Harold William Hartmann

Harold W. Hartmann, age 96, of West Haven passed away peacefully at Apple Rehab on May 6, 2018, “Mission Accomplished”. He was born in New Haven on March 10, 1922 to the late Raymond F. Hartmann Sr. and the late Kathleen Eileen O’Sullivan Hartmann. His greatest pleasure was serving the people of West Haven.

Harold graduated from St. Lawrence School in 1936 and West Haven High School in 1941. He started work for the former High Standard Mfg. Company in Hamden, CT in 1940 as a Machine Operator. He later retired after 40 years as a General Superintendent. He also worked for Hayes International Association in Simsbury, CT for 3 years as VP of Operations as well as the former Valley Services in Simsbury, CT as General Manager for 3 years.Harold was in charge of all the repair work for the Old Savin Rock Park Company for over 30 years.

He joined the US Navy in 1942 and was stationed aboard the USS Santa Fe CL 60 in October of 1942. He traveled more than 221.00 miles in the Pacific Ocean fighting the Japanese. He earned 14 battle stars on the campaign ribbon and also 2 stars on the Philippine liberation. The Santa Fe set a record for major fighting ships which has not been broken to this day. That record is spending 25 months in the front line combat starting out in the Aleutian Islands to the South Pacific all the way island hopping up to Tokyo. He was released to the reserves in the 1946 and was again called for duty in Korea in 1950 for two tours of duty released in 1952.

Harold held membership in the following organization, Naval Memorial of Washington DC, Navy League of Arlington, VA, West Haven Veterans Council, Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 9422 of West Haven, CT, American Legion Post 0071 of West Haven, CT,  AM Vets Post 09 of North Haven, CT,  Navy Cruiser Sailors Association Massachusetts Chapter, USS Santa FE CL 60 Association, Escort Carrier Association, USS Badoeng Strait CVE 116 Association, Member of the Savin Rock Museum and Savin Rock Historian Curator of the Savin Rock Museum.

He is survived by his brother George Hartmann of Florida and nephew Ray Hartmann III of Guilford. He is predeceased by two brothers Ray Hartmann Jr. and Earl Hartmann and two sisters, Lorraine Hartmann Zichichi and Geraldine Hartmann.

Family and friends may visit the Keenan Funeral Home, 238 Elm Street West Haven CT 06515, Wednesday May 16, 2018 from 4 to 8 pm. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated Thursday, May 17 at 11:00 am at Our Lady of Victory Church, 600 Jones Hill Road, West Haven. Burial will follow at St. Lawrence Cemetery in West Haven with full military honors. In Lieu of flowers memorial contributions may be made to a donor’s choice. 

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