Eugene F. George
Encyclopedia
Eugene Frank George was a sailor in the United States Navy
during World War II
, who was posthumously awarded the Navy Cross
.
San Francisco
at Pearl Harbor
on 17 July.
As an anti-aircraft gunner, he participated in the bitterly-fought naval engagements against the Japanese
off the Solomon Islands
following the American invasion of Guadalcanal on 7 August.
On 12 November, the San Francisco and other ships of Rear Admiral Richmond Kelly Turner
's Task Force 67
formed a protective screen off Lunga Point
while troop reinforcements debarked from the transports and landed on Guadalcanal
. During early afternoon, a force of enemy fighters and bombers attacked the ships, but effective anti-aircraft fire and air cover repelled the attack and inflicted heavy losses on the enemy planes.
One torpedo-bomber, damaged by anti-aircraft fire from the screening ships, crashed San Francisco, destroying the after control station and demolishing three 20 mm gun mounts. Seaman Second Class George, who courageously refused to abandon his gun in spite of the onrushing plane, blazed away at the attacker until killed by the doomed aircraft.
For his grim perseverance and relentless devotion to duty in the face of certain death, he was posthumously awarded the Navy Cross
.
s were named USS George
in his honor.
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, who was posthumously awarded the Navy Cross
Navy Cross
The Navy Cross is the highest decoration that may be bestowed by the Department of the Navy and the second highest decoration given for valor. It is normally only awarded to members of the United States Navy, United States Marine Corps and United States Coast Guard, but can be awarded to all...
.
Military career
George enlisted in the Navy on 18 May 1942, aged 17, and reported for duty onboard the heavy cruiserHeavy cruiser
The heavy cruiser was a type of cruiser, a naval warship designed for long range, high speed and an armament of naval guns roughly 203mm calibre . The heavy cruiser can be seen as a lineage of ship design from 1915 until 1945, although the term 'heavy cruiser' only came into formal use in 1930...
San Francisco
USS San Francisco (CA-38)
USS San Francisco , a New Orleans-class heavy cruiser, was the second ship of the United States Navy named after the city of San Francisco, California. She saw extensive action during World War II....
at Pearl Harbor
Pearl Harbor
Pearl Harbor, known to Hawaiians as Puuloa, is a lagoon harbor on the island of Oahu, Hawaii, west of Honolulu. Much of the harbor and surrounding lands is a United States Navy deep-water naval base. It is also the headquarters of the U.S. Pacific Fleet...
on 17 July.
As an anti-aircraft gunner, he participated in the bitterly-fought naval engagements against the Japanese
Imperial Japanese Navy
The Imperial Japanese Navy was the navy of the Empire of Japan from 1869 until 1947, when it was dissolved following Japan's constitutional renunciation of the use of force as a means of settling international disputes...
off the Solomon Islands
Solomon Islands
Solomon Islands is a sovereign state in Oceania, east of Papua New Guinea, consisting of nearly one thousand islands. It covers a land mass of . The capital, Honiara, is located on the island of Guadalcanal...
following the American invasion of Guadalcanal on 7 August.
On 12 November, the San Francisco and other ships of Rear Admiral Richmond Kelly Turner
Richmond K. Turner
-Footnotes:...
's Task Force 67
Task Force 67
Task force 67 or Cactus Strike force was based at Guadalcanal during World War II and consisted of several destroyers: , , , and . They defended the waters off Guadalcanal from the Tokyo Express. These were some of the most contested waters in the early days of World War II...
formed a protective screen off Lunga Point
Lunga Point
Lunga Point is a promontory on the northern coast of Guadalcanal, the site of a naval battle during World War II. It was also the name of a nearby airfield, later named Henderson Field....
while troop reinforcements debarked from the transports and landed on Guadalcanal
Guadalcanal
Guadalcanal is a tropical island in the South-Western Pacific. The largest island in the Solomons, it was discovered by the Spanish expedition of Alvaro de Mendaña in 1568...
. During early afternoon, a force of enemy fighters and bombers attacked the ships, but effective anti-aircraft fire and air cover repelled the attack and inflicted heavy losses on the enemy planes.
One torpedo-bomber, damaged by anti-aircraft fire from the screening ships, crashed San Francisco, destroying the after control station and demolishing three 20 mm gun mounts. Seaman Second Class George, who courageously refused to abandon his gun in spite of the onrushing plane, blazed away at the attacker until killed by the doomed aircraft.
For his grim perseverance and relentless devotion to duty in the face of certain death, he was posthumously awarded the Navy Cross
Navy Cross
The Navy Cross is the highest decoration that may be bestowed by the Department of the Navy and the second highest decoration given for valor. It is normally only awarded to members of the United States Navy, United States Marine Corps and United States Coast Guard, but can be awarded to all...
.
Namesakes
In 1943, two destroyer escortDestroyer escort
A destroyer escort is the classification for a smaller, lightly armed warship designed to be used to escort convoys of merchant marine ships, primarily of the United States Merchant Marine in World War II. It is employed primarily for anti-submarine warfare, but also provides some protection...
s were named USS George
USS George
USS George has been the name of two ships in the United States Navy., was assigned to the UK under the Lend-Lease program in June 1943; commissioned as HMS Goodson , 9 October 1943...
in his honor.