World War II Honoree

John Joseph Hennessy

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Cleveland, Ohio

Honored By

Eileen, Jac, Mike, Jim, Bob, Sean, Nora

Relationship

Wife and Children

FIRST LIEUTENANT. ENLISTED ON DECEMBER 10, 1942 AT CHICAGO, ILLINOIS AND SERVED ON ACTIVE DUTY UNTIL OCTOBER 13, 1946, OVERSEAS FROM FEBRUARY 5, 1945 TO AUGUST 27, 1946, AND REMAINED IN THE RESERVES AFTER WWII. AS AN ENLISTED MAN, HE ACHIEVED THE RANK OF CORPORAL AND SERVED WITH THE SIGNAL CORPS AS A TELEPHONE AND TELETYPE OPERATOR, AS HIS CIVILIAN OCCUPATION HAD BEEN AN AIRCAFT INSPECTOR (RECEIVERS, TRANSMITTERS, MODULATORS, AND DYAMOTORS). HAVING PREVIOUSLY ATTENDED JOHN CARROLL UNIVERSITY IN ENGINEERING, HE WAS FIRST ASSIGNED TO THE UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO, FURTHERING HIS EDUCATION IN MATH, RADIO, RADAR AND ELECTRONICS FOR DUTY AT THE UNIVERSITY ON THE MAHATTAN PROJECT (ATOM BOMB), AND LATER TO THE SIGNAL CORPS TRAINING CENTER AT FORT MONMOUTH, NEW JERSEY TO WORK AT WESTINGHOUSE CORPORATION IN NEW YORK ON THE DETONATOR. HE WAS LATER ASSIGNED TO CAMP CROWDER, MISSOURI AND SELECTED TO ATTEND OFFICERS CANDIDATE SCHOOL, GRADUATING AS A SECOND LIEUTENANT ON SEPTEMBER 22, 1944. DEPARTED FOR OVERSEAS DUTY VIA CAMP BEALE IN CALIFORNIA, AND ON TO FORT LAWTON, SEATTLE, WASHINGTON FOR A TROOPSHIP TO OAHU, HAWAII WHERE HE ATTENDED TWO WEEKS OF JUNGLE TRAINING BEFORE SAILING ON, IN CONVOY, TO SAIPAN AND FURTHER ALSO BY CONVOY TO OKINAWA, ARRIVING APRIL 26, 1945 AT THE 23TH REPLACEMENT DEPOT. HE SERVED AS COMMUNICATIONS OFFICER WITH THE 7TH 'VICTORY BY COMMUNICATIONS' SIGNAL COMPANY, 127TH SIGNAL BATTALION, ATTACHED TO THE 57TH FIELD ARTILLERY, 7TH INFANTRY DIVISION, XXIV CORPS, 10TH U.S. ARMY IN THE RYUKYU ISLANDS IN THE BATTLE OF OKINAWA IN THE FINAL THRUST TO THE JAPANESE HOMELAND. HE LED A WIRE REPAIR GROUP MAINTAINING COMMUNICATION LINES IN COMBAT, INCLUDING UNDER HEAVY ARTILLERY FIRE, AT NAHA, SHURI CASTLE, AND TANABATA, AMONG OTHER BATTLE ENGAGEMENTS. WITH THE 7TH SIGNAL CORPS HE WAS THEN ASSIGNED TO OCCUPATION DUTY WITH THE 7TH INFANTRY DIVISION IN KOREA. DISCHARGED AT CAMP SHERIDAN, ILLINOIS. AWARDED THE MERITORIOUS UNIT COMMENDATION, GOOD CONDUCT MEDAL, AMERICAN CAMPAIGN MEDAL, ASIATIC-PACIFIC CAMPAIGN MEDAL WITH 1 STAR FOR THE RYUKYUS CAMPAIGN, WWII VICTORY MEDAL AND ARMY OF OCCUPATION MEDAl WITH JAPAN CLASP. ALSO QUALIFIED AS MARKSMAN ON THE M17 RIFLE AND AS SHARPSHOOTER ON A CARBINE. EARNED 3 OVERSEAS SERVICE STRIPES AS WELL AS THE 'RUPTURED DUCK' LAPEL PIN FOR HONORABLE SERVICE.