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Adapted from "Captain Elmer B. Fiorini, United States Navy" [biography, dated 28 July 1960] in Modern Biographical Files collection, Navy Department Library.

Topic
  • Operations
Document Type
  • Biography
Wars & Conflicts
  • World War II 1939-1945
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Location of Archival Materials
  • NHHC-Library

Elmer Bernard Fiorini

17 June 1917-[no death date]

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Elmer Bernard Fiorini was born in Lynn, Massachusetts, on June 17, 1917, son of Peter John and Mary Louise (Lucia) Fiorini. He attended Tufts College in Medford, Massachusetts, where he was a letter man in track and football, Vice President of the Senior Class and a member of the Student Council and Tower Cross Honorary Society. Graduated with the degree of Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering in 1939, he was employed for two years as a Junior Engineering Aide by the Metropolitan District Water Supply Commission in Boston, Massachusetts.

He entered the Naval Service in October 1940, reporting for instruction at the US Naval Reserve Midshipmen School on board USS Prairie State, and at graduation on June 6, 1941, was commissioned Ensign in the US Naval Reserve. Through subsequent advancement and his transfer to the US Navy in 1946, he attained the rank of Commander, USN, to date from September 1, 1951.

In June 1941 he joined the Staff of Commander Patrol Wing Three, operating in the Canal Zone, and served as Assistant to the Operations Officer after the outbreak of World War II in December of that year, until May 1942. Next assigned to the DuPont (DD-152), he served as Communications Officer on board that destroyer until April 1943, then brief aviation training at the Naval Air Station, Dallas, Texas. In July 1943 he reported as 1st. Division Officer of USS Corregidor (CVE-58) and in that capacity participated in Gilbert Islands operation; occupation of Kwajalein and Eniwetok in the Marshalls; capture of Saipan and Guam in the Marianas; and operations in Western New Guinea.

He was ordered to the USS Commencement Bay (CVE-105) in September 1944, and joined that carrier vessel at her commissioning in November of that year as Navigator and 1st. Lieutenant. He remained on board after the Japanese surrender, until June 1946, during which time the ship served as a training carrier on the West Coast from Tacoma and Seattle. He was a student at the US Naval School, General Line, at Newport, Rhode Island, during the next year, and from June 1947 until February 1950 was again at sea, this time as Executive Officer of USS William M. Wood (DD-715), assigned to occupation duty in the Asiatic Area a part of that period.

Upon his return to the United States he was ordered to the Navy Department, Washington, DC, for a tour of duty as Assistant to the Head of the Performance Branch in the Bureau of Naval Personnel. Detached in October 1952, he assumed command a month later of USS Norris (DDE-859), which was assigned occupation duty in the Far East for a brief period of his command which ended in December 1953. He was hospitalized at the Navy Hospital, Newport, Rhode Island from December 1953 until February 1954, and in March became Training Officer of the Fleet Training Group, Narragansett Bay.

He had two years as Gunnery Officer of USS Intrepid (CVA-11) and on February 14, 1958 was ordered to the Navy- Marine Corps Reserve Training Center, Seattle, Washington, for duty.

Commander Fiorini has the American Defense Service Medal with Star; the American Campaign Medal; European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with star; Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal with Silver Star (five engagements); the World War II Victory Medal; Navy Occupation Service Medal, Asia Clasp; China Service Medal; and the National Defense Service Medal.

END

Published: Thu May 13 10:59:18 EDT 2021