John Francis Bendyk

While at the university, Lieutenant Bendyk was a marketing student, participated in track, served as the Dad's Day assistant chairman, and was the assistant chairman of the Senior Ball. He also served on the House President's counsel, the senior council, was a member of Sigma Nu, and was the vice president of the business fraternity, Alpha Kappa Psi, during his senior year.

He enlisted into the US Navy Reserve in June 1942. He married Betty Ann Jones, an actress, on Nov/ 20, 1943, in Boston, Massachusetts. He was commissioned as a lieutenant and became the damage control officer for the USS Haraden (DD-585), a destroyer. On Dec. 10, 1944, the Haraden went underway to support the Invasion of Mindoro in the Philippines. They arrived in the Sulu Sea on Dec. 13, 1944. That day, four Japanese aircraft attacked the convoy the Haraden was with. Three of the aircraft were downed, but the surviving plane banked and dived straight for the Haraden. The plane, severely damaged by Haraden's anti-aircraft fire, slammed into the ship's side. Lieutenant Haraden, along with 13 of his crewmates were killed. Bendyk's remains were brought to San Pedro Bay in the Philippines and he was interred overseas until 1949 when he was reinterred at St. Adalbert's Cemetery in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.