He was born in Norwich, CT on March 19, 1927 to the late Jerry E. and Hazel (Calkins) Angell. He joined the US Navy and served in WWII and Korea until his Honorable Discharge in 1946 and again in 1952.
During his time spent in the Navy, Jerry was a “plank-owner” of the U.S.S. Rushmore LDS-14 during WWII, and was re-called and assigned to the U.S.S. Miller DD 535 during the Korean Conflict.
Following shakedown in the Chesapeake Bay, landing ship dock Rushmore departed Norfolk 5 August 1944 for the Pacific where she participated in four amphibious landings: Leyte Gulf in October 1944, Palawan in February 1945, Mindanao in March 1945; and Tarakan, Borneo, in May 1945.
Rushmore entered Leyte Gulf early in the morning of 20 October, and after discharging her LCM's from her boat well in one of the first waves to hit Yellow Beach near Dulag, acted as repair ship for damaged landing craft. At Palawan on 28 February 1945, she landed Army-manned LCM's and other craft loaded with personnel and equipment of the 167th Field Artillery of the U.S. 8th Army. At Mindanao she carried a record 867 men for a 10 March landing on a beach north of the city of Zamboanga. For the invasion of Tarakan on 1 May, Rushmore carried U.S. Army-manned LCM's loaded with Australian troops and light tanks. The Australian troops were of the famed "Rats of Tobruk" battalion which had helped to chase German General Rommel out of Africa. During this landing, Rushmore was hit by a Japanese torpedo fired from the beach, which fortunately glanced off her hull without exploding or causing damage.
Returning to the Philippines, Rushmore loaded a 137-foot Japanese submarine which she carried to San Francisco to serve as a display to help sell war bonds. In the United States from 2 June to 27 June, Rushmore next carried landing craft from base to base in the South Pacific and was in Pearl Harbor when the war ended.
After the war, Rushmore operated in the Far East, particularly in occupied Japanese waters. She decommissioned 16 August 1946 and was mothballed in Pascagoula, Miss.
Jerry was married to Kathleen Smith on June 22, 1963. She predeceased him in 1997. Together they raised their family in Uncasville while he worked as the Manager of the Maintenance Dept., at the former Uncas on The Thames Hospital in Norwich. He was a member of the American Legion.
He is survived by his daughter Karen Strecker of Uncasville, a son; Michael Lee of Massachusetts, 5 grandchildren including; Kenneth and Nicholas Strecker and Jordan Zeppieri, 1 great-grandchild and several nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by his wife Kathleen, his daughter; Anna Angell, and all of his brothers and sisters.
Calling Hours will be held Friday June 22nd from 9am – 11am at the Montville Funeral Home of Church & Allen, 53 Norwich-New London Tnpk Uncasville. A Memorial Service will begin at 11am at the funeral home. Burial to immediately follow at St. Patrick Cemetery in Uncasville with Military Honors.
Donations in Jerry’s memory may be made to Smilow Cancer Hospital Care Center (L&M), 230 Waterford Parkway S., Waterford, CT 06385.
To leave an online condolence or share a memory, please visit www.montvillefuneralhome.com
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