World War II Honoree

Peter Joseph Comerota

Branch of Service

U.S. Navy

Hometown

Olyphant, Pennsylvania

Honored By

William Fischer, Jr.

Relationship

Grateful Citizen

ENTERED ACTIVE SERVICE ON 14 JUNE 1944. SEA SERVICE FROM 9 JANUARY 1945 TO 2 MARCH 1946 AS PART OF THE COMMISSIONING CREW ABOARD USS CHICAGO (CA-136). AFTER A SHAKEDOWN CRUISE IN THE CARIBBEAN AND REPAIRS IN PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, THE SHIP TRANSITED THE PANAMA CANAL TO PEARL HARBOR, CONTINUING TO THE MARSHALL AND MARIANAS ISLANDS. BY MID-SUMMER, THE SHIP WAS SCREENING US CARRIER OPERATIONS, THEN CONDUCTED FIRE AGAINST TARGETS ON HONSHU ISLAND, JAPAN, BEFORE CONTINUING CARRIER SUPPORT OPERATIONS AGAINST THE TOKYO-NAGOYA AREA. ARRIVING IN TOKYO BAY ON 3 SEPTEMBER 1945, THE SHIP SUPPORTED THIRD FLEET OCCUPATION FORCES, THEN SAILED TO SUPPORT DEMILITARIZATION OPERATIONS ON OUTLYING JAPANESE ISLANDS BEFORE SAILING TO CALIFORNIA FOR OVERHAUL. THE SHIP THEN SAILED IN EARLY 1946 TO SHANGHAI, CHINA, FOR POST-WAR OCCUPATION DUTY AS FLAGSHIP OF THE YANGTZE PATROL. SEPARATED FROM ACTIVE SERVICE ON 12 MAY 1946 AT USN SEPARATION CENTER, BAINBRIDGE, MARYLAND.