World War II Honoree

Walter Czerviski

Branch of Service

U.S. Navy

Hometown

Horsham, Pennsylvania

Honored By

Jacqueline; Jacqueline A., Walter M., Stephen

Relationship

Wife; Daughter, Sons

SWORN INTO NAVAL SERVICE AND TAKING THE OATH AT BROADWAY STREET, PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA SEPTEMBER 20, 1942. TROOP TRAINED TO NAVY BASIC AT NORTH CHICAGO'S NAVAL STATION GREAT LAKES. WITH 5 MONTHS OF TRAINING LEFT GREAT LAKES, BOARDED AN ENGLISH CARGO SHIP FROM SAN JUAN, PUERTO RICO SAILED 8 DAYS TO MACAÉ BRAZIL AND ASSIGNED ABOARD THE LIGHT CRUISER CL-5 MILWAUKEE. WITH MILWAUKEE AS DECOY, ENGAGED WITH GERMAN GUNBOATS THAT ENTERED BAY AND FIRED UPON GERMAN BOATS SINKING ONE PATROL CRAFT, CAPTURED 20 GERMANS. HELPED ESCORT GERMAN PRISONERS FROM THE ENGAGEMENT TO BROOKLYN NAVY YARD, FEBRUARY 8, 1944. PREPARATORY TO MILWAUKEE'S TEMPORARY TRANSFER TO RUSSIA, HE DEPARTED MARCH 8, 1944 ABOARD A LIBERTY SHIP FOR CONVOY DUTY TO BELFAST, NORTHERN IRELAND. PERFORMED DUTIES AS 'SIGHT CENTER' ON 3-INCH GUN AND CARRIED DISTANCE FINDINGS FROM BRIDGE TO HIS GUN STATION. MARCH 29, 1944, FORMED IN PART, ESCORT CONVOY DURING REMAINDER OF VOYAGE TO MURMANSK, RUSSIA ARRIVING SECOND WEEK OF APRIL 1944 AND TRANSFERRED TO THE RUSSIAN NORTHERN FLEET IN MURMANSK, ALL LEND-LEASE SHIPS, INCLUDING THE USS MILWAUKEE. CAUGHT LIBERTY SHIP BACK TO ENGLAND, THEN TO PHILADELPHIA NAVAL YARD. ARRIVED PHILADELPHIA NAVAL YARD AND WORKED FERRYING MEDICAL SUPPLIES THROUGH APRIL 1945. DURING HIS TIME AT PHILADELPHIA, ASSIGNED TO NEWLY COMMISSIONED HEAVY CRUISER CHICAGO CA-136 DURING POST-SHAKEDOWN REPAIR AVAILABILITY APRIL 16, 1945. BEFORE ENTERING THE PACIFIC, CONDUCTED GUNNERY PRACTICE AT THE PANAMA CANAL ZONE, ARRIVED PEARL HARBOR, HAWAII ON MAY 30. BEING AN ESCORT SHIP, DEPARTED ENIWETOK IN THE MARSHALL ISLANDS JUNE 28. THE CHICAGO ARRIVED AT ENIWETOK ATOLL IN THE MARSHALL ISLANDS ON JULY 5 AND REFUELED. WITH TASK GROUP 38.4 DEPARTED SAME DAY TO THE NORTHERN MARIANA ISLANDS AND LEFT JULY 8 FOR JAPAN. CHICAGO WAS ASSIGNED TO THE LAST PACIFIC BATTLE OF THE JAPANESE HOMELANDS AND AS A RAIDER SHIP BOMBARDED JAPANESE MAINLAND. ANCHORED IN SAGAMI WAN ON AUGUST 27, MOVED TO TOKYO BAY ON SEPTEMBER 3, THE CRUISER SUPPORTED THE UNLOADING OF SUPPLIES AND EQUIPMENT FOR THIRD FLEET OCCUPATION FORCES. TRANSFERRED 47 MEN AND MARINE DETACHMENT FOR DUTY AT YOKOSUKA NAVAL BASE, REMAINED IN PORT UNTIL OCTOBER 23. LEFT JAPAN FOR THE DEMILITARIZATION OF THE IZU ISLANDS, DELIVERED INSPECTION TEAMS AND HELPED SURRENDERED JAPANESE GARRISONS ON O SHIMA AND NII SHIMA DEMOLISH GUN EMPLACEMENTS, ARTILLERY, AMMUNITION AND OTHER MILITARY EQUIPMENT. CHICAGO GOT UNDERWAY NOVEMBER 7 FOR SAN PEDRO, CALIFORNIA ARRIVED NOVEMBER 23 AND RECEIVED AN OVERHAUL AT THE SAN PEDRO NAVAL SHIPYARD. DEPARTED THE CHICAGO, TROOP TRAINED TO EAST COAST AND HONORABLY SEPARATED FROM NAVAL SERVICE IN COLLEGE PARK, MARYLAND NOVEMBER 28, 1945. AWARDS: WWII VICTORY MEDAL, AMERICAN CAMPAIGN MEDAL, ASIATIC-PACIFIC CAMPAIGN MEDAL WITH 1 BRONZE STAR, NAVY OCCUPATION SERVICE MEDAL WITH ASIA CLASP, COMBAT ACTION RIBBON, NAVAL DISCHARGE BUTTON AND HONORABLE SERVICE LAPEL PIN. U.S NAVY SERIAL NUMBER: 65 138 60.