Gearhardt (Gay) Giesau, 88, a Pearl Harbor survivor who served on one of the most celebrated ships in United States Navy history, died Monday, January 17, 2011 after a short stay at the Aspirus Ontonagon Hospital's long-term care unit.

Giesau, a U.S. Marine gunner, was aboard the USS San Francisco when the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941 and he was aboard the same heavy cruiser when it spearheaded the attack on the Imperial Japanese Navy fleet in the Battle of Guadalcanal on Nov. 13, 1943.

As a gunner, he played a role in what historians describe as the most brutal close-range battle in naval history, a pivotal engagement that turned the tide in the Pacific theater. The San Francisco, while taking 45 direct hits, sank one Japanese ship and disabled two others. In the aftermath of that Naval battle, the commanding general of the Marines on Guadalcanal sent the followed message to Navy Admiral Bull Halsey: "Let us thank God for men such as these. May our nation continue to be worthy of them."

Giesau was born Jan. 29, 1922 in Halberstadt, Germany. His parents, Hedwig and William, chose to seek opportunity in America and their oldest son celebrated his second birthday on a ship en route to their new home. They settled first in Painesdale and later moved to Ontonagon.

Ontonagon would be Gay Giesau's home for the rest of his life. He was graduated from Ontonagon in 1940, joining the Marines soon thereafter. And, thus, he was also a Marine for the rest of his life. After leaving the service in 1944, he married Mildred Rogers and they were together until she passed away in 2003. They had two children, James F. (Marilyn) Giesau of Kingsford and Cheryl (Robert) Giesau Lackie of Sturgeon Bay, WI. He had 10 grandchildren and 21 great-grandchildren.

Giesau became a master electrician and ultimately started his own company, Gay's Electric, which he ran until his retirement.

Though his endearing interest was always Mildred, he was involved in the formation and building of Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 5600 in Ontonagon and enjoyed hunting, boating and gardening. And, for understandable reasons, he was an avid student of World War II history.

Giesau was preceded in death by his parents, brother Kurt and two great grand-children. He is survived by his children, 10 grand-children, 19 great grand-children, brother William and three sisters-in-law.

Visitation will be from noon to 2 p.m. Thursday at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Ontonagon. The funeral service will begin at 2 p.m., with a luncheon to follow.

Burial will take place Monday, May 23 at 11 a.m. at the Riverside Cemetery in Ontonagon.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be sent to the Ontonagon County Cancer Assn., P.O. Box 282, Ontonagon 49953, the Alzheimer Foundation, 710 Chippewa Sq., Marquette, 49855 or Gift of Life Transplant House, 705 Second St. SW, Rochester, MN 55920.