World War II Honoree

Howard Richard Hays

Branch of Service

U.S. Navy

Hometown

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Honored By

Jackie Cain

Relationship

Friend

ENLISTED IN THE U.S. NAVY ON THIS 17TH BIRTHDAY IN DECEMBER 1943. BASIC TRAINING AT GREAT LAKES TRAINING STATION IN ILLINOIS. SHIPPED OUT TO SAN FRANCISCO ON A TROOP SHIP BOUND TO NEW CALEDONIA IN THE SOUTH PACIFIC. ASSIGNED TO USS MONTPELIER CL-57, TULAGI ON FEBRUARY 2, 1944. ASSIGNED TO THE 5TH DIVISION. TRAVELED ALMOST 200,000 MILES MOSTLY IN ENEMY WATER. THE FLAGSHIP DIVISION 12 SET A RECORD FOR BOMBARDING JAPANESE HELD STRONG HOLDS 53 TIMES. IT PARTICIPATED IN 26 INVASIONS, 42 OPERATIONS AND 30 CAMPAIGNS AGAINST THE JAPANESE. FEBRUARY 1944 SOLOMON ISLANDS, JUNE 1944 MARIANA ISLANDS, SAIPAN, TINIAN AND GUAM. OCTOBER 1944 PHILIPPINE ISLANDS, LEYTE GULF, MINDORO MANILA AND BATAAN. JUNE 1945 CORREGIDOR, LUZON, PALAWAN, BORNEO. JULY 1945 OKINAWA, CHINA AND JAPAN. SEPTEMBER 1945 EVACUATED PRISONERS OF WAR WAKAYAMA, JAPAN ALSO FIRE SUPPORT FOR OCCUPATION FOR KURE, KOBE, HONSHU, HIRO, HIROSHIMA, MATSUYAMA AND SHIKOKU.