World War II Honoree

Thomas J. Comerford

Branch of Service

U.S. Marine Corps

Hometown

Scranton, Pennsylvania

Honored By

Orville L. Kline

Rank: Sergeant. Inducted into the United States Marine Corps April 14, 1942 at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, completing basic training with the Sixth Recruit Battalion, Recruit Depot; Marine Barracks Parris Island, South Carolina. Upon his graduation from boot camp, he was designated to attend the Marine Corps Aviation Flight Training Program. After completing gunnery training at Jacksonville Naval Air Station Florida, he was transferred to San Diego Naval Air Station California, for deployment to the Pacific Theater. He flew combat missions in the Grumman TBF Avenger-Torpedo Bomber, assigned to Marine VMTB-233 AKA: Bulldogs Squadron, Marine Air Group-11 and First Marine Air Wing. His unit was based at Henderson Airfield on Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands Location: Southwestern Pacific Theater of Operations. Reported missing in action, lost at sea Saturday, September 11, 1943, during a bombing mission over Ballalae Island. His name is permanently inscribed in the tablets of the missing, memorialized at Manila American Cemetery and Memorial Location: Fort Bonifacio, Manila, Philippine Islands. Later his missing in action status ultimately, to read killed in action September 12, 1944. This American Patriot was awarded the Purple Heart posthumously, for his ultimate sacrifice in defense of his country.