Robert A. Belet
Encyclopedia
Robert A. Belet was a United States Marine Corps
master technical sergeant who received a Silver Star
for his actions in the Guadalcanal campaign
during World War II
.
. He first enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps in January 1937 at New York City
and then reenlisted on 22 January 1941. Belet served at Parris Island
, South Carolina
; Quantico
, Virginia
; Washington, D.C.
; and New River, North Carolina
, before moving to the Pacific combat zone on 19 June 1942.
As a member of the 1st Signal Company
, 1st Marine Division, in the Solomon Islands
, Master Technical Sergeant Belet was at Guadalcanal
on the night of 9 and 10 August 1942, during operations against Japan
ese forces. Without regard for his own safety, Belet supervised the repair of a communications wire in the face of persistent Japanese fire. His courageous leadership contributed to the restoration of the vital communication circuit.
Master Technical Sergeant Belet was later killed in action at Guadalcanal on 12 September 1942.
destroyer escort
USS Belet (DE-599) was named for Master Technical Sergeant Belet. She was converted during construction into the high-speed transport USS Belet (APD-109)
, and was in commission
as such from 1945 to 1946.
United States Marine Corps
The United States Marine Corps is a branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for providing power projection from the sea, using the mobility of the United States Navy to deliver combined-arms task forces rapidly. It is one of seven uniformed services of the United States...
master technical sergeant who received a Silver Star
Silver Star
The Silver Star is the third-highest combat military decoration that can be awarded to a member of any branch of the United States armed forces for valor in the face of the enemy....
for his actions in the Guadalcanal campaign
Guadalcanal campaign
The Guadalcanal Campaign, also known as the Battle of Guadalcanal and codenamed Operation Watchtower by Allied forces, was a military campaign fought between August 7, 1942 and February 9, 1943 on and around the island of Guadalcanal in the Pacific theatre of World War II...
during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
Biography
Robert Alfred Belet was born on 6 August 1914 at Blairstown, New JerseyNew Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
. He first enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps in January 1937 at New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
and then reenlisted on 22 January 1941. Belet served at Parris Island
Parris Island, South Carolina
Parris Island is a former census-designated place , currently a portion of Port Royal in Beaufort County, South Carolina, United States. The population was 4,841 at the 2000 census. As defined by the U.S. Census Bureau, Parris Island is included within the Beaufort Urban Cluster and the larger...
, South Carolina
South Carolina
South Carolina is a state in the Deep South of the United States that borders Georgia to the south, North Carolina to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence...
; Quantico
Quantico, Virginia
- Demographics :As of the census of 2000, there are 561 people, 295 households, and 107 families living in the town. The population density is . There are 359 housing units at an average density of .-Racial composition:...
, Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
; Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
; and New River, North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
, before moving to the Pacific combat zone on 19 June 1942.
As a member of the 1st Signal Company
Company (military unit)
A company is a military unit, typically consisting of 80–225 soldiers and usually commanded by a Captain, Major or Commandant. Most companies are formed of three to five platoons although the exact number may vary by country, unit type, and structure...
, 1st Marine Division, in the Solomon Islands
Solomon Islands
Solomon Islands is a sovereign state in Oceania, east of Papua New Guinea, consisting of nearly one thousand islands. It covers a land mass of . The capital, Honiara, is located on the island of Guadalcanal...
, Master Technical Sergeant Belet was at Guadalcanal
Guadalcanal
Guadalcanal is a tropical island in the South-Western Pacific. The largest island in the Solomons, it was discovered by the Spanish expedition of Alvaro de Mendaña in 1568...
on the night of 9 and 10 August 1942, during operations against Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese forces. Without regard for his own safety, Belet supervised the repair of a communications wire in the face of persistent Japanese fire. His courageous leadership contributed to the restoration of the vital communication circuit.
Master Technical Sergeant Belet was later killed in action at Guadalcanal on 12 September 1942.
Awards
For this action in supervising the repair of the communications wire on 9–10 August 1942, Belet was awarded the Silver Star.Namesakes
The United States NavyUnited States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
destroyer escort
Destroyer escort
A destroyer escort is the classification for a smaller, lightly armed warship designed to be used to escort convoys of merchant marine ships, primarily of the United States Merchant Marine in World War II. It is employed primarily for anti-submarine warfare, but also provides some protection...
USS Belet (DE-599) was named for Master Technical Sergeant Belet. She was converted during construction into the high-speed transport USS Belet (APD-109)
USS Belet (APD-109)
USS Belet , ex-DE-599, was a United States Navy high-speed transport in commission from 1945 to 1946.-Construction and commissioning:...
, and was in commission
Ship commissioning
Ship commissioning is the act or ceremony of placing a ship in active service, and may be regarded as a particular application of the general concepts and practices of project commissioning. The term is most commonly applied to the placing of a warship in active duty with its country's military...
as such from 1945 to 1946.