World War II Honoree

Stephen J. Nedoroscik

Branch of Service

U.S. Navy

Hometown

East Douglas, Massachusetts

Honored By

Robert S. Cox

ONE OF THE ‘BOYS OF DOUGLAS’ WHO SERVED DURING THE WAR. HE SERVED AS A SEAMAN DECKHAND, AS A MEMBER OF A BOAT CREW, AND ON A 40MM GUN CREW OVERSEAS IN THE EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN THEATER, ABOARD THE LANDING SHIP, TANK USS LST-325. FROM DECEMBER, 1943-MAY, 1944, THE SHIP WAS INVOLVED IN TRAINING EXERCISES ALONG THE SOUTHWESTERN COAST OF ENGLAND. ON JUNE 5, 1944, THE AMPHIBIOUS SHIP SAILED FROM FALMOUTH, ENGLAND, ANCHORED OFF OMAHA BEACH AT NORMANDY, FRANCE, AND UNLOADED TROOPS AND VEHICLES ON JUNE 7, 1944 (D-DAY +1). THE LST CARRIED 59 VEHICLES, AND 439 MEN ON THAT FIRST TRIP. ON THE FIRST RETURN VOYAGE TO ENGLAND FROM FRANCE, HIS SHIP MEDICALLY EVACUATED 38 CASUALTIES BACK FOR CARE AND TREATMENT. BETWEEN JUNE, 1944 AND APRIL, 1945, LST-325 MADE 43 TRIPS BETWEEN ENGLAND AND FRANCE, ACROSS THE ENGLISH CHANNEL, CARRYING THOUSANDS OF MEN AND PIECES OF EQUIPMENT, AND UNLOADING AT OMAHA, UTAH, GOLD, AND JUNO BEACHES, AND AT THE CITY OF ROUEN ON THE SEINE RIVER. TWICE HIS SHIP CARRIED LOADS OF AMMUNITION FROM OMAHA BEACH TO SAINT MICHEL ON THE WESTERN SHORE OF THE COTENTIN PENINSULA FOR ARMY FORCES BESIEGING THE PORT CITY OF BREST. ON DECEMBER 28, 1944, HIS VESSEL HELPED RESCUE OVER 700 MEN FROM THE TROOP TRANSPORT ‘EMPIRE JAVELIN’ THAT HAD BEEN TORPEDOED OFF THE COAST OF FRANCE. ON MAY 11, 1945, THREE DAYS AFTER GERMANY SURRENDERED UNCONDITIONALLY AND PRESIDENT TRUMAN ANNOUNCED THE ALLIED VICTORY IN EUROPE (V-E DAY), HIS AMPHIBIOUS SHIP SAILED WITH A CONVOY FROM BELFAST, NORTHERN IRELAND TO RETURN TO THE UNITED STATES. ONE DAY OUT OF BELFAST THE CONVOY WAS HIT BY A POWERFUL STORM AND SCATTERED. LST-325 SLAMMED BOW FIRST INTO A MONSTROUS WAVE AND A CRACK DEVELOPED ACROSS THE MAIN DECK. SHIPFITTERS WERE ABLE TO SAVE THE SHIP BY WELDING STEEL PLATES ACROSS THE DAMAGED HULL. THE STRICKEN SHIP SAILED INTO NORFOLK, VIRGINIA ON MAY 31, 1945. FROM NORFOLK, THE VESSEL SAILED TO THE SHIPYARDS IN NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA FOR REPAIRS. THE DAY BEFORE THE SHIP WAS TO SAIL TO THE ASIATIC-PACIFIC THEATER, THE NEWS CAME THAT JAPAN HAD SURRENDERED AND THE WAR WAS OVER. AWARDED THE COMBAT ACTION RIBBON, AMERICAN CAMPAIGN MEDAL, EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN CAMPAIGN MEDAL, AND WWII VICTORY MEDAL. HONORABLY DISCHARGED AND ISSUED THE WWII HONORABLE DISCHARGE LAPEL PIN.