World War II Honoree

Jerome Michael Fisher

Branch of Service

U.S. Navy

Hometown

Columbus, Wisconsin

Honored By

Pearl Thomas

He enlisted in the U.S. Navy and was commissioned as a lieutenant junior grade. He graduated from Naval Mine Warfare School in 1943. During the war, he served in the Pacific Theater of Operations as a gunnery officer aboard the USS YMS-47 (a minesweeper). Fought in the initial sea assault on Morotai Island, the Battle of Leyte Gulf in the Philippine Islands, the Battle of Luzon in the Philippine Islands, and the amphibious assault of Balik Papan, Borneo, for which the YMS-47 received the Presidential Unit Citation. During this period, his minesweeper was attacked by Kamikaze forces. During one of these attacks, he was thrown overboard into the Pacific Ocean, but survived. On August 6, 1945, after the last attack had rendered the YMS-47 non-operational, he was sent to Pearl Harbor. Less than two weeks later, he watched fireworks and celebrated Victory Over Japan Day.