Jay enlisted into the U.S.Navy on February 9, 1943 at the
age of 19. He had always wanted to be in the air arm of the Navy so because of
his training he became a radioman on an R-5D four engine transport aircraft.
This was the naval variant of the venerable C-54 Sky Master.
He served in the Central and South Pacific, flying men and
material over countless miles of open sea to far flung islands and military
outposts.
His most memorable war experiences was when his squadron
would land on islands that the Marines and Army had taken, and then flew out
wounded servicemen to hospitals thus saving countless lives. Jay’s also was
serving when his squadron landed in Japan after the war ended and transported American
POW’s back to Guam and Hawaii. Many of the POW’s were emaciated and ill from
years of brutal captivity by the Japanese.
Jay was awarded the Navy Commendation Ribbon for his
activities on Okinawa and Iwo Jima. He was discharged from the Navy on December
23, 1945 with the rank of Aviation Radioman Second class.
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