World War II Honoree

Armante John Cerro

Branch of Service

U.S. Navy

Hometown

Boonville, New York

Honored By

Patricia Cerro Reehil

Relationship

Daughter

ASSIGNED TO THE UNION COLLEGE V12 UNIT IN 1943. COMMISSIONED ENSIGN AT FORT SCHUYLER MIDSHIPMAN SCHOOL, NEW YORK CITY. HIS FIRST ASSIGNMENT WAS AT U.S. NAVAL TRAINING CENTER MIAMI, FLORIDA FOR ANTI-SUBMARINE TRAINING. OVERSEAS DUTIES WERE SPENT MINESWEEPING IN THE MARSHALL ISLANDS. POST WAR, HIS SHIP WAS THE FIRST ASSIGNED TO BIKINI ISLAND MAKING PREPARATIONS FOR OPERATIONS CROSSROADS. HE SERVED AS EXECUTIVE OFFICER UNTIL MAY OF 1946. ONE OF THE GREAT STORIES HE TOLD WAS THAT HE WAS 18 AND IN CHARGE OF A MINESWEEPER AND HAD TO NAVIGATE BY THE STARS IN THE SOUTH PACIFIC.