World War II Honoree

Leonard Catucci

Branch of Service

U.S. Coast Guard

Hometown

New Britain, Connecticut

Honored By

Dolores Mae Catucci

Relationship

Wife

WHILE HE WAS IN THE COAST GUARD, HE WAS ON LST 761 ON HIS WAY TO THE PACIFIC, HITTING PEARL HARBOR, THEN ENIWETOK, THEN ON TO IWO JIMA WHERE THEY WERE IN THE FIRST WAVE TO HIT THE SHORELINE. LST 761 LEFT WITH 2 BIG HOLES, WENT TO PEARL HARBOR FOR TEMPORARY REPAIRS, THEN BACK TO THE U.S. FOR REPAIRS. THE CREW WENT TO MISSISSIPPI AND PICKED UP LST 791 AND RETURNED TO THE PACIFIC AS AN AMMUNITION SHIP. HE SERVED FROM JULY 1943 TO APRIL 1946 AND WAS DISCHARGED IN BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS. AWARDS WERE AMERICAN THEATER MEDAL, ASIATIC-PACIFIC CAMPAIGN RIBBON AND WWII VICTORY MEDAL.