World War II Honoree

Casimir S. Zielinski

Branch of Service

U.S. Navy

Hometown

Reading, Pennsylvania

Honored By

Michael C. Zielinski

Relationship

Son

SERVED AS A TORPEDOMAN'S MATE, SECOND CLASS, ON THE DESTROYER USS DOYLE, DD-494. HE WAS AWARDED A EUROPEAN THEATER RIBBON, A GOOD CONDUCT RIBBON, AN AMERICAN THEATER RIBBON AND A WWII VICTORY MEDAL. THE DOYLE HAD AN UNBLEMISHED COMBAT RECORD AND WAS AN INTEGRAL COMPONENT OF THE D-DAY INVASION AT NORMANDY. PRIOR TO THE INVASION IT ESCORTED A FLOTILLA OF MINESWEEPERS THAT CLEARED THE WAY FOR THE VAST ARMADA OF LANDING CRAFT TO COME. THE DOYLE WAS ASSIGNED TO NEUTRALIZE ENEMY 88 MM AND 155MM GUNS, PILLBOXES AND MACHINE GUN NESTS. IN RETURN, THE DOYLE DREW HEAVY ENEMY FIRE, WHICH WAS GENERALLY INACCURATE AND SHORT. D-DAY ACTUALLY LASTED ALMOST THREE DAYS FOR THE DOYLE, WHICH RAN SHORT OF AMMUNITION AFTER 64 HOURS OF BATTLE AND HAD TO RETURN TO ENGLAND FOR A FEW HOURS REST. DURING WWII THE DOYLE EARNED TWO BATTLE STARS ON THE EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN AREA SERVICE MEDAL FOR THE FOLLOWING OPERATIONS: 1STAR/INVASION OF NORMANDY (INCLUDING THE BOMBARDMENT OF CHERBURG) 6 JUNE TO 25 JUNE, 1944; 1 STAR/INVASION OF SOUTHERN FRANCE 15 AUGUST TO 25 SEPTEMBER, 1944.