USS Indianapolis CA-35
Lost At Sea

John Maurice GARHART
Name: John Maurice GARHART
Rank / Rating: MM1-Machinist's Mate First Class
Service #: 660 29 07
DOB: Dec 22, 1916
From: Chicago, IL
Parents: Mr. and Mrs. Edwin Jay Garhart
Went Aboard: Nov 23, 1942
Age When Kamikaze Struck: 28 years, 3 months, 9 days
Spouse:
Children:
Grandchildren:
Bio Submitted By: Marilyn Northcutt Henry (Admin)
Date Posted: Apr 02, 2026

Lost at Sea John Maurice GARHART
Photo(s) Needed
Front of Draft Card for LAS John Maurice GARHART
Back of Draft Card for LAS John Maurice GARHART
John Maurice Garhart, known as Maurine, graduated from Spearfish High School in 1935 with honors. The family moved to California where he attended the University of California in Los Angeles studying electrical engineering.
John registered for the draft on October 16, 1940 at the age of 23 listing his father Edwin Jay Garhart as the person who would always know where he was. John enlisted March 25, 1942 at Salt Lake City, UT. He went aboard Indianapolis November 23, 1942 at the age of 25. In Nov 1944, Maurice was granted furlough and travel home to visit with his family and friends. He said goodbye shortly after Thanksgiving to return to his ship in CA. During the battle of Okinawa, a Japanese Kamikaze plane made Indianapolis its target in the early morning hours of March 31, 1945. The damage to the ship was not severe but the attack took the lives of nine crewmembers. One life lost was Maurice, age 28. The Report of Changes of USS Indianapolis for this date recorded for each of the nine heroes whose lives were taken: "Missing in action since about 0700, 3/31/45. Believed to be dead." On the day of the attack, a funeral service for one Sailor was held. The following day, April 1, 1945, at 1600 hours, six flag draped wooden caskets were arranged in a row on the quarterdeck. One contained the body of John Maurice Garhart, MM1c. A funeral service with full military honors was conducted by the ship's chaplain, Father Thomas Conway. After the service, John's body was carried from Indianapolis by his shipmates for burial in the US Armed Forces Cemetery located on Zamami Shima, Kerama Retto, off the island of Okinawa. After the war, families were given the opportunity to request that the remains of their loved one be returned to the US for burial. In April 1949, Maurice was reinterred in the Golden Gate National Cemetery, San Bruno, San Mateo County, California. Learn more about the kamikaze attack and the nine men who were killed.
Source Credits
Lead Daily Call, (Lead, South Dakota), Fri, Apr 27, 1945, p. 1; citing the death of Garhart The Black Hills Weekly, (Deadwood, SD), Fri, May 4, 1945, p. 2; citing Garhart KIA The Butte Daily Post, (Montana), Mon, Feb 21, 1949, p. 2; citing return of remains to US. The Daily Missoulian, Sun, Apr 22, 1945, p. 11; citing Maurice Garhart of Victor Dies in Action. Ravalli Republic (Hamilton, MT), Thur, May 31, 1945, p. 1; citing local memorial service that included Maurice Garhart Northwest Tribune (Stevensville, Ravalli Co., MT), Thu, Apr 7, 1949, p. 1; citing the parents of John Garhart in CA for reinterment
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