kentucky and his Army Serial number was 15337609.
Before enlisting he worked as a semiskilled miner and mining-machine operator. He was educated at a Whitesville High School.
His name is recorded on the West Virginia Veterans Memorial in Charleston.
The Beckley Post-Herald reported that Oil portraits of two men killed in the line of duty with the armed forces were presented to the parents of the men on the 27th July 1945. One of these portraits was of Sgt Jimmie Gyovai. His parents Steve and Ethel Gyovai lived in Red Dragon an old Mining Town in the Sherman District of Boone County before moving to Illinois.
His duty on the day of the crash was Flight Engineer/Gunner top turret.
His next of kin was listed as:
Mrs Ethel Papi Gyovai (Mother)
Red Dragon
West Virginia
Jimmie Gyovai was originally buried on the 20th April 1944 in Lisnabreeny American Military Cemetery, Rocky Road, Belfast, Plot B, Row 2 Grave No7. In 1947 the cemetery was decommissioned and his remains were exhumed on the 11th November 1947 and upon the request of his family repatriated to the United States. He was brought home by sea on the US Army Transport ship Lawrence Victory.
He is now buried with his parents Steve and Ethel in St Nicholas Catholic Cemetery, Aurora, Illinois, close to the Ohio Street entrance. The reburial took place early August 1948.
One of Jimmie’s brothers Frank G Gyovai served in the Philippine’s during World War 2. He was captured in 1942 when the Filipino and American forces on Bataan surrendered to the Japanese. He started the infamous death march to San Fernando but escaped into the mountains of Bataan and formed a Guerrilla unit, Force 155, with Lt H. Clay Conner.
For three years Frank fought the Japanese, saved downed pilots and provided information on Japanese strength receiving a battlefield commission to the rank of Captain as a result.
He remained in the Army until 1947 and died on the 21st December 1984.
Gyovai family photograph supplied by Jimmie's Great Nephew John Gyovai.
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Photograph kindly supplied by Jimmie's Great Nephew John Gyovai.
Photograph supplied by Selina Brown Illinois.
Jimmie's brother Frank Gyovai.
Photograph supplied by John Gyovai.
http://www.wvculture.org/history/wvmemory/vets/gyovaijimmie/gyovaijimmie.html
West Virginia Veterans Memorial
Jimmie Gyovai |