At age 89 Mary Kozeluh remembers her brother well. Harley Moore’s birth order sandwiched him between two older and two younger sisters. As his kid sister, Mary was Harley’s shadow, tied at the hip, going everywhere with Harley – movies every Sunday; ice cream at the drugstore. Her fondest memory is riding on the center bar of Harley’s bike going bump, bump, bump across railroad tracks – a calculated tease to his kid sister.
Mary related memories of her only brother during a one hour recorded ZOOM session with Sara Vladic and Marilyn Henry, for Project 888 – honoring the memory of Harley Moore among the 888 men lost at sea aboard USS Indianapolis in 1945.
Memories brought laughter and tears. Mary’s voice quietened as she explained -- Harley’s dad had signed for his son to enter the Navy. Boarding Indianapolis in December 1943 Harley served 19 months before being lost-at-sea at age 19 in the sinking of Indianapolis on July 30, 1945. Mary reflected on a wooden chest and wood lamp kept in their home. Harley’s dad had guided his son in creating these in his dad’s woodworking shop.
Mary shared this photo posing with Harley outside the drugstore where they stopped every Sunday for ice cream. It was the drugstore owner who captured one of the Mary’s fondest memories.
Send photos and memories of your lost-at-sea crew member to Project888@ussindianapolis.org
Need more information: email Marilyn Henry, bmcp56@att.net.