Hometown Heroes
Petty Officer 3rd Class Frank S. Liguz,  U.S. Navy
By Michael Rocchetti
After attacking Pearl Harbor, Japanese Forces advanced rapidly throughout the Pacific and were poised to choke off vital sea lines to Australia. U.S. war planners realized that these sea lines had to stay open, and the southern Solomon Island of Guadalcanal was where the U.S. would go on the offensive to keep these sea lines open.
The Battle of Guadalcanal raged from August of 1942 till February of 1943, and it was especially costly for the U.S. Navy. On the night of Nov. 13, 1942, during the Naval Battle of Guadalcanal, the US Navy light cruiser USS Atlanta (CL-51) was torpedoed by the Japanese and later was hit by friendly fire when it was mistakenly shelled by the USS San Francisco.
Heavily damaged, the USS Atlanta was intentionally sunk later that day, three nautical miles west of Lunga Point Guadalcanal. Frank Liguz was one of the 170 men from the USS Atlanta who were killed during this battle.
Frank Steven Liguz enlisted in the U.S. Navy on April 14th, 1941. He was a Radioman 3rd Class serving aboard the USS Atlanta. He saw action at the battle of Midway, at the eastern Solomon Islands and at Guadalcanal where he was killed in action. His body was never recovered. 
He was born on March 23, 1922, in Killingly, the son of Wladyslaw and Anna Liguz. Since he was lost at sea, Frank Liguz is memorialized at the Manila American Cemetery and Memorial in the Philippines. He also has a cenotaph at St. Mary Cemetery in Putnam.
 From the Windham County Transcript, Jan. 7, 1943: “Frank S. Liguz, First Local Boy Killed In Action. Son of Mr. and Mrs. Walter Liguz, Mashantucket Road, Is Reported Dead by Navy in Which He Was Radioman. Graduated From Killingly High In Class Of 1940. Frank Steven Liguz, 20, son of Mr. and Mrs. Walter Liguz of Mashantucket Road, was reported at the week end by the United States Navy Department to have been killed in action. He died in the performance of duty and in the service of his country. He was serving on a cruiser, but no details were given in the telegram to local relatives as to where or when he lost his life. In Navy 20 Months. Frank was graduated in the class of 1940 from Killingly High School, where he was a star on the track team. Subsequently he was employed by First National Stores. He enlisted in the United States Navy a year and eight months ago, attaining the rating of radioman 3rd class. A youth of quiet but pleasing, personality, he enjoyed the friendship and respect of many people here. He leaves, besides his parents, three sisters, Misses Rose, Amelia and Cecilia, all of Danielson. That he may rest with God in peace is the devout wish of all who knew him. Young Liguz was the second local man definitely known to have died in his country’s service during the present war and the first reported killed in action. The only other announced fatality was the death of John W. Masthay in the crash of a Navy bomber August 23 near Dahlgren, Va. Reported as missing have been Daniel Callahan of Dayville and Albert Comtois of St. James’ Row, both Navy men, and Leo Marchesseault of Dayville, a member of the Merchant Marine.”
Hometown Heroes is a series published in the Putnam Town Crier & Northeast Ledger with this mission: We owe it to our Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Marines to make sure that they are never forgotten, and that the memory of their service and sacrifice will forever live on in the hearts and minds of the grateful people of Putnam.

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