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John Leo Carver ( Missoula 1946 )

posted: May 2, 2021

Jack, 74, died January 27, 1998, in the Montana Veterans Home, Columbia Falls, Montana. He was born February 22, 1923, in Hamilton, Montana. Jack grew up in Darby, Montana, and entered the Navy during WWII where he served four years. He was with the Bombing Squadron 14 with the USS Wasp when he and his pilot were credited with inflicting heavy damage on the Japanese battleship Yamato. His photograph of that bombing has been reproduced in the U.S. Navy's official story of the 2nd Battle of the Philippines and has been used in many newspapers and magazine to illustrate the actual sinking of the Yamato. He received a Navy Unit commendation Ribbon, the Air Medal and the Silver Star Medal.

He married LeEtta May Carver in 1949. Jack attended Montana State College at Bozeman for two years and Montana State University at Missoula for two years. He jumped the 1946 season at Missoula. They lived in Kalispell where he owned and operated the Kalispell News Agency. After dealing in real estate, he purchased the Great Falls Beer Distributorship, naming it Carver Distributing Co. which he owned until his retirement.