Plonsky, James
Navy Gunner’s mate

James Plonsky, age 22, from Van Nuys, California, Los Angeles county.

Service era: Cold War

Date of death: Sunday, May 17, 1987
Death details: Died aboard the USS Stark. While in the Persian Gulf on May 17, 1987, she was struck by two Iraqi Exocet missiles, killing 37 sailors and wounding 21. Brought under control, the frigate sailed to Bahrain and was successfully repaired at Ingalls Shipbuilding, Pascagoula, Mississippi. Following repairs and subsequent tours in the Atlantic and Middle East, Stark was decommissioned on May 7, 1999, and was scrapped in 2006.

Source: Associated Press, National Museum of the U.S. Navy