World War II Honoree

Joseph L. Fay

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Cambridge, Massachusetts

Honored By

Michael & Kevin Fay

Relationship

Sons

ENLISTED IN BOSTON ON MARCH 4, 1941. JOINED COMPANY L, 182ND INFANTRY REGIMENT AT FORT DEVENS, MASSACHUSETTS. DEPARTED THE U.S. FROM NEW YORK WITH THE 182ND IN JANUARY 1942, AND SPENT THE NEXT THREE AND A HALF YEARS WITH THE 182ND IN THE PACIFIC THEATRE. HIS TOUR OF DUTY INCLUDED AUSTRALIA, NEW CALEDONIA, GUADALCANAL, THE FIJI ISLANDS, BOUGAINVILLE AND THE PHILIPPINES (LEYTE AND CEBU ISLAND). ON BOUGAINVILLE, HE PARTICIPATED IN AN INFANTRY PATROL THAT KILLED 25 ENEMY FORCES. IN HIS ROLE AS 1ST SERGEANT, FAY PROVIDED TRAINING ON COMBAT INFANTRY TACTICS. HE DELIVERED ORIENTATION LECTURES AND GAVE DEMONSTRATIONS ON THE CARE, USE AND OPERATION OF SMALL-ARMS INFANTRY WEAPONS, LIGHT MACHINE GUNS AND MORTARS. HE WAS TWICE WOUNDED BY SHRAPNEL DURING THE CONFLICTS ON BOUGAINVILLE, 1944. HE ALSO CONTRACTED BRONCHITIS, DYSENTERY AND MALARIA WHILE OVERSEAS. HIS DECORATIONS INCLUDE THE AMERICAN DEFENSE MEDAL, ASIATIC-PACIFIC CAMPAIGN MEDAL WITH 3 BRONZE SERVICE STARS, PHILIPPINE LIBERATION RIBBON, GOOD CONDUCT MEDAL AND THE PURPLE HEART MEDAL. HE WAS HONORABLY DISCHARGED FROM THE ARMY ON JULY 22, 1945, AFTER FOUR AND A HALF YEARS OF MILITARY SERVICE TO HIS COUNTRY.