Anthony salvatore coco

My Grandfather is the inspiration for this project. He is my Hero. It wasn't until after his passing, that I realized the opportunity I missed, by not interviewing him. Anthony Salvatore Coco served in the Navy during WWII aboard the USS Rushmore LSD-14, which participated in four amphibious landings: the Battle of Leyte in October 1944; of Palawan in February 1945; of Mindanao in March 1945; and of Tarakan, Borneo, in May 1945. During the landing of Tarakan, his ship was hit by a Japanese torpedo, fired from the beach. Luckily the torpedo glanced off the hull of the ship, without ever exploding or causing damage. It's possible that this story could have had a very different ending, one where I would never have been able to tell it. This gives me even more motivation to meet, thank, and document every WWII Veteran I can because soon enough the opportunity will not exist.