World War II Honoree

Joseph Weber

Branch of Service

U.S. Navy

Hometown

Paterson, New Jersey

Honored By

John Peterson

HE SERVED ABOARD U.S. NAVY SHIPS DURING WWII, RISING TO THE RANK OF LIEUTENANT COMMANDER. HE WAS THE OFFICER OF THE DECK ON THE LEXINGTON CV-2 WHEN THE SHIP RECEIVED WORD OF THE ATTACK ON PEARL HARBOR. IN THE BATTLE OF THE CORAL SEA HIS CARRIER SANK THE JAPANESE AIRCRAFT CARRIER SHÔHÔ AND WAS IN TURN MORTALLY DAMAGED ON MAY 8, 1942. LATER, HE COMMANDED THE SUB-CHASER SC-690, FIRST IN THE CARIBBEAN, AND LATER IN THE MEDITERRANEAN SEA. IN THAT ROLE, HE TOOK PART IN THE INVASION OF SICILY AT GELA BEACH, IN JULY, 1943. HE STUDIED ELECTRONICS AT THE NAVAL POSTGRADUATE SCHOOL IN 1943.