An often overlooked “heirloom” here at Cerritos is the U.S.S. Pelias Bell. Where did it come from and why is it there?
The U.S.S. Pelias crew ship survived the attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941. In 1980, Cerritos College received a replica of the ship’s bell.
It was brought to the attention of Nello Di Corpo, Dean of Community Services at the time, that the college needed a victory bell.
Di Corpo then contacted a salvage yard and found the Pelias bell. Shortly after Donald Bongers, one of the ships crew members, contacted Di Corpio. Bongers wanted to purchase the bell.
Treasurer of Cerritos College Foundation Janice Cole said, “Mr. Bongers told Di Corpio that the crew would have reunions all over the country to commemorate its time on the ship.”
After some negotiation, Di Corpio convinced Mr. Bongers that Cerritos College would be a great location to store the replica from Pearl Harbor.
In 1980, the college agreed to display the bell not only as a sign of victory but as a memorial to the crew and those who gave their lives at Pearl Harbor.
Many Pelias crew members gathered on campus and dedicated the U.S.S. Pelias bell to the campus. “Crew members from all over the world converged on Cerritos College to dedicate the bell and the monument that displays it,” Cole said.
The bell was displayed on the day of the college’s 25th anniversary and can be seen in the Administration building quad. The bell itself has “U.S.S. Pelias 1941” deeply engraved. Right below the engraving is a finely bronzed plaque that states it was given by the Cerritos College Foundation and U.S.S. Pelias crew in 1980.
“The crew also donated thousands of dollars for a scholarship that bears its name for engineering or physics students that we continue to give out each year,” Cole added.
The Pelias scholarship was first established in 1984 and has been given out since then to outstanding students graduating from the engineering or physics program.
Anyone can donate to the Pelias scholarship fund, which is located inside the Cerritos College Foundation office.
Katie Moore • Dec 6, 2019 at 6:03 pm
Hi Mark Edwards! I just found this while reading up on tomorrow’s anniversary history. My grandfather was on the Pelias in Pearl Harbor, though he passed about a decade ago. I’m wondering if your father was one of the crewmen who were on campus for the bell dedication?
https://www.talonmarks.com/arts-entertainment/artsfeatures/2009/02/24/history-of-cerritos-bells/
Mark Edwards • Aug 16, 2018 at 1:51 pm
Do happen to know if the original Pelias ship’s bell is still in existence? My Dad was on the AS-14 Pelias during WW2 and is still living.