World War II Honoree

Joseph Martin Ponish

Branch of Service

U.S. Navy

Hometown

Osceola Mills, Pennsylvania

Honored By

Clifford Ponish

Relationship

Son

Served aboard battleship USS Mississippi in the Pacific. During his service, the USS Mississippi was involved in action in Kiska island, Aleutians; capture of the Gilbert Islands; participated in the capture of Kwajalein; BOMBARDMENT of Japanese held islands; part of the force that participated in the liberation of the Phillipines at Peleliu and Leyte; AND part of the battle group that defeated a Japanese task force in the battle of Surigao STRAIT. PROVIDED gunfire support for the Lingayen LANDINGS; PARTICIPATED in the conquest of Okinawa and is credited with firing 1300 fourteen inch shells over a three day period in May, 1945 to annihilate Shuri castle. During this period the USS Mississippi suffered a gun turret explosion which took 43 lives and also was hit on two occasions by Kamikaze aircraft and received 8 battle stars. HE WAS PART OF THE U.S. naval armada in Tokyo Bay on SeptEMBER 2, 1945 to witness the Surrender of Japan.