“We hit a typhoon for three days and lost the tow, we had a collision and six small holes in our port side. It damaged the gun tub by the bridge, damaged the rail, and our whale boat.”
- Fireman 1st Class Joseph Colombara, USN
The United States Navy Memorial Stories of Service Program is honored to announce the January 2016 story of the month has been selected to honor the service of Petty Officer First Class James P. Thomas. Upon completion of his naval service, Thomas would retire from the United States Air Force as a Major. Petty Officer Thomas was interviewed by the United States Navy Stories of Service Program at the Swift Boat Sailors Association Reunion in Washington D.C.
The United States Navy Memorial Stories of Service Program is honored to announce the January 2018 story of the month has been selected to recognize the service of United States Navy Veteran, Fireman 1st Class Joseph Colombara. The United States Navy Memorial Stories of Service Program was privileged to interview Fireman 1st Class Joseph Colombara at the USS Abnaki ATF-96 Reunion in Baltimore Maryland in the fall of 2017.
Fireman 1st Class Colombara joined the United States Navy two weeks before his 18th birthday and was sent to boot camp at San Diego. He was assigned to Company 45523 and after receiving training, he joined a 90-day detail for the Seamen Guard. His next assignment was to report to an Attack Transport which departed Treasure Island California and would make port in Yokosuka Japan. Upon arriving in Japan, his next ship would be the USS Abnaki ATF-96 which was the first ship of the Abnaki class of fleet ocean tugs, named after the Abenaki Native Americans.
Upon joining the crew of the USS Abnaki he remarked, “we had a small crew, the complete compliment would have been 95 people with Officers and men, I learned everyone’s name.” He would serve as a fireman aboard the USS Abnaki and sail to ports in China, Okinawa, Guam, and other locations in the Pacific. While being assigned to different missions in the Pacific, the Abnaki was responsible for towing a variety of different naval vessels as well as targets. When reflecting on one particular mission, he shared, “We hit a typhoon for three days and lost the tow, we had a collision and six small holes in our port side. It damaged the gun tub by the bridge, damaged the rail, and our whale boat.” The USS Abnaki was able to recover from the typhoon and successfully complete its objectives.
Colombara not only discussed his service experiences in the U.S. Navy but also shared memories of his father’s service in the Second Infantry Division during the First War under the command of United States Marine Corps General John Lejeune.
Part One Memories of his Father who Served in the 2nd Infantry Division During WWI
Part Three Joining the Crew of the USS Abnaki in Japan
Part Five Service History of the USS Abnaki
Part Two Joining the Navy and Service on the Attack Transport
Part Four Service on the USS Abnaki in China and the Pacific
The United States Navy Memorial honors United States Navy Veteran, Fireman 1st Class Joseph Colombara, featured within this series titled, Stories of Service, Story of the Month. Each month, this series honors a Veteran’s story recorded by the Stories of Service Program at the Navy Memorial. To learn more about this story and to explore the Navy Memorial archive, visit the Navy Memorial Stories of Service site at https://www.navymemorial.org/stories-of-service.