π¬ Youβre Invited!
πΒ Location: Courtyard by Marriott β Natick, MA
π
Β Date: Tuesday, March 10th
π‘Β Time: 6:30 PM β 8:30 PM
Kate Cialdea
The Sinking of the Aikoku Maru
The Sinking of the Aikoku Maru
In 1943, a 35-year-old electrician defied age and nationality by renouncing his French citizenship to join the U.S. Navy in World War II. Serving aboard the USS Intrepid, he endures over two harrowing years, surviving torpedo strikes, kamikaze attacks, and the chaos of Operation Hailstone in the attack on Truk Lagoon. Here, his ship is responsible for the destruction of several large Japanese ships, including the largest casualty, the Aikoku Maru. Upon honorable discharge, he returns home to his family without collecting his war medals and leaves his story untold. Over 75 years later, I uncovered my grandfather's Naval artifacts in his attic. Many years ago, I embarked on my own journey of technical SCUBA training to retrace his wartime experiences through the Pacific WWII shipwrecks, and in a small way, honor his legacy.
