My father was 17 years old when Pearl Harbor was attacked and with most of America, he soon joined the military as we entered World War II. He was one of three sons of an immigrant, widowed mother who struggled as many did to raise her family during the depression. He enlisted in the Navy and was assigned to the USS Pelius (AS-14), a submarine tender that was at Pearl during the attack on December 7, 1941. His brother was part of the Normandy invasion with the 30th infantry Division and was eventually sent stateside to recover from shrapnel wounds.
The USS Pelius was sent to Freemantle, Australia in October 1942.
His Slovak name was Zahurancik, changed to Ranik after the war and before he married his high school sweetheart, Anne Molek. He went on to become a CPA on the GI Bill and had four children. While he passed away in 1989 after the premature death of his wife, his legacy continues with his son William Jr. and grandson William III (Liam) who attended Our Lady of Victory and now Catholic Central. Liam is attending MSU and his sister Lauren graduated from the nursing program.
- Bill Ranik
