He began his military service in the Alton, Illinois National Guard at age 21. He served in the Pacific during WWII as a member of the Americal Division and earned a battlefield commission to Lieutenant. He fought in the battles of Bougainville, Guatal Canal, Lethe and the Solomon Islands. He was rapidly promoted to Major while serving under General Douglas MacArthur. Upon returning home, he married Winnifred Case of East Alton, IL in 1946. His military service included tours in Italy and Austria as a Battalion Commander, Senior Military Advisor to a Korean Division, Senior Military Attaché to Spain and Regular Army Instructor for the National Guard of Minnesota being activated for service in Korea. His last assignments were in the Savannah area as G-3 Chief of Operations at Fort Stewart, GA, Post Commander at Hunter Army Airfield and Special Assistant to the Commanding General at Hunter Army Airfield. Among his decorations are the Legion of Merit, Bronze Star Medal, Army Commendation Medal with two Oak Leaf Clusters, Army Occupation Medal (Germany and Japan), Army Defense Service Medal, American Campaign Medal, Asiatic Pacific Medal with four stars and one arrowhead, World War II Victory Medal, National Defense Service Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster, Philippine Independence Ribbon, Philippine Liberation Ribbon and Philippine Presidential Unit Citation. He was a graduate of the University of Maryland, Phi Kappa Phi, with a B.S. degree in Political Science. He was also a graduate of the Armor Advanced Course and the Command and General Staff College. After 34 years in the military, he served in a civilian capacity in the Savannah Better Business Bureau and Chairman of the Board of Tax Assessors. He was a member of St. Frances Cabrini Catholic Church, BPOE, Savannah Golf Club, National American Legion, Past President of the Savannah Exchange Club, and President Emeritus of the Southside Fire Department. He is survived by his wife of 59 years, Winnifred Case Karnosky of Savannah; a sister, Sister Mary Stanley of Springfield, IL; two brothers, Anton Karnosky of Livingston, IL and Thomas Karnosky of Saginaw, MI.
Family Members
Spouse
Winifred Irene Case Karnosky
1920–2020 (m. 1946)
Inscription: US ARMY
Gravesite Details WORLD WAR II, KOREA, VIETNAM
