James Baldrica
Era: World War II
Military Branch: Navy
James C. Baldrica
Mr. Baldrica enlisted in the Naval Reserve April 29, 1942.
Attended Midshipman's School at Northwestern University where he was commissioned Lieutenant (Junior Grade). Served as a First Lieutenant and executive officer aboard the USS LST 276, in the Pacific Theater.
"I spent three and a half years on the same ship. We were involved in five landings; Eniwetok in the Marshall Islands, Hollandia in Dutch New Guinea, Guam, Bougainville, and Lingayen Gulf in the Phillipines. In January 1946, we were sent back to the States and made into a hospital ship in preparation for the landings in Japan. While in San Francisco, the atom bombs were dropped and the war ended. We were sent back overseas and ordered to the island of Truk to carry Japanese soldiers and civilians back to Japan. Returned them to Yokohama. After one such trip we were ordered to decommission our ship and give it to the Japanese. I was sent back to San Francisco for reasignment."
Mr. Baldrica was honorably discharged on April 5, 1946, at Great Lakes, Illinois.
Awarded: American Campaign Medal, Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal with five bronze battle stars, World War II Victory Medal, and Phillipine Liberation Medal with one bronze star.
Honorably separated from active service March 5, 1946, Great Lakes, Illinois.
Source: Hometown Heroes: The Saint Louis County World War II Project, page 30.
Mr. Baldrica was commissioned as a Lieutenant (Junior Grade) in the Naval Reserve in April 1942. He was executive officer of USS LST (Landing Ship Tank) 276.
He made combat landings at Eniwetok, Marshall Islands; Hollandia, NewGuinea; Guam, Bouganville and Lingayen Gulf and the Philippines. In January 1945, LST 276 returned to the United States for refitting as a hospital ship for the invasion of Japan.
In his words: "While we were in San Francisco, the A-bombs were dropped and the war ended. We were sent back overseas and ordered to the island of Truk to carry Japanese soldiers and civilians back to Japan. We returned them to Yokohama. After one such trip, we were ordered to decommission the ship and give it to the Japanese. I was sent back to San Francisco for reassignment."
He received the: Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Service Medal with five bronze battle stars, Philippine Liberation Medal with one bronze star, American Campaign Service Medal and World War II Victory Medal.
He was separated on March 5, 1946.
