Joseph Elnitsky

Descendants

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Biography

Joseph was born in 1921 (possibly March 9) to Metro Elnitsky and Mary. He had two brothers, Michael and John, who were both killed in WWII. Joseph also served in WWII, in the Navy.

He may have been born in Little Falls, Herkimer County, New York, though some records say that he was born in Pennsylvania. His middle name may have been Fedenich.

He appears on the 1930 census: 1930 census: https://www.myheritage.com/research/record-10134-239394000/metro-elenitsky-in-1930-united-states-federal-census

Blakely, Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania
Head Metro Elenitsky 46 Poland imm. 1912
Wife Mary Elenitsky 37 Poland imm. 1912
Son John Elenitsky 16 New York
Son Michael Elenitsky 14 New York
Son Joseph Elenitsky 9 New York

He also appears on the 1940 census with his parents in Ward 2, Blakely, Blakely Borough, Lackawanna, Pennsylvania.

Martin Elnitsky Head M 56 Austria
Mary Elnitsky Wife F 46 Austria
Joseph Elnitsky Son M 19 Pennsylvania

The other three sources have his father's name as Metro, which I believe is correct, and that it is inaccurately listed as Martin on this census.

Furthermore, I believe that Mary's name was probably anglicized when she immigrated to the United States.

Based on another census of an Elnitsky family, which may be related (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M6YV-XX6), I believe they may have immigrated from Austrian Galicia, which is modern-day Poland and Ukraine.

He was aboard the Reuben James, the first ship attacked by hostile action during WWII.

He appears on the list of survivors of the U.S.S. Reuben James Disaster of October 31, 1941:

ELNITSKY, Joseph Fedenich, Fireman 1c, USN, #243-67-53 (Rescued)

Enlisted November 21, 3939, N.R.S., Philadelphia, Pa.
Home address: #414 Fourth St., Blakely, Pennsylvania.
Next of kin: Father, Metro F. Elnitsky, 414 Fourth St., Blakely, Penn.

An article appeared in the Pittston Gazette from Pittston, Pennsylvania on Tuesday, November 4, 1941, on Page 2.

Blakely Resident Among Survivors Of Reuben James Blakely, Pa Nov. 4. Mr. and .Mrs. Metro Elnitsky, of Blakely, said today they were "overjoyed" by news that their eon, Joseph, is among the men rescued from the U. S. Destroyer Reuben James, torpedoed in the Atlantic. "I was confident all along, that my son was safe and well," Mrs. Elnitsky said. "I couldn't bring myself to believe that anything could have happened to him." The couple said the last letter from their son was postmarked from Boston and was received on Oct. 11. Elnitsky, 20, enlisted in the navy two years ago, following his graduation from Blakely High School. He was a fireman aboard the Ill-fated vessel.

He married Sylvia Ann Soroka.

He died February. 6, 2010, in Vestal, Broome County, New York, and is buried in Saint Tikhon Cemetery, South Canaan, Wayne County, Pennsylvania.

His obituary appeared in the Binghamton Press & Sun-Bulletin [New York] on February 10 & 11, 2010.

Joseph F. Elnitsky, 88, of Vestal, died peacefully, Saturday, February 6, 2010, at his home. He was predeceased by his brothers, John and Michael Elnitsky. He is survived by his loving wife of 63 years, Sylvia (Soroka) Elnitsky. His daughter and son-in-law, Sylvia and Frank Urban, Vestal; three grandchildren, Mark Urban, Rebecca (Tim) Doty, Natasha Urban. He was a member of Sts. Peter & Paul Russian Orthodox Church, Endicott and a retired employee of IBM Owego. He was a graduate of Harpur College and a Veteran of the US Navy. Mr. Elnitsky was one of the last survivors (maybe the last one) of the USS Reuben James; a ship popularized by Woody Guthrie's song, "The Sinking of the Reuben James". The USS Reuben James was the first US Navy ship sunk by hostile action in WWII. A German U2 boat torpedoed the ship in which only 45 of the crew of 160 survived.

Sources

• Social Security death index: https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:JBFG-KYQ

List of Survivors of the U.S.S. Reuben James Disaster of October 31, 1941: https://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/USN/ships/logs/DD/dd245-cas.html

https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/79128074/

1940 census: https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KQDQ-NJB

https://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GSln=Elnitsky&GSiman=1&GScid=990886&GRid=177646403&

Obituary: http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/pressconnects/obituary.aspx?n=joseph-f-elnitsky&pid=139581263&

Obituary of Sylvia Ann Elnitsky: http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/pressconnects/obituary.aspx?page=lifestory&pid=184644775