John Michael Cavallaro, RM 3/c

Born: 6 January 1922 - River Forest, Illinois
    - family moved to Forest Park when John was a small child

Parents: Rosario Cavallaro & Angelina Arigo-Cavallaro
    - mother died when John was five

Siblings: Ben, Leo, Maurice

Married:
    - June Hatch - late October 1943
         - married her while on a two week leave
         - ship sailed 10 November 1943
         - never saw each other again

Home: 
    - 133 Rockford Avenue, Forest Park, Illinois

Education:
    - Grant-White Grade School
    - Proviso Township High School
         - Class of 1942

Enlisted:
    - U. S. Navy Reserve

Inducted:
    - U. S. Navy
       - 8 December 1941
          - left school during senior year

Service Number: 724 89 64

Training: 
    - Great Lakes Naval Base,  Illinois

Rank: Radioman 3rd Class

Serial Number: 7248964

Ship: U.S.S. Pringle
    - assigned to ship after it was commissioned
    - ship escorted convoy to Halifax, Nova Scotia
    - 6 February 1943 - sailed for Pacific Ocean
    - 30 May 1943 - arrived at Guadalcanal

Ten Battle Stars:
    - Solomon Islands Group Operation
            - Southern Solomon Islands - 30 May 1943 - 20 June 1943
                - involved in attack on three Japanese destroyers off Vanga Point, Kolombangara
                - shot down Japanese plane
            - Northern Solomon Islands - 27 October 1944 - 15 March 1945

    - New Georgia Group Operation
            - New Georgia - Rendova - Vangunu Occupation - 20 June 1943 - 31 August 1943
            - Vella Lavella Occupation - 15 August 1943 - 16 October 1943
                - escorted LSTs through Gizo Straight
                - laid mines while in range of Japanese guns
                - sunk three Japanese barges between Gambi Head, Choiseul, and Kolombangara

    - Treasury-Bougainville Operation
            - Treasury Island Landings - 27 October 1943 - 6 November 1943
                - shelled Japanese beach installations and barges
            - Invasion and Defense of Cape Torokina -1 November 1943 - 15 December 1943

    - Bismark Archipelago Operation
            - Green Island Landing -15 February 1944 - 19 February 1944
            - Anit-shipping Sweeps and Bombardment of Rabaul and New Ireland - 24 February 1944 - 1 March 1944

    - Marianas Operation 
            - Capture and Occupation of Saipan - 27 October 1944 - 6 November 1944
            - Capture and Occupation of Guam - 12 July 1944 - 15 August 1944 
    - Capture and Occupation of Tinian -24 July 1944 - 1 August 1944 
            - provided fire support 
    - Anti-submarine Assessment - 27 November 1944 off Leyte, Philippine Islands
        - with the another destroyer sunk a Japanese submarine while on its way to Leyte Gulf to support troops

    - Luzon Operation
            - Mindanao Landings - 12 December 1944 - 18 December 1944
                - escorted supply ships

    - Iwo Jima Operation
            - Assault and Occupation of Iwo Jima - 17 February 1945 - 4 March 1945
    - Okinawa Gunto Operation
            - Assault and Occupation of Okinawa - 24 March 1945 - 16 April 1945
            - assigned to radar picket duty
                - shot down two kamikazes - 15 April 1945

Killed in Action:
    - 16 April 1945 - U.S.S. Pringle hit by Japanese Kamikaze in area of its bridge
        - plane penetrated ships superstructure
            - bombs on plane explode 
                - in the violent explosion the ship's keel buckles
            - ship splits in two
                - sank six minutes later
                - 256 crew members survive
            - Time: 9:22 A.M.
                - John was one of 69 crew members who went down with ship

Memorial:
    - Honolulu Memorial Courts of the Missing
        - National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific- Honolulu, Hawaii