World War II Honoree

Chester R. Pauley

Branch of Service

U.S. Navy

Hometown

Shirley, Massachusetts

Honored By

Charles B. Church III

ENTERED THE UNITED STATES NAVY FROM SHIRLEY, MASSACHUSETTS IN 1942. BASIC TRAINING AT NEWPORT, RHODE ISLAND. ATTENDED SIGNALMAN SCHOOL AT THE UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS IN CHAMPAIGN-URBANA, ILLINOIS. ATTACHED TO THE DESTROYER USS GHERARDI DD-637. MADE SEVERAL TRANSATLANTIC CROSSINGS PROTECTING CONVOYS. PARTICIPATED IN THE INVASION OF SICILY, AND SHELLED LAND AT UTAH BEACH IN NORMANDY, FRANCE. ALSO PARTICIPATED IN THE ASSAULT ON CHERBOURG, FRANCE TO ASSIST THE ARMY. SHIP WAS THEN REASSIGNED TO THE PACIFIC THEATRE. WENT TO OKINAWA BEFORE INVASION AND WAS REPEATEDLY ATTACKED BY JAPANESE KAMIKAZE AIRCRAFT. LATER IN THE WAR, PROVIDED MINESWEEPING SERVICE FOR THE BATTLESHIP USS MISSOURI AS IT APPROACHED TOKYO HARBOR, JAPAN JUST BEFORE THE JAPANESE SURRENDER CEREMONIES. AWARDED THE WWII VICTORY MEDAL, THE ASIATIC-PACIFIC CAMPAIGN MEDAL, THE EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN CAMPAIGN MEDAL AND THE GOOD CONDUCT MEDAL. AS A SIGNALMAN FIRST CLASS PETTY OFFICER, HE RECEIVED AN HONORABLE DISCHARGE IN 1945.