He was born on June 30,1915, in Creole, LA to parents Eloi and Lou Elda Conner. He attended Creole High School and was of Catholic faith. Prior to his enlistment in the Navy, he was a farmer alongside his brothers John Sidney Conner and William Andrew Conner. Joseph enlisted in the Navy on November 8, 1939, in Houston, TX. He completed his basic training in San Diego, CA. He was assigned to the Pacific fleet and rose in rank to Fireman First Class.
Joseph was a beloved son, brother, uncle, and friend whose life was cut short at a young age. Though generations of his family never had the opportunity to know him personally, his memory and great sacrifice were never forgotten. The Conner family would later suffer a second loss during World War II when Joseph’s brother, William Andrew Conner, was lost aboard the USS Houston and remains unaccounted for to this day.
Thanks to advanced scientific techniques, military personnel, along with anthropologists and genealogists, have been able to identify service members through DNA analysis, helping to confirm the identities of those who were previously unknown to return them home to their final resting places.
For more information on the procedures to bring more of these Sailors and Soldiers home, please refer to the Navy Support-Services/Casualty/POW-MIA-Branch online to aid in bringing more like Joseph home to their families.
Joseph’s family is grateful to all those whose dedication and perseverance made his identification and return possible. His life, service, sacrifice, and memory will forever remain a part of his family’s history and the history of Cameron Parish.
The family will receive relatives and friends at Hixson Funeral Home of Lake Charles on Friday, July 31, 2026 from 5:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. with a rosary to be recited at 6:00 p.m.
Visitation will resume Saturday August 01, 2026 at 10:00 a.m. Funeral Services will begin at 11:00 a.m. in the funeral home officiated by the Rev. Josh Page of Our Lady Queen of Heaven Catholic Church. Procession to Prien Memorial Park will follow services for burial with full military honors.
Hixson Funeral Home and Prien Memorial Park are honored to participate in this historic homegoing for F1c Joseph Ucline Conner.
