World War II Honoree

Joseph G. Cezus

Branch of Service

U.S. Navy

Hometown

Windsor, Connecticut

Honored By

Children and Grandchildren

SURVIVOR FROM THE USS AARON WARD (DM-34), WHICH WHILE ON PICKET DUTY OFF THE COAST OF OKINAWA WAS HIT BY SIX JAPANESE KAMIKAZE PLANES AND TWO 500 LB BOMBS, ON MAY 3, 1945. HE WAS AT HIS DUTY STATION IN THE FORWARD EMERGENCY DIESEL ROOM WHEN THE JAPANESE ATTACKED. THE SHIP'S ONLY SOURCE OF POWER WERE THE GENERATORS WHICH WERE ALREADY OVERLOADED AND WITHOUT THEM THE GUNS WOULD NOT FIRE. HE KEPT POWER SUPPLIED TO THE GUNS BY HOLDING THE OVERLOAD TRIPPER IN BY HAND.