World War II Honoree

Ralph A. Zettel

Branch of Service

U.S. Navy

Hometown

Maplewood, Wisconsin

Honored By

Terry MacDonald

LIEUTENANT JUNIOR GRADE. SEPTEMBER 1941 ACCEPTED IN NROTC AT MARQUETTE UNIVERSITY. NOVEMBER 1942, ENLISTED AS A SEAMAN APPRENTICE, U.S. NAVAL RESERVES V-1 PROGRAM. FEBRUARY 1944 COMMISSIONED AS AN ENSIGN. JUNE 1944 ASSIGNED GUNNERY, COMMUNICATIONS AND SUPPLY OFFICER ABOARD THE USS LSM 48. PARTICIPATED IN THE IWO JIMA INVASION ON D-DAY FEBRUARY 19, 1945. BECAME EXECUTIVE OFFICER OF USS LSM 48 IN AUGUST 1945. ASSUMED COMMAND OF LSM 48 IN OCTOBER 1945 OKINAWA. DECOMMISSIONED LSM 48 IN MAY 1946. STAYED IN THE RESERVES, RECALLED TO ACTIVE DUTY DURING THE KOREAN WAR, BECAME A CAREER NAVY MAN RETIRED AS A CAPTAIN IN 1968.