[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 97 (Tuesday, June 7, 2022)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E587]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]





RECOGNIZING 96-YEAR-OLD WAR HERO JOHN THOMAS WILLETT, A SURVIVOR OF THE 
 USS ``LSM-169'' SHIP THAT HAD TO BE EVACUATED AFTER HITTING AN ENEMY 
                            MINE DURING WWII

                                  _____
                                 

                           HON. BRIAN HIGGINS

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, June 7, 2022

  Mr. HIGGINS of New York. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor John 
Thomas Willett, a Buffalo native who barely survived when the ship he 
was serving on hit an enemy mine while he was serving our great nation 
as a Seaman First Class in the U.S. Navy during World War II.
  Mr. Willett was born in Buffalo, New York in 1926 where he attended 
high school before enlisting in the United States Navy in 1943 at the 
age of 17. He spent most of his service in the Asiatic Pacific Theater 
during World War II. He was stationed on the USS LSM-169 where he 
participated in numerous battles including the Battle of Corregidor, 
Luzon and Manila Bay-Bicol Operations where he achieved the rank of 
Seaman First Class.
  On February 15, 1945 the USS LSM-169 struck a mine off the coast of 
the Mariveles Harbor in the Philippines. A massive explosion caused 
fires on the ship but Seaman First Class Willett was on the other side 
of the ship and miraculously survived. The USS LCS-48 and the USS PC-
1133 came to the rescue and saved as many service members as possible. 
Unfortunately, some service members lost their lives. Although he 
survived, after being pulled from the water and helping to rescue 
others, Seaman First Class Willett suffered shrapnel wounds and hearing 
loss due to the explosion but continued his service until he was 
honorably discharged from the Navy on April 14, 1946.
  Upon returning home and graduating high school, John worked at 
Buffalo's grain elevators while attending college at night on the GI 
bill and got married. He enlisted in the Marine Corps Reserves on 
February 9, 1951 and spent the next few months training at Camp 
Pendleton in California during the Korean conflict. He officially was 
discharged from military service on September 1st of the same year he 
returned home to Buffalo to be with his wife and four children. He is 
still married to his wife of 73 years, Mildred and his family 
eventually grew to 12 children, 31 grandchildren and 16 great 
grandchildren. He worked in the Aerospace industry for almost 40 years, 
retiring from MOOG to pursue woodworking, athletics and volunteer work 
including Meals on Wheels, Habitat for Humanity, to name just a few.
  I am proud to recognize the bravery of World War II Veteran John 
Thomas Willett.

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