RAYMOND  O.  STEIN JR.

 

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Obituary published in San Diego Union-Tribune on January 6, 2013:

 

U.S. Navy Commander, William David Drake, Ret., passed away on New Year's Day at age 82 at a hospital near his Scripps Ranch home.  Born in Knoxville, Tennessee, Bill spent his teen years during World War II in military academies.  He graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1952.  In 1954, he married Alabama beauty queen Billie Ruth Adwell and their 58 year marriage produced six children.  The highlight of his highly decorated 25 year military career was during the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis when he was the Navy's "Fuel King," responsible for keeping the U.S. flotilla continuously fueled and battle-ready as the Russian ships approached.  He served aboard the USS RIGEL, as well as at posts in Virginia, Georgia, Hawaii, Pennsylvania, Monterey, California, Illinois and Seoul, South Korea, before retiring from the Navy in San Diego in 1976.  He earned a law degree in 1977 and briefly worked for a San Diego law firm.  Then he served as business administrator at the San Diego Natural History Museum from 1978 to 1990.  In his retirement, Bill enjoyed genealogy, crosswords and his family, which grew to include eight grandchildren and one great-grandchild.  Because of his humble nature, intelligence, integrity, generosity and service to his country, he was his family's role model and will always be our hero.  Graveside services will be held on January 11th at Miramar National Cemetery in San Diego.

 

Submitted by CDR Roy A. Mosteller, USNR (Ret)

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My Dad was part of the greatest generation. He left high school early to join the Navy during WW II and it was part of who he was for the rest of his life. I was blessed to attend many of his Navy Reunions with him and hear many a sea story. He had 2 daughters who were also in the Navy as a result of his service. He became an elementary school teacher and an avid golfer. We miss him every day. Fair winds and following seas!

 

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S2 approaching USS Kearsarge (CVS33)

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Dear Navy Memorial Family & Friends,

 

I am very impressed with the publication that I just received about our memorial. It inspired me to sit down and write about my Navy career as an aviation ordnance man.

 

I am a three war veteran, WWII, Korea and Vietnam. I did ten cruises on nine aircraft?*carriers, the USS Siboney, Rendova, Boxer, Prinston, then Prinston again, Oriskany, Kearsage, Ranger, Valley Forge and the Coral Sea.

 

A few interesting examples of these cruises follows. On the Prinston while loading bombs to be dropped on Korea, the Captain yelled down to me and my crew, You guys are loading everything but the kitchen sink! That gave

me an idea. Later when we pulled into Japan, I and three of my crew went into town and bought a kitchen sink. We carried it back to the ship and fastened it to the bottom of a thousand pound bomb. It was actually dropped on Korea. It was' called the SINK BOMB, (see photo)

 

On the Kearsage, I and my crew loaded torpedoes on four of the AD Aircrafts that flew to Korea and bombed the 240 foot thick Huachon Dam. These were the only torpedoes used in the Korean War. This was a major hit,, and it was world wide news.

 

My last duty was at Lemore; California where I was an instructor on loading special weapons. After about a year Wespac sent me to the USS Valley Forge to observe the loading of special weapons. Six month later I was, sent.to the USS Coral Sea to make sure their ordnance procedures, were A-OK.

 

After twenty-one years in the Navy, I decided to retire as a Chief instead of going on to be an officer. Three of my skippers recommended me for an officer. I declined. I had a good civilian job waiting for me. I really liked my Navy Ordnance job, all 21 years.

 

AOC Lawremce A. Singley USN (Ret.)

 

 

 

 

 

 

ANOTHER ITEM THAT MADE WORLD WIDE NEWS

 

 

While on the Kearsage Carrier, I and

my crew loaded the 4 torpedoes that

knocked out the 240 foot thick

Huachon Dam in Korea These were

the only torpedoes used in the Korean War.

 

Rear Admiral Ralph A. Ofstie, the Princeton's Skipper W. R. Hollingsworth, Lt. Bordelon the AD pilot who dropped the modified bomb, and Larry Singley.

 

 

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I enlisted in the Navy on 14 March 1952. After completing 11 weeks of boot camp at San Diego, CA. Love of flag and country was my incentive for the journey ahead.

 In June, I was assigned to the heavy cruiser USS Los Angeles (CA-135) Seventh Fleet, and its home port was Long Beach, CA. Aboard ship we had a complement of 1300 able bodied men. As a seaman apprentice, I was designated to the deck force performing routine maintenance and learning the ropes. My general quarters station was loader on a twin 3-inch .50-cal. antiaircraft gun mount.

 Before our departure from Long Beach, we were entertained aboard ship on TV by notable Hollywood stars. Bob Hope, Rosemary Clooney, Frankie Laine, and Jerry Colonna were our honored guests. Bob Hope, a tireless trouper for our men and women in uniform, kept us in high spirits with his witty humor accompanied by his talented troupe. “Thanks for the memories.” Once under way we’ll visit ports in Monterey, CA. Portland, OR. Seattle, WA. Pearl Harbor, Hong Kong and the Korean Peninsula.

 We arrived in Seattle during the annual “Seafair” with a large contingent of naval ships. The Los Angeles was the leading ship in the “Parade of Ships” in the bay. With all ships in full colors, it was a stirring display to see. Soon we were on the crowded avenues enjoying the fairs festivities. There a spirited crowd danced to the music on the avenue, while jubilance and goodwill filled the air. As we looked on, three of us shipmates were invited to a service club where they served soft drinks and snacks, while we enjoyed some smooth dance and pop music. Later, after a brief but memorable stay, we said farewell to the genial city by the bay.

 We then sailed for Pearl Harbor on the island of Oahu, Hawaii. Heading south, south-west, we soon found ourselves sunning on deck during lunch and on weekends. In the ensuing days we were approaching the inland waterways of Pearl Harbor. The colorful florals with the trimmed landscapes and swaying palms, was a prelude to an “aloha” welcome. As we approached our ships moorings, there across the way solemnly rests a memorial over the sunken battleship USS Arizona, where over eight hundred of her crew remain entombed. After a moment of silence the ships crew prepared for mooring. Soon after our arrival we were running barefoot in the warm sands of Waikiki Beach. After a few days sight-seeing in our dress whites and having fun in the sun, we departed with a “lei” wreath and fond memories. On our return from Korea we’ll visit Pearl Harbor once again before returning to the states. Years later by conveyance of the Navy and Federal Service, I’ll return twice more to Pearl Harbor and the picturesque island of Oahu.

 Once underway and sailing further west then north-west, soon we’ll be nearing a climatic change in the weather. Now facing cool, swift winds and choppy seas, it wouldn’t be enough to deter our chaplain from having interfaith services aboard. As the weeks passed on into Dec. we encountered our first blizzard at sea. Standing watch in our foul weather gear didn’t quite repel the fierce winds and biting cold in our open gun mounts, nor was it a fun time for throwing snowballs.

 Over an extended period of time at sea, we would replenish our stores and fuel from an adjoining ship alongside, sometimes in high seas. Occasionally, we would bring aboard an ailing sailor that required immediate medical attention. Other times our boatswain would call out, “heave in that line sailors.” As we tugged on until we would hear a spontaneous cheer ahead, we knew then that there was mail from home. Once during a wintry visit ashore and guided by our chaplain, the crew donated clothing to needy Koreans during their harsh winter.

 As the Korean war ensued, we were dispatched to Wonsan Harbor on the east coast of Communist North Korea. It was a formidable and strategic area for communist forces. After nearly six months of deployment, we were approaching our departure date to the states. As we resumed our battery runs, Communist shell splashes were becoming more frequent. On 27 Mar. 1953, a 76mm projectile hit the overhead of our radar control room. Fortunately there were no casualties. Less than a week later on 2 Apr. it was an eventual day.  One projectile estimated to be a 105mm smashed into our mainmast, spraying shrapnel over our open gun mounts. Eighteen men encountered minor wounds and 12 of those were hospitalized. Three other ships in the area were also hit. During the course of the war and with all due respect, the brunt of enemy mines took the loss of four of our  minesweepers and many of their brave crew. A moment in time when peace is made with your maker.

 After our return to the states, an armistice was signed on 27 July 1953, ending the war in Korea. Sometime later a notice was posted aboard ship for shore duty in Japan. I signed up and on 8 Dec. 1953, I was assigned to the Honor Guard Company, Far East command in Tokyo. It was an elite organization comprised of Navy and Marine, Air Force and two Army platoons. It required a secret clearance with security duty and Guard of Honor ceremonies for visiting dignitaries. During my tour here, it was a unique experience and the Japanese people were supportive towards us. After completing my tour of duty on 31 Aug. 1954, I was assigned to Headquarters Support Activity in Yokosuka, Japan. As a yeoman striker in the Disciplinary office, I later became status yeoman for the Marine brig on the base and the stockade in Tokyo. It was unfortunate to see fellow Navy men having their careers suppressed.

 One of my most memorable days was receiving a phone call from my mom and dad on my birthday. The other was sometime before Christmas when it was “Orphans Day” on the base. It was a fun and caring day for the children and us sailors. I was host to a Japanese orphan boy who was about five years old. His name I don’t remember, but his smile I won’t forget. We first had lunch in the Navy mess and I made sure that the empty bag he was carrying was full of goodies when we left. Then we walked some on the base and took in a movie that he knew nothing about. But as he nibbled on his popcorn, I knew that he was impressed. The day went fast and with his goodies in hand, the little orphan boy climbed aboard his bus and waved goodbye.

 In Feb. 1956, as separation from service grew near, a group of us sailors were flown from Tokyo to San Francisco, CA. on an Air Force C-97 cargo plane. During the flight, we refueled at Midway Island before completing 22 hours of seemingly vibrant motion. Approaching the evening lights and my first glimpse of Golden Gate Bridge, it was an impressive sight. As we arrived later at Treasure Island Naval Base, the final leg of my journey had just begun.

 After my honorable discharge from the Navy in Mar. ’56, I returned home and assisted my parents in the grocery until my Dad’s retirement in Dec. ’62, and a well deserved rest. A couple of months later Dad packed a nice box lunch for my auto trip to the west coast, where I was predestined for the Department of the Navy, Military Sealift Command. Once underway and in addition to our ships travels, there was always interesting stories to share and to write about. The USNS Michelson (T-AGS 23) oceangraphic research and the USNS Range Tracker (T-AGM 1) missile tracking for space research were such stories. With the colorful sunsets at sea and warm, moonless nights when the celestial skies are at their brightest, is where my journey ends. My new tenure with the Navy began in Feb. ’64 and concluded in May ’78. Home base, Seattle, WA.

 The following is a little rhyme of mine to our shipmates at sea:

            As restless seas toss, plunge, rumble and roll

            On through the night into another trying day,

            With the sway and pitch of a weary ship

            There at the helm a shipmate leads the way.    God Speed

 My gratitude to the family for their hospitality when I was on leave.

 Foremost of all, in loving memory of my parents for their heartfelt and faithful correspondence during my years away.

 God Bless America, land that I love….

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Jack Que Wicker

Service Memories

My late father entered the Navy in 1931. He left life in the small town of Hinton West Virginia to join the U.S. Navy where he and our Navy helped defend Liberty. After seeing many countries around the world he always said how fortunate we were to be born in the U.S.A.

In 1941 he married my late mother who he always said was the most beautiful woman in the world. After serving through WWII and receiving a number of medals my father continued to faithfully serve for 22 years. My parents had made many good friends in the Navy and kept in touch with them through the years. As I child growing up my parents enjoyed telling me about the exciting life they lived when my father was in the Navy and what Navy life was like through the World War II period. They often spoke of how united the country was and how important that was to defeating Hitler. My parents appreciated the many wonderful friendships they formed with fellow Navy families they met from my fathers year of service. My parents were always humble, kind, and generous. Even when my father retired from the Navy he continued to work on behalf of the Naval retirees at the U. S. Naval home in Philadelphia. Then after his Naval service he worked for 20 years with civil service at the U.S. Naval depot My father was always proud of how they helped win WWII and liberated the world from Hitler.

My father was well liked in the Navy and was honored by being made King Neptune. I enclosed the picture of the document he was presented with. I also enclosed a copy of my late fathers photo in his Chiefs uniform as well as another picture of my mother and father in his early Navy years.

As a wife myself and a mom I know how important preserving our Countries freedoms are for our future generations. We appreciate the sacrifice so many of our military families are making every day. My husband has also served with the U.S. Army in Viet Nam. We support our armed forces because we both know how important that is to our future generations.

 

Thank you again for keeping my parents' memory alive as well as the many great heroes of the greatest generation.

Submitted by his daughter Mrs.Lisa Fisher, March 18, 2012

 

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Qualified in Submarines (Diesel)

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Excerpts from obituary published in San Diego Union-Tribune on 9/22/2013:

Sidney Scott Williams was born on June 14, 1921, in Houston, Mississippi (Chickasaw County) to John Clifton and Lenora Holleman Williams.  He was a Houston High School graduate, Class of 1940.  On Dec. 9, 1941, twenty-year-old Sidney joined the U.S. Navy and proudly served our country during World War II and the Korean War at various duty stations.  He retired from the Navy as a CPO-E7, in 1961 after 20 years of service.  Also, he retired as Division Clerk from the County of San Diego Road Dept. after 20 years in 1983.  Family was everything to Sidney.  They are what made him happiest.  He is survived by his loving wife of 67 years, four children, fourteen grandchildren and twenty-one great-grandchildren.  His infectious, loving personality affected the lives of those that were blessed to know him.  Sidney died on September 13, 2013 and a graveside service was held at Miramar National Cemetery in San Diego.

Submitted by CDR Roy A. Mosteller, USNR (Ret)

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Theodore Dachenhausen Jr. served on the U.S.S. Steamer Bay, CVE-87 during the last part of World War II as the Fighter Director. After the war he graduated from Yale in the class of '45W, and then completed law school. He married Mary Louise Hudson (herself a Navy Nurse in the war) to whom he remained married until her death in 1987. He stayed in the Navy Reserve after the war, and was recalled to active duty for the Korean Conflict, in which he served as a Navy JAG lawyer in Japan (where his first son, Theodore III was born). He then returned to civilian life as an attorney and, later, a judge. He remained in the Navy Reserve until the early 1970s, retiring at the rank of Lieutenant Commander. He died in 1988 of cancer while still on the bench of the New York State Supreme Court. He was, until the end of his life, extremely proud of his service in the United States Navy.

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FIRST  F6F  HELLCAT  ACE  OF  WWII

 

Excerpts from article published on Acepilots.com on 7/2/2011:

 

Lieutenant Hamilton "Mac" McWhorter III was the first F6F Hellcat ace of the U.S. Navy.  He attended the University of Georgia and Georgia Tech, before entering the Navy's flight program in August 1941 and earned his wings at Pensacola in February 1942.  He flew the F2A Brewster Buffalo in training and sympathized with the Marines at Midway who had to go into combat with them.  As a pilot with Fighting Nine (VF-9) he carrier-qualified with the F4F Wildcat in 1942 on the USS LONG ISLAND.  The young Georgian first saw combat with VF-9 flying the Wildcat from USS RANGER in strikes against Casablanca where he did a lot of strafing but met no aerial opponents.  On its return from North Africa, VF-9 took delivery of the Grumman F6F-3 Hellcats, the first operational squadron to do so.  The fighter was so new that there no pilot handbooks were available.  Compared to the F4F, the roomy F6F was a big improvement - 60 mph faster, a better rate of climb, and more ammo capacity.  VF-9 was assigned to and qualified in F6F's aboard USS ESSEX and deployed to the Pacific in May 1943.  Most pilots flew more than 50 hours in the new F6Fs.  Many accumulated another 30 before entering combat but 80 hours was unusually low compared to later wartime standards when many pilots had 300 hours in the F6F before flying in combat.  VF-9 embarked on a "training raid" against Marcus Island in late August, the first use of the Hellcat in combat.  The Marcus raid was fairly uneventful and no Japanese planes sortied to fight them.

 

In mid-September 1943 the Navy put together for the first time a task force of six carriers, including ESSEX and its VF-9.  When four of these carriers struck Wake Island on October 5-6, the Hellcats saw their first significant aerial combat.  Half an hour before dawn on the 5th, each of the four carriers launched three fighter divisions, 47 Hellcats in all.  When they were still 50 miles out from Wake the Japanese radar detected them and 27 Zeroes intercepted.  In the ensuing dogfight LTJG McWhorter dove into a gaggle of Zeroes when one serendipitously appeared in his gunsight.  He fired a short burst and exploded the Zero - his first aerial victory.  The raid showed that the new Hellcats could more than hold its own against the Zeroes as they destroyed 22 of 34 aircraft at Wake, and 12 American planes were lost - 6 to the Zeroes and 6 to AA gunfire.

 

Just after dawn on November 11, 1943, ESSEX, about 165 southeast of “Fortress Rabaul,” launched her strike planes including McWhorter's VF-9 on escort.  En route to the target, flying at 10,000 feet, a dozen Zeroes picked them up and tried without success to lure the fighters away from their charges.  The Japanese warships were leaving the harbor at high speed and McWhorter went after a cruiser, going into his strafing run off the cruiser's starboard beam.  It seemed like every weapon on the ship was firing at him and he could actually see the eight inch shells coming at him.  When he was 2,500 feet out he fired a four second burst at the open AA gun batteries, then zoomed over the ship.  Heading back to the rendezvous point, he saw a huge World War One style dogfight going on, involving about a dozen Hellcats and over 30 Zeroes.  He dove into the melee and shot up a Zero that was scoring heavily on a Hellcat.  He saw the Zero flame but suddenly heard a sound "like when someone throws a handful of large rocks on a galvanized tin roof."  He snapped his plane over into a split-S dive and instantly found another Zero in his sights which he quickly exploded with a short burst.  This combat only lasted about 45 seconds, long enough for McWhorter to claim two kills.  Only lightly damaged, McWhorter met up with the F6Fs and escorted the strike planes back to ESSEX.  Later that afternoon he flew an uneventful CAP over the carriers.  In the evening the torpedo-bomber and dive-bomber pilots, who usually had little use for "hot shot" fighter pilots, came into the ready room, laden with gifts for their protectors - cigarettes, gum, candy, etc.

 

Their next engagement was Tarawa where VF-9 was assigned to tactical air support for the Marines.  LTJG McWhorter became an ace by downing a Pete floatplane off Tarawa on November 18 and a Betty bomber the next day.  He only used 86 rounds to down the Betty, earning him the nickname "One Slug."  The next big action for VF-9 occurred on January 29, 1944, when the new Fast Carrier Task Force of 12 carriers supported the amphibious invasion of Kwajalein.  Assigned to strafe the enemy airfield on Kwajalein's Roi islet, VF-9 launched 18 planes.  While VF-9’s orders instructed them to avoid combat if possible, many of them were forced to engage.  McWhorter shot down two Hamps in this engagement.  At the first great raid on Truk on February 19, McWhorter was escorting an SBD strike when he spotted bogeys in the distance.  McWhorter led his wingman in for a closer look and the bogeys turned out to be Zeroes that unaccountably hadn't fired on the Hellcats.  McWhorter and his wingman got behind the enemy airplanes and with his typical economical bursts the 22 year-old Georgian downed two of them.  Another Zero came up which he also promptly dispatched.  He thus became the first carrier pilot to become a double ace.

 

When VF-9's combat tour finished in March 1944, McWhorter helped to re-organize VF-12 as a Hellcat squadron on the carrier USS RANDOLPH.  He took part in the first carrier raid against Tokyo on February 16, 1945, downing a Zero.  His 12th and last victory came on May 13 when he downed a Myrt recon plane.  He was flying morning CAP over Task Force 58 when he was vectored to intercept a high bogey.  The IJN C6N Myrt was at 25,000 feet and going away.  McWhorter got so close that when he flamed it, its oil got all over his Hellcat.  Later that same day, McWhorter led an escort mission for two Vought OS2U Kingfisher that had to rescue a couple of pilots downed in Japan's Inland Sea.  With some difficulty and lots of S-turns the high-powered F6Fs kept pace with the slower Kingfishers.  As they approached the area a bright yellow dye marker guided the Kingfishers to the downed pilots.  As he made the pick-up, one of the Kingfisher pilots cut his engine.  From high above McWhorter saw the prop stop and he thought that this was not a good idea, being only 15 miles from a Japanese air base.  But the rescue plane re-started in a couple of minutes and took off safely.  On the return flight the Kingfishers, now more heavily loaded with humanity, flew even more slowly.  By early afternoon, all hands were back on board Randolph.  By the time they landed, McWhorter had been aloft for over five and a half hours, his longest flight of the war.

 

VF-12 left the combat zone for Hawaii in June 1945.  McWhorter stayed in the Navy, from which he retired in 1969.  During retirement he became a flight instructor and was proud of the many men he trained who became airline pilots.  Though he would object to being called such, Hamilton McWhorter's service to family and country make him a standout among the "Greatest Generation."  A Georgia native whose family roots date to the 1700s.  He was elected to the Georgia Aviation Hall of Fame in 1989.  In 2001 he authored the book “The First Hellcat Ace” which describes the fascinating story of his air-to-air combat record.  CDR McWhorter died on April 12, 2008, and was laid to rest at Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery in San Diego.

 

Submitted by CDR Roy A. Mosteller, USNR (Ret)

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Excerpts from obituary published in San Diego Union-Tribune on 5/5/2014:

 

Robert E. "Tommy" Thompson was born on August 19, 1925, in Miami, Florida.  He attended Vero Beach High School and enlisted in the U.S. Navy at age 16.  His ship, sailing with Convoy PQ 17, was attacked and sunk in July 1942.  He was captured by Germany and held as a POW until his liberation in April 1945.  He received the Purple Heart and the POW Medal.  After World War II, Tommy began a long career with the Department of Defense and worked his way up from airplane mechanic to quality assurance engineer.  Tommy was a member of The Masonic Lodge and the Al Bahr Shrine.  He enjoyed warm weather, traveling and music.  Tommy is survived by his wife of 62 years and 5 children, as well as grandchildren and great-grandchildren. He was interred at Miramar National Cemetery in San Diego.

 

Submitted by CDR Roy A. Mosteller, USNR (Ret)

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Earning My Dolphins

 

Perhaps the most rewarding experience for a submarine sailor is when he earns his dolphins and is designated “Qualified In Submarines.”  After seven months of learning about every system and compartment on the USS Bream [SS 243] my “qual boat,” I was ready to take my final exam with the Engineering Officer.

 

We were on our way to Pearl Harbor from San Diego on the first leg of our eight month Westpac deployment.  The Engineering Officer had just started his four hour watch as Officer of the Deck and that is when he started grilling me on every system and compartment on the Bream.  Since he really had nothing else to do, he was going to make this grilling last all four hours.  We started with the forward torpedo room and worked aft through the forward battery room, the control room, the conning tower, the after battery room, the forward engine room, the after engine room, the maneuvering room and finally the after torpedo room.  I don’t remember how many times I had to go below decks to find the answer to one of his questions but it was more than a few.  Finally, as we were approaching Hawaii and getting ready to set the maneuvering watch, he said, “give me your qual sheet” and he signed me off.

 

With the sun raising aft of us and Diamond Head ahead of us, it was a beautiful morning and one of the proudest moments of my life.  I was now “Qualified In Submarines” and could proudly wear the silver dolphins.

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PASSING  OF  A  VETERAN  OF  WWII  SOUTH  PACIFIC  BATTLES

 

Excerpts from obituary published in San Diego Union-Tribune on June 10, 2012:

 

Richard Rothwell was born on November 23, 1912, in Washington, DC.  In June 1932 he entered the US Naval Academy, graduating with the class of 1936 and was commissioned a Second Lieutenant in the Marine Corps.  Early in his Marine career he served in Shanghai, China, helping to protect American citizens and property from the fighting between Chinese and Japanese forces in that city.  During World War II, then-Major Rothwell served as Executive Officer of 2nd Battalion, 24th Marines, during the capture of Roi Namur.  Following promotion to Lieutenant Colonel he commanded that battalion during assaults on Saipan, Tinian, and Iwo Jima.  He received the Silver Star and Legion of Merit with Combat V Medals for his bravery in those campaigns.  In the mid-1950s he served as Chief of Staff of the 1st Marine Division and as Commanding Officer, 5th Marine Regiment, at Camp Pendleton, California.  He was a graduate of the Army War College.  He retired from the Marine Corps with the rank of Colonel in June 1961.  Following retirement he lived in San Diego, CA, and Catonsville, MD.  At the age of 99, Colonel Rothwell died of natural causes on May 7, 2012, and is survived by two sons, four grandchildren and five great grandchildren.  Following a memorial service to be held in the Chapel at Marine Corps Recruit Depot, San Diego, he will be interned at the Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery in San Diego.  Colonel Rothwell will be remembered as a gallant warrior and a kind, gentle man.

 

Submitted by CDR Roy A. Mosteller, USNR (Ret)

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RADM Richard Hetherington "Dick" O'Kane USN Ret. graduated the Naval Academy in May 1934 and went to sea on USS Chester CA-27, then USS Pruitt DD-347. In 1938 he completed Submarine Training at New London and started his long connection with submarine service on the USS Argonaut SM-1. His next assignment was as Executive Office, USS Wahoo SS-238. The Wahoo completed five combat patrols during his assignment that ended in 1943.

 Detached, he was ordered as Prospective Commanding Officer of a submarine so new that it was under construction when the orders were cut. After commissioning, October 1943, he was Commanding Officer, USS Tang SS-306. In five War Patrols the Tang sank 31 ships, one of the very top Pacific Campaign records for submarine achievement. One of his favorite tactics of attack was to take the Tang into an enemy convoy and attack ships ahead and behind in the heart of the convoy while avoiding escorting combat ships. He excelled at combat aircraft lifeguard duties to recover aviators. Off Truk Island Tang rescued 22 airmen (and one Japanese airman) in one mission, earning a Presidential Unit Citation; one of two earned during his command of the Tang.

 In the Formosa Sea O'Kane launched a spread of three torpedoes and the third circled back and sunk the Tang. O'Kane and eight of his crew survived the sinking but only five, including O'Kane survived being exposed to the cold water and were taken prisoner by the Japanese. O'Kane spent the remainder of the war at the Japanese  Prisoner of War Camp, Omori Japan. He was later a witness at the Japanese War Crimes Trials.

He returned to active duty as CO, USS Pelias AS-14 with PACRESFLT, then as XO, USS Nereus AS-17. His next assignment was as COMSUBDIV 32, then as a student, Armed Forces Staff College, followed by Officer in Charge, Sub School, New London, and then back to sea as CO, USS Sperry AS-12. He completed his career as a student, Naval War College and then duty in Washington D.C., retiring as a Rear Admiral in 1957.

 Other awards earned by RADM O'Kane are the Navy Commendation Medal W/V, Purple Heart, Combat Action Ribbon, Prisoner of War Medal, National Defense Service Medal with Fleet Clasp, Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal W/9 stars, World War II Victory Medal and National Defense Service Medal.

 The Wardroom of the oldest active submarine in the fleet carries his personal cribbage board. When decommissioned, the board transfers to the next oldest boat. The USS O'Kane DD-77 is named for RADM O'Kane.

 Rear Admiral O'Kane and his wife are buried at Arlington National Cemetery.

 Submitted by Doug Bewall RMCM USN Ret.

 

 

 

 

RADM Richard Hetherton O’Kane, USN (Retired)

 

As Commanding Officer of the USS TANG SS-306, RADM O’Kane was credited with sinking 31 enemy merchant and Man-O-War ships, totaling 227,800 tons, during World War II.

Accordingly, RADM O’Kane ranks Number One on the list of Top Ten U.S. Navy Submarine Captains in World War II by the total number and tonnage of confirmed ships sunk during World War II.

Source: Reported war patrol totals.

Submitted by CAPT Richard J. Laulor, USNR (Ret.)

194636 194641 194705 195088 195164 195167 195196 195253 195265 195507 195570 195630 195642 195663 195723 195806 195846 195849 195901 195919 195960 196008 196037 196100

As a EM2(SW) in the Eng Dept I pass my EOOW Board for the FFG Plant. My great friend and shipmate GSMC(SW) George Ferrer and I were put to the last test before deployment (BECCE) and passed with flying colors

196176 196299 196395 196520

Pearl Harbor Survivor

196621 196797 196843 196861 196916

LT Ronald J. Secord of San Diego, California, joined the Navy in March 1948, and served as an enlisted man until November 1963, when he was commissioned as an Ensign.  As an enlisted man LT Secord served at the Port Facility, Tsingtao, China; on USS Passumpsic AO-107; as craftmaster of LCU- 859; at RSA Yokosuka; at Naval Magazine, Port Chicago, California, and as a First Class Diver on board Uss Sunbird ASR-15.

After he was commissioned as a Limited Duty Officer, LT Secord served for three years on board USS Sioux ATF-75 as First Lieutenant, Gunnery Officer, Navigator, Diving Officer, and Supply Officer.  Since January of 1967 he has served as Operations Officer of the Naval Degaussing Station, San Diego.  He was promoted to Lieutenant in May 1967.

 

 

196946 197020 197024 197037 197060 197114 197178 197187 197220 197241 197261 197475 197536 197543 197884 197898 197977 197986 197998 198052 198057 198106 198141 198155 198156 198187 198207 198309 198347 198351 198377 198411 198414