Remember Them – Chief Radio Operator Louis Taix

On this day we remember Chief Radio Operator Louis Taix.

Seventy years ago today, on 15 May 1942, twenty-five years old Louis Taix was killed when his ship, the SS Nicarao was torpedoed and sunk by the German submarine, U-571. Taix, the Chief Radio operator on the boat was trapped in the radio shack and went down with the ship as he was sending out cries for help.

Taix had grown up in New Orleans with his siblings and French immigrant parents. It was only after Taix’s death that his parents took steps to become American citizens. Earlier family photos show Louis costuming on Mardi Gras with his family and clowning with his brother, local boxing champ George Taix. Taix’s siblings have often wondered over the years how their lives would be different had their brother survived the war.

Read more about Louis Taix and other stories of sacrifice from the Museum’s Collection at  http://mymemorialday.org/remember/taix.php.

Louis Taix (center) with family on Mardi Gras.

Louis Taix (right) with his brother, George.

Images Courtesy of the Taix Family.

 Post by Curator Kimberly Guise.