World War II Honoree

Michael A. Chirigos, Sr.

Branch of Service

U.S. Navy

Hometown

Baltimore, Maryland

Honored By

Friends of American Heroes

LEFT HIGH SCHOOL AND ENLISTED IN THE NAVY. ON JUNE 5, 1944, HIS LANDING CRAFT INFANTRY WAS AMONG HUNDREDS AMASSED AT PORTSMOUTH HARBOR IN ENGLAND AND BOUND FOR NORMANDY AT DAYBREAK. HIS SHIP, THE LCI 497, WAS PART OF THE ALLIED INVASION OF FRANCE TO FREE EUROPE FROM CONTROL OF GERMANY. AS THE SHIP NEARED OMAHA BEACH, IT BEGAN TO TAKE ON RIFLE AND MACHINE GUN FIRE. MANEUVERING THROUGH THE BEACH OBSTACLES, THE SHIP GOT CAUGHT ON ONE OF THE PILINGS AND SET OFF A TELLER MINE. THE EXPLOSION TORE OFF THE STARBOARD-LANDING RAMP. THEY WERE ORDERED TO ABANDON SHIP. THE BEACH WAS FULL OF DEAD AND WOUNDED, DISCARDED EQUIPMENT, DISABLED TANKS AND VEHICLES. MORE LANDING CRAFTS WERE BEACHING AND DISGORGING MORE INFANTRYMEN. WITH HEAVY ENEMY FIRE FLYING FROM THE BLUFF ABOVE THE CLIFF, HE RAN DOWN THE BEACH TO JOIN A LARGE GROUP OF OTHER INFANTRYMEN. HE THEN STARTED WORKING WITH MEDICS, PICKING UP BODIES AND BANDAGING THE WOUNDED.