Salvatore John Cavallaro

Salvatore John Cavallaro (6 September 1920 – 9 September 1943) was an officer of the United States Navy during World War II.

Biography

Cavallaro was born on 6 September 1920 in New York City. He enlisted in the Naval Reserve on 6 January 1942, and was commissioned Ensign on 28 January 1943. After training in landing craft, he joined the transport USS Lyon (AP-71). In the invasion of Sicily, he was assigned to guide the landing of the waves of assault boats, and with skill and courage, under repeated strafing and bombing attacks, carried on throughout the night and early daylight hours of 10 July 1943. Assigned similar duty in the invasion of Salerno Gulf on 9 September 1943, he was killed in action when his LCT was struck by shellfire. He was posthumously awarded the Navy Cross for his gallant service at Sicily.

Namesake

In 1944, the high speed transport USS Cavallaro (APD-128) was named in his honor.

References

This article incorporates text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships.