2011 Museum Fund Raiser
The National Medal of Honor Museum of Military History, Chattanooga, TN, held its annual Fund-Raiser and awards Dinner on Saturday, March 26, 2011, at the Chattanooga Choo Choo. Ron Eytchison, Vice Admiral, U.S. Navy (ret.) was the guest speaker. Admiral Eytchison talked about the submarine service and the men who went above and the beyond the call of duty, ultimately earning the Medal of Honor. Also attending was Thomas Randolph, a teacher at Dade Middle School, who was in-character as Sgt. Alvin York to answer queries about WWI. Finally, museum volunteers were recognized with awards for their dedicated service.
Medal of Honor and the Silent Service
by Ron Eytchison, Vice Admiral, U.S. Navy (ret.)
Let me say how pleased I am to join you this evening. Thank you all for coming. We’re here to raise some funds and to socialize a bit but, more than anything else, we’ve come to celebrate a virtue that is needed today as much as ever. I’m speaking of courage – the courage that enables some people to go above and beyond the call of duty, the courage to act without regard for one’s own safety, even in the face of mortal danger.
It’s our duty as citizens to make sure the lessons of history aren’t lost. Especially important for our young people today and those in coming generations. They must understand and appreciate what has been done to secure their freedom.
That’s what the MOH museum is all about. To educate and remind the public about the acts of a special courageous few. Hat’s off to those who have worked so hard to make museum what it is.
- MOH, of course, highest military decoration awarded by USG. Bestowed by U. S. Congress on members of U.S. Armed Forces who distinguish themselves through “conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his or her life above and beyond the Call of Duty while engaged in an action against an enemy of the United States.”
Other than what they’ve seen in old Clark Gable movies, most people these days know little about the contribution of the U.S. submarine force in the Second World War. Thought might be of interest to talk about MOH in the silent service. Seven MOH’s awarded WW II. None since.
Contrast with other services
- Most other MOH’s awarded to individuals for personal valor when they acted alone. Alvin York or Charles Coolidge kinds of action.
- All seven awards to submariners in WW II to CO’s of submarines except one who was Wolf Pack commander embarked in submarine.
- CO of submarine unique. He acts on his own. Almost never is anyone outside boat is giving direction – no one. “Here’s your PARORD. Go do it. Come back and tell me you did it.” CO has full responsibility for leading, planning , executing engagements with the enemy.
- On other hand, can’t do it all alone. Brave intrepid CO must have a brave intrepid crew.
Summarize Sub Ops WW II
- Overwhelmingly in Pacific. All MOH’s awarded for Pacific actions.
- Japanese missed golden opportunity at Pearl Harbor
- Limited objectives to capital ships – then BB’s
- Submarine base not attacked – subs unscathed
- Subs commenced ops almost immediately in critical waters between Japan and Dutch East Indies, i.e., life line for critical materials, fuel, food.
- By mid December 1941 subs engaged in combat.
Submarine Combat Fleet
- In 30’s Sub Force wanted long range, fast subs like Germans already had. Navy bureaucracy opposed – subs should be for coastal defense.
- Sub Force sold long range, fast submarines as needed to support fleet. Hence called “fleet boats.” Never operated with surface fleet – submariners never intended to do so.
- Subs essentially surface ships that could submerge for limited periods of time. Could make 21 knots on surface with diesel propulsion and five or six knots submerged on the battery for a few hours. Time to submerge 45-50 sec. Had range of about 11,000 miles and could make patrols of up to about 75 days – PH to Japan and return. Limited by food, fuel. Fresh water scarce -- showers normally full of potato sacks. After 2 months on patrol with no showers, diesel smells, etc. No wonder boats also called “sewer pipes.”
- Weapons: six torpedo tubes forward, four aft. 24 torpedoes. 5” deck gun and 50 cal mg’s.
- Mk 14 torpedo, over 20 ft long. Weighing 3280 lbs, had 688 lb. torpex warhead. At 46 kts range 4500 yds (2 ¼ miles)
- Submariners 2% of armed forces in WW II. Destroyed Japanese merchant marine, large part of Imperial Navy. Sank 1152 merchant ships, many warships.
- Honored to have with us this evening one of those WW II Subvet heroes, Torpedoman Jim Hulsey. Jim made three war patrols in USS Blueback.
- Of about 250 submarines in Pacific, 52 were lost, 375 officers and 3131 enlisted lost, a rate of 22% and higher than any other branch of armed forces. Virtually all subs lost included loss of all hands on board.
MOH’S
- 464 MOH’s awarded in WWII. Subforce received seven. Virtually nothing known about circumstances of loss of most of the 52 boats who didn’t come back – even where and when. Undoubtedly many undocumented acts of valor never to be known.
- Discuss briefly each of the seven awards of the MOH
- CAPTAIN JOHN CROMWELL – embarked in Sculpin
- Wolf Pack commander, if so directed
- Supporting carrier/amphib ops to take Gilberts (incl Tarawa)
- Nov 29 43 CSP ordered formation Wolfpack. No implementing from Cromwell.
- Dec 1 CSP ordered Sculpin to Enewetok. No show.
- Dec 30 presumed lost.
- Only after war Sculpin surviors told story.
- Nov 18 Sculpin depth charged, badly damaged. Battle surfaced to fight out w/ deck guns. No match for DD’s. CO killed. Lt ordered ship abandoned.
- Capt Cromwell decided ride her down. He had detailed knowledge of Gilbert campaign plans. Feared if capturedhe would be tortured.
- 41 made it off ship. Two groups.
- 21 on carrier Chuyo sunk by Sailfish Dec 3. [ironic – Sailfish was Squalus] one survived Chuyo sinking.
- 20 made it to slave labor in copper mines.
- At war’s end Cromwell awarded MOH
- CDR SAMUEL DEALY - USS Harder
- During fifth war patrol on June 9, 1944 as Dealey approached Sibitu Passage being guarded by two DD’s. Floodlighted by full moon.
- Dove to PD, closed DD tgt to 1000 yds. Opened fire, sent DD to bottom.
- Went deep to avoid depth charges. Surfaced and w/i nine minutes torpedoed second DD amidships and sent to bottom.
- Following afternoon sighted large Jap task force. Harder sighted by plane.
- DD headed directly at Harder, 35 kts. hit to hit or else. Dealey fired three torpedoes two hit. Harder passed directly underneath as boilers and magazines blew.
- Over next two hours as Harder dodged depth charges and aerial bombs Dealey seriously damaged two more DD’s.
- Jap admiral concluded must be several subs, cleared area upsetting previous battle plans
- Aug 44, Harder and Dealey left Australia on sixth war patrol. Harder depth charged and lost.
- CDR HOWARD GILMORE - USS Growler read from citation:
- “For conspicuous gallantry and valor above and beyond the call of duty as Commanding Officer of USS Growler during his fourth war patrol in the southwest Pacific from 10 January to 7 February 1943. Boldly striking at the enemy in spite of continuous hostile air and anti-submarine patrols, Commander Gilmore sank one Japanese freighter and damaged another, successfully evading depth charges following each attack. In the darkness of night on 7 February, an enemy gunboat closed range and prepared to ram the Growler. Commander Gilmore daringly maneuvered to avoid the crash and rammed the attacker instead, ripping into her port side at 17 kts and bursting wide her plates. In the terrific fire of the sinking gunboat’s heavy machine guns, Commander Gilmore calmly gave the order to clear the bridge and refusing safety for himself, remained on the bridge while his men preceded him below. Struck down by the fusillade of bullets and having done his utmost against the enemy, in his final moments, Commander Gilmore gave the last order to the deck, “Take Her Down!” The Growler dived; seriously damaged, but under control, she was brought safely to port by her well-trained crew inspired by the courageous fighting spirit of their dead captain.
- Gilmore and Growler. In the memory of the U.S. Submarine Force the names are inseparable. “Take Her Down!” has great inspirational meaning to submariners, even today.
The last four MOH recipients made it through the war. Three of them retired as flag officers.
- REAR ADMIRAL RICHARD O’KANE - CO USS Tang
- MOH awarded for valor as CO USS Tang while operating against two enemy convoys on 23 and 24 October 1944
- Was Tang’s fifth and last war patrol.
- “As he maneuvered on the surface into the midst of a heavily escorted convoy Commander O’Kane stood in a fusillade of bullets and shell from all directions to launch smashing hits on three tankers, swung his ship to fire at a freighter, and in a split second decision, shot out of the path of an onrushing transport, missing it by inches. Boxed in by blazing tankers, freighters, a transport and several destroyers he blasted two more targets with his remaining torpedoes and cleared out.
- “Exactly 24 hours later he picked up a second convoy steaming south to reinforce imperial troops on Leyte. He drove in, again on the surface, to a range of about 1000 yards. He fired six torpedoes, two at a transport, two at a second transport, and two at a tanker. All torpedoes smashed home with a series of shattering blasts. The night was livid with the light of burning ships. With destroyers closing in he fired three fast shots to clear the way out – one hit a tanker, one hit a transport, and the third stopped a destroyer.
- With only two torpedoes left on board he fired #’s 23 and 24 at a damaged troopship.”
- That’s the end of the citation. The first torpedo ran HSN. #24 was a circler and could be seen by its flourescent wake. O’Kane ordered emergency speed but it was too late. 20 seconds after firing the boomerang torpedo it struck the Tang. The blast flung O’Kane and his companions on the bridge into the sea. Tang plunged to the bottom in 180 ft of water. Three from the bridge, including O’Kane, swam all night and were picked up by Japs next morning.
- On board the sunken submarine 13 managed to escape. Eight made it to the surface alive. Five were able to swim till morning when they, too, were picked up by the Japanese.
- After the war when the facts were known Tang was awarded her second PUC and O’Kane was recommended for the MOH. In three patrols he had sunk 24 Japanese ships, a remarkable feat.
- COMMANDER GEORGE STREET - CO, USS Tirante
- Citation: ”For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty as Commanding Officer of the USS Tirante during the first war patrol of that vessel against Japanese surface forces in the harbor of Quelpart Island off the coast of Korea, on 14 April 1945. With the crew at surface battle stations, Commander, (then Lieutenant Commander) Street approached the hostile anchorage from the south within 1,200 yards of the coast to complete a reconnoitering circuit of the island. Leaving the 10 fathom curve far behind [i.e., 60 ft where he couldn’t submerge], he penetrated the mine and shoal-obstructed waters of the restricted harbor despite numerous patrolling vessels and in defiance of fire, shore –based radar stations and menacing aircraft. Prepared to fight it out on the surface if attacked, Commander Street went into action, sending two torpedoes with deadly accuracy into a large Japanese ammunition ship and exploding the target in a mountainous and blinding glare of white flames. With the Tirante instantly spotted by the enemy as she stood out plainly in the flare of light he fired his last two torpedoes to disintegrate in quick succession the leading frigate and a similar flanking vessel. Clearing the gutted harbor at emergency full speed, he slipped undetected along the shore line, diving deep as a pursuing patrol vessel dropped a pattern of depth charges at the point of submergence.”
- Street came back to tell about it.
- VICE ADMIRAL LAWSON RAMAGE - CO, USS Parche
- Awarded for pre dawn attack 31 July 1944 on a convoy of heavily escorted tankers, transports, freighters.
- In an action packed 46 minutes, firing 19 torpedoes and getting 15 hits. Ramage penetrated the screen of destroyers and found himself hemmed in on all sides by ships.
- He daringly closed to a favorable firing position and started shooting – and hitting targets. With flares and burning ships lighting up the scene Parche was an excellent target for machine gun fire from all directions. With fusillades of 4”, 5” shells and a hail of 20 mm machine gun fire Ramage ordered everyone below except a quartermaster to operate the TBT.
- W/Utter disregard for own safety he maneuvered and pressed on the attack.
- He was forced to maneuver radically to avoid being rammed by a ship that missed Parche by less than 50ft. Undaunted, Ramage swung around and sent three torpedoes into the target and then cleared the scene.”
- Ramage a 30-something carrot-top. Interviewed later Red Ramage said, “I got mad.”
- I knew in later years, a real gentleman.
- Finally, REAR ADMIRAL EUGENE FLUCKEY - CO, USS Barb (another gentleman)
- This was point in war where targets are getting scarce so Fluckey’s ability to locate Japanese ships was itself remarkable.
- For conspicuous gallantry, intrepidity, etc etc as Commanding Officer USS Barb during her eleventh war patrol along the east coast of China from 19 December 1944 to 15 February 1945. After sinking a large enemy ammunition ship and damaging additional tonnage during a running 2-hour night battle on 8 January, Commander Fluckey, in an exceptional feat of brilliant deduction and bold tracking on 23 January, located a concentration of more than 30 enemy ships in the lower reaches of the Mamkwan harbor. Fully aware that a safe retirement would necessitate an hour’s run at full speed through the uncharted, mined, and rock-obstructed waters, he bravely ordered, “Battle Stations Torpedo!” In a daring penetration of the heavy enemy screen, and riding in 5 fathoms of water, he launched Barb’s last forward torpedoes at 3000 yd range. Quickly bringing the ship’s stern tubes to bear, he turned loose four more torpedoes into the enemy, obtaining eight direct hits on six of the main targets to explode a large ammunition ship and cause inestimable damage by the resultant flying shells and other pyrotechnics. Clearing the treacherous area at high speed, he brought the Barb through safely to be able four days later to sink a large Japanese freighter and complete a record of heroic combat achievement, reflecting the highest credit upon Commander Fluckey, his gallant officers and men, and the United States Naval Service.
- After earning the MOH Fluckey continued to fight. In his final patrol in Barb in June 1945 targets very scarce. Seas had essentially been swept clean of both Maru’s and Japanese men of war. The torpedo shooters said the ocean had been fished out.
- So Fluckey made attacks on the Japanese homeland itself. His first target was town of Shari in Hokaido. He’d had a 5 inch rocket launcher installed on submarine.
- June 22 brazenly navigated into harbor. Figured a warehouse was as good as a Maru. At 2am sent dozen 5” rockets screaming into city center searchlights went on looking for a/c.
- 12 days later closed to w/in half mile of Kaikyo. Gun crew opened fire on observation posts, an oil dump and a radio station. Pill boxes opened fire and Barb retreated.
- Next morning Fluckey again trotted out rockets. This time target was town of Shikuka.
- July 4th torpedoed a freighter.
- Couple days later fired 43 rounds from Barb’s 5” guns on large canneries in town of Chiri. For good measure shot out street lights with 50’s.
- Grand finale for Barb and for submarine force when Fluckey decided to blow up train. Near town of Otasamu Barb crew noted train times. Going use timer. Electrician had cracked wall nuts as kid. Decided on microswitch out of radar.
- On very dark night of July 26, 1945 Fluckey sent saboteur party ashore in two rubber boats under Lt Walker. While submariners were unloading gear one train whistled by. The saboteurs set charges and started paddling back to submarine. Here came a train highballing up track. As party furiously paddled , “WHAM!!”
- Fluckey wrote, “What a Thrill! The charge made a much greater explosion than we expected. The engine’s boiler blew, wreckage flew 200 ft in the air in a flash of flame and smoke. Cars piled up and rolled off the track in a writhing, twisting mass of wreckage. “
- With the saboteurs safely on board Barb hightailed it.
And that, except for a couple atomic bombs, was WW II.
MOH’s themselves very important. But symbol of something bigger.
In closing would like to quote the last lines from Tom Brokaw’s book, "The Greatest Generation," describing men and women who fought in WW II. But I think they apply as well to ALL the heroes who have served since, the soldiers, sailors, marines and airmen – including those who guard us today. Brokaw wrote: “They’ve had their parades. They’ve heard the speeches. They know what they have accomplished and they are proud. They will have their memorial and their place in the ledgers of history, but no block of marble or elaborate edifice can equal their lives of sacrifice and achievement, duty and honor, as monuments to their time.”
Thank you