WWII casualty on way home. Almost 67 years after his death, Lawrence Boxrucker of Dorchester is comi

WWII casualty on way home



By Liz Welter • For the Journal • August 16, 2008

Almost 67 years after his death, Lawrence Boxrucker of Dorchester is coming home.
Boxrucker was a casualty of the Dec. 7, 1941, attack on Pearl Harbor. A sailor aboard the ill-fated USS Oklahoma, Boxrucker was among the more than 400 sailors on the Oklahoma who died that Sunday morning, along with about 2,000 other military personnel.

Because it was peacetime, servicemen weren't required to wear their identification tags, and Boxrucker's body and the bodies of about 600 others weren't identified.
Then, about two years ago, Louis Boxrucker, Lawrence's identical twin brother, learned his brother's body finally had been identified.
Lawrence Boxrucker will receive a funeral with military rites in September, with burial in the family plot at Dorchester Memorial Cemetery.
Louis and Lawrence Boxrucker grew up on the family farm outside Dorchester and both joined the Navy in 1940. Neither was interested in the farming life, and jobs in the area were scarce.
"We went west. There weren't any jobs out there, either," said Louis, now 90.
Neither brother wanted to join the Army, he said, so the Navy became a good option.
As Louis Boxrucker spoke of days gone by, his wife, Hilda, 80, sifted through papers and pulled out a booklet that described the laborious process undertaken to identify the remains of military personnel.
"It was DNA," she said, that positively identified Lawrence.
When Pearl Harbor was attacked, Louis Boxrucker's ship was in port in Bermuda.
"It took me two weeks to get to Pearl Harbor (following the attack). Everything was blown to hell. A lot of ships were sunk. The oil was everywhere. The tide would come in and out and bring in more oil," he said.
Louis Boxrucker remained in the Navy for five more years. The death of his brother was hard for him but especially hard for his parents, he said.
"His mother cried a lot. I think this would have meant a lot to them," Hilda Boxrucker said.
"It'll be something. All our children and their families are coming."
The gathering for the funeral also will celebrate life, and the day after they gather to honor Lawrence, the same friends and family members will join Hilda and Louis in celebrating their 60th wedding anniversary.
"It's not often or easy to get everyone together like this," Hilda said.


WWII casualty on way home | stevenspointjournal.com | Stevens Point Journal

 

"Because it was peacetime, servicemen weren't required to wear their identification tags, and Boxrucker's body and the bodies of about 600 others weren't identified."

I wasn't aware of this.

 

At last, a well deserved resting peace

 

Yes it is. Sad it took so long. Like I said I never knew that ID tags were only worn during wartime back then.

 

I can't imagine how hard it must have been for the surviving twin to live so many years without his brother. He must have a very loving and understanding wife, but 60 years of marriage would prove that anyway.

 

His brother is my respected neighbor

 

Indeed?That's incredible.Then tell him that in a small place in Normandy,a guy will have a thought,today while working,for his brother,as for all the casualties you suffered this day.A huge loss for him to loose his double.But without the USA,i will be speaking German today,if i ever had existed.

 

Fitting to read this today. Rest well, sailor.

 

Welcome to the forum, McNett13. Please pass on our respects to his brother as well as our appreciation for their (his brother's and his) service and sacrifice. :S!