USS Franklin CV13 19March 1945

Before dawn on 19 March 1945, Franklin, which had maneuvered to within 50 miles of the Japanese mainland, closer than had any other U.S. carrier during the war, launched a fighter sweep against Honshū and later a strike against shipping in Kobe Harbor. Suddenly, a single aircraft - possibly a Yokosuka D4Y ("Judy") dive bomber, though other accounts suggest an Aichi D3A ("Val"), also a dive bomber, pierced the cloud cover and made a low level run on the ship to drop two semi-armor-piercing bombs. The damage analysis came to the conclusion that the bombs were 250 kg/550 lb., though neither the "Val" nor "Judy" had the attachment points to carry two such weapons, nor did the Japanese single engine torpedo bombers in horizontal bomber mode. (The accounts also differ as to whether the attacking aircraft escaped or was shot down.) In any case, one bomb struck the flight deck centerline, penetrating to the hangar deck, effecting destruction and igniting fires through the second and third decks, and knocking out the Combat Information Center and airplot. The second hit aft, tearing through two decks and fanning fires which triggered ammunition, bombs and rockets.

Franklin lay dead in the water, took a 13° starboard list, lost all radio communications, and broiled under the heat from enveloping fires. Many of the crew were blown overboard, driven off by fire, killed or wounded, but the hundreds of officers and enlisted who voluntarily remained saved their ship through sheer valor and tenacity. The casualties totaled 724 killed and 265 wounded, and would have far exceeded this number except for the heroic work of many survivors. Among these were Medal of Honor recipients Lieutenant Commander Joseph T. O'Callahan, S.J., USNR, the ship's chaplain, who administered the last rites, organized and directed firefighting and rescue parties, and led men below to wet down magazines that threatened to explode, and Lieutenant (junior grade) Donald A. Gary who discovered 300 men trapped in a blackened mess compartment and, finding an exit, returned repeatedly to lead groups to safety. Gary later organized and led fire-fighting parties to battle fires on the hangar deck and entered number three fireroom to raise steam in one boiler, braving extreme hazards in so doing. Santa Fe (CL-60) similarly rendered vital assistance in rescuing crewmen from the sea and closing Franklin to take off the numerous wounded and nonessential personnel.

:patriot: :patriot: :hi:

I'm partial to the 384 boat - 6 patrols, 5 battle stars, and 2 Presidential Unit Citations.

I was at Pearl Harbor last Octobra for the USS Wahoo SS238 memorial, and they have at the
submarine museum, the conning tower of the USS Parche is there, with the famous 'Red' Ramage
commanding, who was awarded the Medal of Honor

:patriot: :hi:

He still calls him the ballsiest man he ever knew. Whenever I see the Wahoo mentioned, I think of Dudley W. "Mush" Morton. Sleep well, sailor.

I had the best time of my life there, met 'Mush' Morton's son Doug, and his daughter Edwina,
and also Dick Okane's son Jim Okane
I also met Jim Allen and his wife, who was on the Wahoo the first 3patrols, before transferring
to the Silversides.....listening to his stories was incredible.
A sister of one of the crewman of the Wahoo when it went down, lives close to me, and we
now keep in touch....
http://war-fish.blogspot.com/
I am mentioned in this blog, as the one from Portland Oregon!!!!
:patriot: :patriot:

:hi:

I'm embarrassed to admit that I don't recall the name of Jim Allen. Hell, I'm not sure why I remember any of this - me an ex grunt, and Dad, a career brown shoe, but there it is.

He was exec on Wahoo, and launched the Tang

Jim Allen used to work on the batteries, and other stuff...USS Wahoo


:patriot: :hi:

I envy your having had the chance to speak with him. The closest I can come is having the opportunity to speak to John Tach, (the Tach Weave) in 1966. He invented the fighter pilot maneuver that may have saved my Dad's life, (and therefore resulted in my birth.)

But, she survived. She limped all the way back to the Brooklyn Navy Yard under her own power and was out of the war for the remainder of the conflict:



She was cut down to her hangar deck and almost completely rebuilt:



Post-war, she was mothballed at Bayonne, NJ and never saw service again. She was scrapped in 1961:



To those who remain on duty - :patriot:

So little history of our role in WWII and Korea is shown for the kids.