World War II Honoree

Nicholas Pio Montefiori

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Erie, Pennsylvania

Honored By

Mark Montefiori

Relationship

Son

COMPLETED BASIC TRAINING AT FORT MCCLELLAN ALABAMA, IN 1944 AT AGE 18. STATIONED AT FORT MCCLELLAN FOR A FEW MONTHS DOING NOMENCLATURE AND DRAWINGS OF WEAPONS. SENT TO FORT ORD, CALIFORNIA FOR THREE WEEKS OF EXTENDED BASIC TRAINING. WAS THEN SENT OVERSEES ON A CARGO SHIP. IT TOOK THEM TO THE PHILIPPINES AT MANILLA AND THEN WENT TO LUZON WHERE HE JOINED UP WITH THE 11TH AIRBORNE AT LUZON. COMPLETED PARATROOPER SCHOOL THERE. HE WAS WITH 11TH AIRBORNE IN THE PHILIPPINES WHEN THE ATOMIC BOMB WAS DROPPED. PRESIDENT TRUMAN WAS ON THE U.S. MISSOURI NEGOTIATING THE SURRENDER TERMS WITH THE JAPANEESE AFTERWARDS AND NICHOLAS MONTEFIORI WAS IN ONE OF THE FIRST 10 PLANES THAT LANDED IN JAPAN AFTER THE SURRENDER. HE WAS A GUARD AT THE GRAND HOTEL IN YOKOHAMA FOR GENERAL MCCARTHUR. WENT TO SHIOGAMA, THEN TO SENDI IN NORTHERN JAPAN, THEN WAS DISCHARGED AND CAME HOME ON THE U.S.S. PRESIDENT JOHNSON. HE CAME HOME THROUGH SEATTLE.