Comments on Advance Indiana™: John Gromosiak's Battle To Restore Name To USS Indianapolis Plaque

Mr. John Gromosiak was the most compassionate and ...

2015-07-31T07:17:22.540-05:00

Mr. John Gromosiak was the most compassionate and "gave it his all" in educating people and supporting the USS Indianapolis survivors. Reading these opinions of veterans is very disturbing. I am shocked to read who fought to remove his name of donators.

I met John Gromosiak around 2010, in Indianapolis ...

2014-07-15T08:47:42.498-05:00

I met John Gromosiak around 2010, in Indianapolis when he was selling books and posters about the USS Indianapolis. I felt that he was a survivor of the ill fated USS Indianapolis. I later learned differently. As a Veteran, I detest that this person was making money for something that he is not part of. I made some purchases because I thought John Gromosiak was as a survivor of the USS Indianapolis. He wasn't and this is a definition of fraud. I sympathize with the real survivors of the USS Indianapolis who have shunned this person. I a sure he is having to answer to the departed crewmembers of the USS Indianapolis because he has since passed away.

Seeing how artist make so much money... John did ...

2012-03-24T10:02:05.429-05:00

Seeing how artist make so much money...

John did more for the U.S.S. Indianaplis survivors than anyone else ever has which can be attested by someone like McDONALD, Franklin G. Jr., F2 who now has a statue dedicated to him downtown and who signed many of his prints and paintings during the reunions that John was instrumental in. I doubt that any of the survivors would begrudge someone that was as industrious as John a living.

Fact is he donated 30K to the monument by selling his paintings but was not a "legitimate" donor in the eyes of some other donors.

I have two letters from survivors to John showing the continued correspondence, one from Hershberger 2009 and one from McGinnis 2010.

John passed away Dec 15th, 2012.

Mr. Gromosiak may indeed have donated money to the...

2010-07-11T06:48:11.961-05:00

Mr. Gromosiak may indeed have donated money to the memorial, but he has also reaped countless dollars from peddling U.S.S. Indianapolis memorabilia ... probably creating the impression in some people's minds that he was an actual survivor or had an official connection with the memorial or the survivors' group.

Yet as far as I know, Mr. Gromosiak has never opened his books to show how much money he has personally pocketed from selling U.S.S. Indianapolis items, and as far as I'm concerned, if he wants to be regarded as a legitimate supporter of the memorial and the survivors, he should be willing to prove how much money he's made from the ill-fated ship.

It's not enough to prove that he's donated $30,000 or whatever. There are plenty of charities around that do indeed donate lots of money to good causes -- the question is, what percentage of the donations did they keep for themselves?

Before I feel sorry for Mr. Gromosiak, accord him "honorary survivor" status, or trust that he has a sincere interest in the U.S.S. Indianapolis, I'd like some certainty that he's not a survivor wanna-be or, worse yet, a knockoff merchant.

Apparently, Kevin O'Neal's article contained some ...

2008-10-18T09:38:00.000-05:00

Apparently, Kevin O'Neal's article contained some misinformation. Gen. Goodwin is quoted as saying that John " was not part of the group that paid for the memorial." This is totally false. John worked with the Commission who built it. He moved here to do so, at the Commission's request. As a volunteer, he had an office with them for several years in the Naval Armory. He created and donated 2 paintings which became the cornerstone of the fund raising effort.

Pat Finneran is quoted as saying " he was never qualified to be on that plaque." This could not be farther from the truth. He wrote John a letter which accompanied his Certificate of Appreciation in June, 1995 . The letter
acknowledges John's $ 30,000 contribution and states the Memorial could not have been built without John's help.

The article seems to suggest that John told Mr. O'Neal that survivors complained. In fact, John has not been told who complained. He would never suggest that survivors complained. Today's most vocal opponents are the children of survivors. At the hearing before the War Memorial Commission
( 2005),
John was told that the Commission would never reveal to him the names of those who complained.

October Smith Kniess, JD

He obviously identifies very strongly with the U.S...

2008-10-17T13:54:00.000-05:00

He obviously identifies very strongly with the U.S.S. Indianapolis. I don't blaming for wanting to leave his mark on something he cares deeply about. While I don't identify with his cause, I see him as a sincere person who's eager to talk to anyone who will listen about something important to him. While his message doesn't resonate with me, I respect his perseverance in representing his cause.