Joe Risley
Navy
Coram
Joseph F.Risley (on the left in photo) was born May 18, 1921 and
enlisted Nov, 7, 1940 in the Navy. He was an Aviation Ordinance Man
2nd Class on the light cruiser USS CHESTER from
Dec. 28, 1940 to Aug. 20, 1944 with its home port at Pearl Harbor,
Hawaii. The cruiser was engaged in patrol and escort duty
throughout the Pacific and was at
sea returning from Wake Island
when the Japanese attacked Pearl
Harbor in Dec. 1941. In 1942 the CHESTER
participated in the battle of the Coral Sea and the Solomon
Islands, the invasion of the
Marshall Island in 1943, and action in the Philippine Islands in
1944. When the CHESTER
returned to California in January 1945 Joe transferred for a
month to the USS ROCHAMBEAU and then to Fleet Aircraft Service
Squadron 202 until Dec. 28, 1946. He was discharged Dec. 29, 1946
at San Pedro, CA. He was awarded the Asiatic- Pacific Medal with 7
Service Stars, American Medal with 1 Service Star, the Philippine
Liberation Medal, American Defense Service Medal and WWII Victory
Medal.