James Alan Wozniak

James Alan Wozniak, a Vietnam veteran and longtime Michiana resident, died Sept. 17, 2025. He was 78.

Mr. Wozniak was born in South Bend, Ind., on Jan. 5, 1947, to Stanley and Irene (Kuc) Wozniak, second-generation Americans whose parents had emigrated from Poland to the South Bend area in the late 1800s.

Mr. Wozniak graduated from Clay High School in 1965, where he was a member of the band. He joined the Navy soon after graduation.

Sent to Vietnam, Mr. Wozniak was a member of the Navy’s Underwater Demolition Team—predecessor of the Navy’s Elite SEALS unit—which engaged in underwater demolition, reconnaissance missions, and secret hydrographic surveys, often under hazardous conditions and enemy fire. Along with receiving the U.S. government’s Vietnam Service Medal with star, Mr. Wozniak was awarded the Republic of Vietnam’s Meritorious Unit Citation with Gallantry Cross Colors.

After serving in Vietnam, Mr. Wozniak’s Naval service continued with work in signals intelligence in Morocco and Guam, earning a high-security clearance along the way. He was known as a master of languages, with facility in Spanish, Japanese, Polish, Czech, and Russian, among others. All told, he spent four years and eight months overseas during a military career that lasted seven years and 10 months.

During his subsequent civilian career, Mr. Wozniak worked at Simplicity Pattern Co. before joining Hess Engineering in 1983.. His work for Hess included designing and building metal forming machines for the automotive industry. Sometimes he then took apart, transported to countries such as Canada, Poland and what was then Czechoslovakia, and reassembled the machines while training local employees on how to use them.

In the early 2000s, Mr. Wozniak spent 8 years as a manager at the AM General plant in Mishawaka when it manufactured the Humvee.

Mr. Wozniak is survived by sons Gregory James Wozniak and Shawn Vincent Wozniak; daughter Vanessa Marie Wozniak Reis; and grandchildren Seth Wozniak and Tristan Reis.

On May 31, 1998, Mr. Wozniak married Charleen Webb Squint. She survives him, along with her son Anthony Michael Squint; her daughter Angela Squint Hutchison; and grandchildren Jacob Squint, Hailey Hutchison, and Casey Hutchison.

Mr. Wozniak was a longtime member and 32nd degree Mason at Council Oak Lodge 745, where he served for several years as the lodge secretary.

A visitation ceremony will be held at noon Thursday, Sept. 25, at the McGann Hay University Chapel, 2313 Edison Rd., South Bend. The service will take place from 1 pm to 2 pm. He will be laid to rest with honors at the Veterans Marion (IN) National Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, mourners are requested to make a donation to the Wounded Warrior Project.