W3JAK/MM 1948
USNS Norwalk (T-AK279)
Flavius Z. Jankauskas, now K3JA.
Other known calls: W3JAK, KG1JA, LY2JA and DJ1JA.
He was as ship radio operator beginning around 1944. In 1944 18
year-old Flavius was the 2nd radio operator on the SS Hannibal
Hamlin. He served as radio operator on the SS John W. Powell in
1945 and SS Skystar in 1952.
The USNS Norwalk was based at
Holy Loch, Scotland.
Norwalk (AK–279) was built in 1945 as Norwalk Victory (MCV
hull 696) under Maritime Commission contract at Oregon
Shipbuilding Corp., Portland, Ore.; chartered under Government
Agency Agreement contracts until assigned to James River Reserve
Fleet 21 October 1957; transferred to the Navy 10 October 1962
and towed to New Orleans; converted and designated Norwalk
(AK–279); accepted by Military Sea Transportation Service 30
December 1963, for service as USNS Norwalk (T–AK–279).
Converted to a fleet ballistic
missile resupply ship and manned by a civil service crew, Norwalk
made her first voyage early in 1964 to Holy Loch, Scotland. Her
regular assignment remains into 1970 the transportation of
missile components and ship’s stores from Charleston, S.C.
to submarine tenders at Holy Loch.
http://www.history.navy.mil/danfs/n6/norwalk.htm
The Victory ship [like the
Norwalk Victory] was a type of cargo ship produced in large
numbers by North American shipyards during World War II to
replace losses caused by German submarines. Based on the earlier
Liberty ship, but with more powerful engines, 531 Victory ships
were built.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Victory_ship/
Operator: W3JAK Flavius Jankauskas in 1942
During World War II Flavius
Jankauskas was one of many short wave listeners who monitored
German broadcasts and passed information to the families of POWs.
The book World War II Radio Heroes: Letters of Compassion by Lisa
L Spahr documents the activities of these listeners. The photo of
Flavius is on the cover of the book.
Read about it at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_War_II_Radio_Heroes:_Letters_of_Compassion
QSL G4UZN Collection
Info & Photo courtesy W5KNE