Robert J. Wieland
Era: World War II
Military Branch: Navy
Unit Info: Naval Reserve
Robert J. Wieland was inducted into the Naval Reserve on July 2, 1943. Home at entry: Virginia, Minnesota.
Mr. Wieland served as a Water Tender Third Class aboard the heavy cruiser USS Chester (CA 27) of Cruiser Division 5 in the Pacific Theater. While in the Coral Sea, he participated on shore bombardment of Tarawa and Apemana in the Gilbert Islands and Taroa and Wotje Islands.
His ship supported the invasions of the Marshall Islands; Kurile Islands, Matsuwa and Paramushiru islands in the Aleutians. The Chester bombarded Wake Island and Marcus Island. It supported landings on Leyte in Philippines.
The Chester provided shore bombardments of Iwo Jima in support of the Marine landing on February 14, 1945. It bombarded Chi Chi Jima and Haha Jima in the Bonin Island group and participated in the final stages of the Okinawa campaign. He participated in the Navy occupation of the Honshu-Hokkaido area of the Japanese home islands.
Mr. Wieland was honorably discharged on April 6, 1946, in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Source: Hometown Heroes: The Saint Louis County World War II Project, 341.
