Jerome Peter Rondeau
Era: World War II
Military Branch: Marines
Jerome Peter Rondeau served in World War II in the Pacific Theater. He served in the U.S. Marine Corps from May 28, 1943, until January 17, 1946.
He enlisted one week before graduating from high school, and he was allowed to attend his graduation ceremony a week later.
He was assigned to the Fifth Amphibious Corps Signal Battalion. His rank was Corporal.
Mr. Rondeau was in the Asiatic-Pacific area from September 13, 1943, until December 23, 1945. He participated in the invasion of Saipan (June 15-July 27, 1944) and Tinian (July 28-August 1, 1944), Marianas Islands. He was part of the Occupation Forces in Japan from September 24, 1945, until December 5, 1945.
Mr. Rondeau celebrated his 18th, 19th, and 20th birthdays in the Pacific Theater; each time, his birthday fell on a day when the crew happened to be aboard ship. His 20th birthday was celebrated on their way to Japan.
Mr. Rondeau was born in 1925 in Chicago, Illinois, the son of Hubert and Josephine Rondeau.
Source: Veterans' Memorial Hall Veteran History Form; veteran's account (see below)
I enlisted 1 week before graduating. They asked if there was anything I would like to do before leaving. I said I would like to graduate with my class, and they approved. The day after graduating, I had to be at the recruiting station bright and early to be sworn in.
After graduating from boot camp, a busload of us were on our way to a train station to go to Florida to attend an amphibious tank school. We pulled into Camp Elliot to have lunch and were greeted by a unit that was in need of replacements, as they were going out to sea very soon. In short, we never to to the train station.
We left the States September 13th, 1943, aboard an escort carrier. The U.S.S. Cowpens, which I thought was a terrible name for a ship of the line. We all couldn't fit on the carrier, so some boarded our escort, a D.E., or Destroyer Escort. We arrived at Pearl Harbor 10 days later.
The rest can be told better by my commanding officer, Colonel Alfred F. Robertshaw, now deceased, and Sergeant Joe M. Ratcliffe, status unknown. Their story is much better than mine.
We took part in the invasion of Saipan-- June 15th, 1944 to July 27th--and Tinian--July 28th, 1944, to August 1st 1st, 1944--after well over a month at sea. Then we went back back to Oahu. The main part of the outfit moved over to Maui. Our group was sent to Guam. It was called secure by the time we got there. Anyway, we stayed on Guam until the war ended. The outfit on Maui went to Iwo. From there, we went to Kyushu, Japan, at a naval base at Sasebo, the southernmost island.
Participated in the occupation of Japan, September 24th, 1945, to December 6th, 1945. We left Japan on December 6, 1945, and arrived on the West Coast December 23rd, 1945.
I was discharged at Great Lakes Naval Training Center 01-17-46.
Had my 18th, 19th, and 20th birthdays in the Pacific area. All happened to occur while we were aboard ship, the 20th on our way to Japan.
