World War II Honoree

Edward F. Pecko

Branch of Service

U.S. Navy

Hometown

Drexel Hill, Pennsylvania

Honored By

His Family

ENTERED AND COMPLETED BOOT CAMP AT SAMPSON, NEW YORK IN 1944. FROM HERE HE TRAVELED TO GULF PORT, MISSISSIPPI FOR BASIC ENGINEERING SCHOOL AND BECAME A FIREMAN FIRST CLASS. NEXT TRAVELED TO OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA AND BOARDED THE USS GENERAL MUHR HEADED FOR THE PHILIPPINES. UPON ARRIVAL HE WAS TRANSFERRED TO HIS FIRST SHIP, THE USS DETROIT. SERVED THE DETROIT FROM 1945 THROUGH 1946 AS FIREMAN FIRST CLASS WHILE THE VESSEL PATROLLED THE COAST OF JAPAN. ON SEPTEMBER 1, 1946, HE AND HIS SHIPMATES ENTERED TOKYO BAY AND ANCHORED OFF THE COAST OF YOKOHAMA WHERE THE PEACE TREATY ENDING WWII WAS SIGNED. FROM HERE THE SHIP LEFT JAPAN STOPPING AT MIDWAY ISLAND, PEARL HARBOR, AND LONG BEACH. THEY NEXT TRAVELED THROUGH THE PANAMA CANAL TO PHILADELPHIA NAVAL YARD WHERE THE VESSEL WAS DECOMMISSIONED IN 1946. SERVED THE REST OF HIS ENLISTMENT ON A SERIES OF DESTROYERS AND WAS PROMOTED TO MACHINIST MATE THIRD CLASS. HE WAS HONORABLY DISCHARGED IN 1946.