“Mrs. Joseph Orleck (Gertha)-letter to Secretary of the Navy James Forrestal.
“”Please accept my deep appreciation of the honor conferred upon my
husband, the late Lieutenant Joseph Orleck in naming a destroyer in his name.
As per instructions in your letter of January 26, 1945, I have advised the
Supervisor of Construction at the Consolidated Steel Corp, Orange, Texas, that
it will be a privilege for me to christen this ship at it’s
launching.”””
“Mrs Joseph Orleck (Gertha), advised of naming of ship after Lieutenant Joseph
Orleck an designating her as sponsor to christen the USS ORLECK (DD-886).”
Approval of name USS ORLECK (for the United States Destroyer DD886. Ralph A. Bard, Acting Secretary of the Navy.”
“Approval is recommended of the following names for the vessels indicated: (Among others) ORLECK In honor of the late Lt. Joseph Orleck, USN-Classification-DD886. W.S. Farber, Sus Chief of Naval Operations.”
Joseph Orleck-Died-Presumptive 10 September 1944. In compliance with section 5 of Public Law 490, as amended, death is presumed to have occurred on the 10th day of September, 1944.
Place: Mediterranean Area.
Cause: Enemy Action.
Next of kin: Gertha C. Orleck, wife, 2300 South Main Street, Winston-Salem, North Carolina.
Joseph Orleck-The President of The United States takes pleasure in presenting the NAVY CROSS to LIEUTENANT JOSEPH ORLECK, UNITED STATES NAVY for service as set forth in the following citation:For extraordinary heroism in action as Commanding Officer of the USS Nauset during the amphibious invasion of Italy on September 9, 1943. When his ship, approaching the assault area was struck by aerial bombs which caused numerous casualties and consuming fires over the entire boat deck, Lieutenant Orleck calmly and expertly directed the fire-fighting activities, the control of serious flooding and the transfer of of all survivors to the rescue ships. Valient and determined in the face of imminent peril, he remained aboard the stricken Nauset in an attempt to beach her and prevent total loss, working desperately until she struck an enemy mine and sank. Lieutenant Orleck’s indomitable fighting spirit and selfless devotion to duty were in keeping with the highest traditions of the Naval Service. For the President– Frank Knox, Secretary of the Navy.
Joseph Orleck enlisted in United States Navy.