World War II Honoree

Nicholas Cognito

Branch of Service

U.S. Marine Corps

Hometown

Braddock, Pennsylvania

Honored By

Nicholas Cognito

STAFF SERGEANT. ENLISTED OCTOBER 1942 AND TRAINED AT PARRIS ISLAND, SOUTH CAROLINA. LATER JOINED C COMPANY, 1ST RAIDER BATTALION IN NEW CALEDONIA. ENOGAI INLET, NEW GEORGIA, SOLOMON ISLANDS, EMIRAU, BISMARCK, ARCHIPELAGO, GUAM, MARIANA ISLANDS, OKINAWA, RYUKYUS. 6TH MARINE DIVISION INFANTRY INTELLIGENCE. AS A SCOUT FOR HIS DIVISION, HE FOUND CAVE HEADQUARTERS OF THE JAPANESE NAVAL HEAD ON OKINAWA, OVER ONE HUNDRED FEET LONG, WITH NUMEROUS LONG CORRIDORS AND SMALL ROOMS, CUT INTO THE SHALLOW SIDE OF A HILL. THE BODIES OF DEAD JAPANESE WHO HAD BEEN KILLED BY THEIR OFFICERS BY POISONOUS INJECTIONS OR WHO KILLED THEMSELVES BY SLITTING THEIR THROATS WERE FOUND BOTH INSIDE AND OUTSIDE THE ELABORATE CAVE. HE WAS DISCHARGED OCTOBER 1945. AWARDED A BRONZE STAR.