Emil Saroch, the fourth child of Emil and Martha Saroch, was born at home on the farm in St James, Missouri on June 2, 1920. He was educated in a one room schoolhouse until he attended St James High School, graduating in 1936. Emil enlisted in the US Navy in 1937, was assigned to Melville (AD-2) in San Diego and then attended Naval Academy Preparatory School (Norfolk) prior to his appointment as a Midshipman, US Naval Academy, Class of 1945. In 1943, he met his future bride, Patricia Rementer, at the Ring Dance. His time at the Naval Academy was shortened due to World War II when he and his classmates graduated a year early in 1944.
Emil got his first assignment as the pre-commissioning Commanding Officer of LCS-L 119. Landing Class Support Large (LCS-L) was a new class of amphibious ships designed to support the amphibious assault forces in the Pacific, quickly to earn the nickname as Mighty Midgets for their courageous defense against Kamikazes. LCS-L 119 was supporting Amphibious Operations around Okinawa from April to May 1945. LCS-L 119 became known as a lucky ship for its many close calls. That luck ran out on the night of 28 May 1945, when a kamikaze struck his ship causing considerable damage and loss of life onboard. For his conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action while commanding LCS-L 119, Lieutenant Saroch was awarded the Silver Star.
That action ended Emil’s tour in the Pacific Theatre as the 119 was towed back to San Francisco arriving on 18 August 1945 (VJ Day). After a hectic trip across country, Pat and Emil were married at St. Giles Episcopal Church in Upper Darby PA on 1 September 1945, a little over a year from their respective graduations from high school and the Naval Academy. That first. year of separation, when they were engaged would be one of many, during which Emil, serving his country, was always secure in Pat’s love.
From 1946-1949, Emil served as 1st Lieutenant and Gunnery Officer on Rowan (DD 782), earning the reputation as an outstanding organizer and good shipmate. While at sea in the Far East, Emil became a father with the birth of his first child, Victoria Lisbeth, in 1948. After five years of sea duty, Emil and Pat got their first break with Emil’s first of two tours of duty at the US Naval Academy as a Navigation Instructor. During this time ashore, their second child, Winnifred Miriam, joined the family.
Two years was a brief time to spend ashore and Emil and Pat were on the move again, this time to Boston, Massachusetts for a two-year tour on the Edisto (AGB-2), a Navy icebreaker. Serving as the Navigator, he slept in a hammock and collected invaluable hydrographic data for the Navy and nation from the ice and Arctic waters as the ship operated north of the Arctic Circle. Another sea tour followed this time as Emil took over as Commander, Mine Division 45 in Charleston, South Carolina, the home of the Mine Warfare Command, enhancing his skills in deck seamanship and divisional tactics. He and Pat grew to love Southern hospitality and served the wardroom and its wives.
During a short tour in Washington, DC as a member of Chief of Naval Operation’s staff in foreign military sales, Emil first learned the joy of Sunday School operations as he ran the Sunday school chapel services at Truro Episcopal Church. He then went onto serve in multiple back-to-back sea tours, first Executive Officer on Turner (DD 834) and then Fremont (APA 44) from 1960-1961. The summer of 1961 gave way to Pat’s love of adventure when she traveled the Mediterranean with their daughters to meet the ship at its various ports of call. While Emil was entertaining Cornelius Ryan, the author, and 20th Century Fox directors filming “The Longest Day”, Pat and the girls showed up in Corsica, France for a visit to the ship. To keep them “out of sight”, they were put in helmets and lifejackets and observed filming of the assault from the FREMONT’s bridge.
From 1961-1963, Emil served as the Commanding Officer, Wallace L Lind (DD 703). During this time, the LIND took place in a number of significant operations including, certifying the first Drone Anti-Submarine Helicopter (DASH), supporting the Mercury satellite recovery operations in the Atlantic, the search for the Thresher (SSN-593) and interdicting merchant traffic during the Cuban Missile Crisis. For their efforts, LIND received the Battle Efficiency E award in 1963.
Following the Norfolk tour, the family moved back to Annapolis where Emil served as the Chief of Staff at the US Naval Academy. This assignment provided the unique opportunity to work in a civic capacity as he frequently interacted with the Annapolis commercial, governmental, press, and cultural organizations. While there both George Burchard and Patricia Briggs were born in 1964 and 1965, respectively. In addition to parenting two teenagers and two infants, Emil became a hero when he was able to introduce Wendy to Roger Staubach who was a 1st Class Midshipman at the time. He also served on the Peggy Stewart in a reenactment of the of her burning during the Annapolis Tea Party.
Emil went back to command at sea for one final tour as the Commanding Officer of the USS Point Defiance (LSD 31) from 1966 to 1967 during the Vietnam War in an extended deployment the ship conducted numerous Marine landings in the Vietnam War including those in Danang. Despite the ongoing challenges of travel during this period, Emil and Pat were able to meet in Japan. Emil turned down an opportunity to remain at sea and instead elected to return to Annapolis to spend time with Pat and his children.
A year later in 1967, the family was back in Annapolis as Emil returned to duty at the Pentagon determining navy requirements for military personnel ashore , afloat and in the skies and material through work-study and industrial engineering and having operational control of the Navy Manpower and Material Material analysis Centers Atlantic, Pacific and Washington for the Navy. In his off-duty hours, he was able to make and renew friendships with his Providence neighbors the Downins and classmates, as well as others in the area. He resumed attending St Annes and actively pursued his passion for gardening. During all this activity he managed to oversee the younger two’s development, graduation of Winnifred from Annapolis Highschool and Victoria from college and was also instrumental in her recruitment into the US Navy through the women’s junior year OCS program.
Emil’s final tour was as the Chief Military Advisory Group The Netherlands where he worked directly for the Ambassador and was responsible for introducing US weapons systems to the Dutch. He spent time with the family traveling around Europe, including having Wendy close when she spent a year studying music in Vienna. He loved the Dutch and English as well as the Dutch language and the Anglican Church where he was an active communicant. Emil also got time to consider life after 36 years in the Navy working for Ambassador William Middendorf who would go onto serve as Secretary of the Navy.
Following Emil’s retirement from the Navy in 1974, he went onto try his hand as Director of Personnel at the City University of New York for a short period before settling down as a Naval Science Instructor for Navy Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps at both St Paul’s in New Jersey and Episcopal High School in Baton Rouge Louisiana. He had time to pursue his love of gardening and enjoyed having both George and Briggs serve in his unit while they were at Episcopal High School where he coached the Drill and Rifle Team. Emil started co-teaching Sunday School with Pat. He began his spiritual growth attending Cursillo with Pat and completed the four-year Education for Ministry course. He also served as a Member of the Military of World Wars and was a key member of the committee to bring USS Kidd (DD 661) as a Naval Historical site to Baton Rouge where it remains today.
Returning to Annapolis and the house in Providence in 1985, Emil assumed an active role at St. Margaret’s Parish. He was active on St Margarets Vestry, Altar Guild (first male), and Lay Eucharistic Minister. He was pivotal in initiating the Wednesday morning service and with Pat the St. Margarets Day school as an integral part of the Community. With encouragement of the Bishop and the Rector at the time he was a key member in forming form the Chapter of the Brotherhood of St Andrews at St Margarets where he served at its for many years. In 1996, Pat, Emil, and Tory made a pilgrimage to Israel. He and Pat attended several national conventions for the Episcopal Church. He went on to serve in leadership positions in the Brotherhood of St Andrew at the Provincial and National levels. He recently was recognized as the longest living member of the Brotherhood. Emil was also active in the Military of World Wars serving as Commander and coordination of the Annual Massing of the Colors. He also actively served the Providence community through landscaping efforts. A farm boy at heart, the garden was his passion and he passed on this love to all his children. He was chopping wood at ninety-six and hoeing at one hundred.
Emil pre-deceased by Pat in their fifty-ninth years of marriage. He is survived by his four children, five including his beloved Nancy (George’s wife), twenty-four grandchildren, including in-laws and thirteen great-grandchildren. Emil exemplified a life of service, first to his Country, then to his Family finally to his God. Together with Pat, they displayed the fruits of the spirit and grew in the love of Christ, whom he acknowledged as LORD. He loved and was loved by many especially his family.
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