WWII Veteran John DeLeo Recounts Kamikaze Attack on USS Missouri and Japan's Surrender

Remembering World War II's End

• 🇯🇵 On the 80th anniversary of World War II's end, veterans gathered to commemorate Japan's official surrender on the deck of the USS Missouri in 1945.
• 🚢 A ceremony aboard the USS Missouri in Honolulu marked this significant event, with many surviving veterans, some between 99 and 101 years old, attending.

Life Aboard the USS Missouri

• 🧑‍✈️ John DeLeo, a 100-year-old veteran who served as a Seaman First Class, shared his experiences aboard the USS Missouri.
• 🎯 He began his service in basic training and then joined the ship during its construction in Brooklyn, eventually working in fire control for the ship's guns.

Kamikaze Attack on the USS Missouri

• 💥 DeLeo vividly described a kamikaze attack where a plane hit the ship at a difficult-to-reach spot, with parts of the plane and pilot landing on the deck.
• 🤯 Despite the intense situation, DeLeo, then 18, stated that he and other young sailors didn't feel nervous, viewing themselves as potential heroes.

Witnessing the Surrender

• 📜 DeLeo was among hundreds of men who witnessed the surrender of Japan from the deck of the USS Missouri, an event that officially ended World War II.
• 🏠 He expressed happiness at the prospect of returning home to eat familiar Italian food and start his life, which included getting married and having five children.
• ❤️ The presence of veterans' families, including great-grandchildren, underscored the deep personal significance of this commemoration for many, likely marking their last visit to the USS Missouri.