Joseph Edward Durik was born 9 December 1922 in southwest Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania

The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...

. He enlisted in the United States Naval Reserve on 5 January 1942. Apprentice Seaman Durik was killed in action 15 March 1942 following the accidental firing of a torpedo

Torpedo

The modern torpedo is a self-propelled missile weapon with an explosive warhead, launched above or below the water surface, propelled underwater towards a target, and designed to detonate either on contact with it or in proximity to it.The term torpedo was originally employed for...

 aboard destroyer

Destroyer

In naval terminology, a destroyer is a fast and maneuverable yet long-endurance warship intended to escort larger vessels in a fleet, convoy or battle group and defend them against smaller, powerful, short-range attackers. Destroyers, originally called torpedo-boat destroyers in 1892, evolved from...

 Meredith

USS Meredith (DD-434)

USS Meredith , a , was the second ship of the United States Navy to be named for Jonathan Meredith, a United States Marine Corps Sergeant who served during the First Barbary War....

 (DD-434). For his selfless conduct in giving first aid

First aid

First aid is the provision of initial care for an illness or injury. It is usually performed by non-expert, but trained personnel to a sick or injured person until definitive medical treatment can be accessed. Certain self-limiting illnesses or minor injuries may not require further medical care...

 to an injured shipmate although wounded himself, Apprentice Seaman Durik was posthumously commended by Admiral

Admiral

Admiral is the rank, or part of the name of the ranks, of the highest naval officers. It is usually considered a full admiral and above vice admiral and below admiral of the fleet . It is usually abbreviated to "Adm" or "ADM"...

 Chester W. Nimitz.

Namesake

In 1944, the destroyer escort

Destroyer escort

A destroyer escort is the classification for a smaller, lightly armed warship designed to be used to escort convoys of merchant marine ships, primarily of the United States Merchant Marine in World War II. It is employed primarily for anti-submarine warfare, but also provides some protection...

 USS Durik

USS Durik (DE-666)

USS Durik was a of the United States Navy, named in honor of Apprentice Seaman Joseph E. Durik .Durik was launched 9 October 1943 by Dravo Corp., Neville Island, Pennsylvania; sponsored by Mrs. M. Durik, mother of Seaman Apprentice Durik; and commissioned 24 March 1944, Commander K. B...

(DE-666) was named in honor of Seaman Durik, sponsored by his mother, Mrs. M. Durik.