World War II Honoree

Michael Anthony Monte

Branch of Service

U.S. Navy

Hometown

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Honored By

Americo V. Vasso

Relationship

Friend

AVIATION RADIOMAN, 1ST CLASS. ENTERED THE SERVICE ON MAY 20, 1943. AFTER MANY MONTHS OF TRAINING, HE WAS ASSIGNED TO THE USS FRANKLIN (CV-13) AND VB5 SQUADRON DURING THE FIRST WEEK OF FEBRUARY 1945. AROUND THE FIRST OF MARCH, THE FRANKLIN SET SAIL FOR THE ISLAND OF ULITHA, AN ANCHORAGE WHERE TASK GROUPS WERE ASSEMBLED FOR ATTACKS ON THE JAPANESE. ON MARCH 18, ATTACKED THE MAIN ISLANDS OF JAPAN. ON MARCH 19, 1945, A LOW FLYING JAPANESE 'JUDY' BOMBER COMING OUT OF THE LOW-HANGING CLOUDS WAS ABLE TO ELUDE THE RADAR AND STRUCK THE FRANKLIN WITH TWO 500 POUND BOMBS. THIS ACTED LIKE A FUSE TO IGNITE THE GASOLINE LINES BEING USED TO REFUEL THE PLANES. HE WAS ABLE TO SECURE A RAFT AND HELPED SAVE THE LIVES OF 2 OTHERS. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, THE DESTROYER USS HICKOX (DD-673) APPEARED AND RESCUED THEM. HE WAS KILLED ON SEPTEMBER 10, 1946, WHILE ON A TRAINING MISSION, WHEN HIS PLANE FAILED TO PULL OUT OF A DIVE FROM 12,000 FEET WITHIN THE VICINITY OF SAIPAN. HE IS LISTED AS MISSING IN ACTION OR BURIED AT SEA AND HONORED ON THE TABLETS OF MISSING AT THE HONOLULU MEMORIAL IN HONOLULU, HAWAII.