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On December 7, 1941, the Japanese bombed a US naval base located in Hawaii. 2,403 people died and over 1,700 were injured.
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Congress approve entry to war. Germany and Italy declare war on America
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John Brennan departs on the USS Jarvis to join the battle on Wake Island
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On June 4, the three-day battle in the Pacific ocean began. John Brennan was aboard one of the fifteen destroyers that helped defeat the Japense. This was a major turning point in the war.
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During the battle of Guadalcanal, the USS Jarvis was sunk by a Japanese aircraft. John Brennan was killed.
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During the battle of the Santa Cruz Islands, the ship was hit by a torpedo. Richard Brennan was one of the few men that escaped.
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British-United States invasion of North Africa that was run by the French. Ned Brennan participated in this battle. He was recognized after the war for saving an injured british solider during the battle.
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After Operation Torch Ned Brennan was sent to a naval base in Jacksonville Florida. There he was treated for a broke wrist.
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Allied powers took Sicily island from the axis powers. Richard Brennan was aboard one of the destroyers that dropped of soliders at the beach.
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Ned Brennan was aboard the USS La Prade that traveled to Salerno for the invasion of Italy. The battle lasted 13 days.
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Ned Brennan was dispatched a second time on the USS La Prade
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On June 4, 1944, the USS Pope was one of the 5 destroyers that was involved in the capture of the German submarine. Ned Brennan knew six crew members, and had two close friends that were aboard the USS Pope.
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The Invasion of Normandy was one of the few battles Richard Brennan fought in on land. Around 2,500 American Soliders were reportedly killed during the Invasion. Richard Brennan's body was never found during or after the invasion, however he never returned from Normandy.
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The US claimed the island of Iwo Jima from Imperial Japense Army
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The final stage of the Pacific War. Allied forces fought against the Japanese Imperial army for control over the island of Okinawa. The island was located 340 miles away from Japan. During the battle, the Japanese used a "special attack unit" against ships in the U.S. fleet that were stationed off the Coast of Okinawa. The unit was known as kamikaze, a group of young, male, Japanese suicide bombers. This resulted in over 3,000 Japanese losing their lives along with 4,900 US sailors.
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Operation Ten-Go was a Japanese Naval plan. Ten Japanese were going to travel to where the US naval fleet was stationed in Okinawa and enable a suicide bombing attack. This plan was stopped by the US airforce who sunk all the Japense warships before they could reach the US naval fleet.
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The Battle of Okinawa ended after 80 days with an allied powers victory. Overall it was the bloodiest battle in the Pacific war with over 5,000 naval deaths and over 400 ships sunk. The map below shows the path Ned Brennan's ship traveled on during the battle, picking up and dropping off soliders in different locations.
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American B-29 bomber dropped the atomic bomb, wiping out 90% of the city.
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Three days after the Hiroshima boming another A-bomb was dropped on Nagasaki.
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Japans Emporer Hirohito surrendured.
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A day after the surrender of Japan has announced US naval ships docked in both cities to see the damage. Ned Brennan was on a ship that docked in both Nagasaki and Hiroshima.
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In an interview with the Natick Library in 2015, Ned Brennan gave this quote about his thoughts on the atomic bomb.
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Here are some of Ned Brennan's medals he recieved when fighting in WW2
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WW2 Dec 20, 1941-Aug 15,1945
Korean War Sept 30, 1950-May 15, 1953