Donald William Jedlicka

Donald William Jedlicka grew up in Silver City not far from Omaha. He graduated from Glenwood High School in 1965, worked in a packing plant for a short time and then enlisted in the Navy in September. He was assigned to the USS <i>Forrestal</i> as an Aviation Electronics Technician (Radar). On July 29, 1967 while operating off the coast of Vietnam a rocket accidently fired from a F-4 Phantom parked on flight deck. The detonation started a series of explosions that engulfed the flight deck, and the deck below, in flames. In total 134 sailors lost their lives in the carnage. ATR3 Jedlicka was initially listed as missing, but his body was eventually recovered below deck. A close friend who survived the fire visited the Jedlicka family 42 years later to recount his memories. He learned that Donald’s mother, who had just died, never accepted her son’s death. She continued to put a dinner setting at all holidays expecting him to show up and drove her son’s car. Donald Jedlicka is buried in Cavalry Cemetery in Omaha.