Howard W. Gilmore
Encyclopedia
Howard Walter Gilmore was a submarine
commander in the United States Navy
who received the Medal of Honor
posthumously for his heroic self-sacrifice during World War II
.
, September 29, 1902 and enlisted in the Navy November 15, 1920. In 1922 he was appointed to the United States Naval Academy
by competitive examination. Standing 34 in a class of 436, Gilmore was commissioned in 1926 and reported to the battleship
. Gilmore underwent submarine training in 1930 and in the years that followed served in various submarines and at stations ashore.
Gilmore served as the executive officer of , and in a near-fatal incident during Shark's
shakedown cruise, narrowly survived an assault by a group of thugs in Panama
, who cut his throat during an excursion ashore. In 1941, he assumed his first command, , only to be transferred the day following the attack on Pearl Harbor
to take command of the still-unfinished .
war patrols. During his first, on 5 July 1942
attacked three enemy destroyer
s off Kiska
, sinking one and severely damaging the other two, while narrowly avoiding two torpedoes fired in return, for which Gilmore received the Navy Cross
.
On his second patrol, sank four merchant ships totaling 15,000 tons in the East China Sea
near Taiwan
. Gilmore received a gold star in lieu of a second Navy Cross.
In October 1942, patroled off of Truk in the Caroline Islands in a repositioning of submarine assets on the way to Brisbane, Australia. No significant action occurred.Submarine Hero-Howard Walter Gilmore
The submarine continued to take a heavy toll of shipping on her fourth war patrol, and on the night of 6–February 7, 1943, she approached a convoy
stealthily for a surface attack. Suddenly a fast gunboat, Hayasaki, closed and prepared to ram. As the small ship charged out of the darkness, Gilmore sounded the collision alarm and shouted, “Left full rudder!” — to no avail. Perhaps inadvertently, hit the Japanese adversary amidships at 17 knots (31 km/h), heeling the submarine 50 degrees, bending 18 feet of her bow sideways to port, and disabling the forward torpedo tubes.
Surfacing some time later in hope of reattacking the Hayasaki, Schade found the seas empty. The Japanese ship had, in fact, survived the encounter, but there was no sign of Gilmore, who apparently had drifted away in the night. Schade and Growler’s crew managed to control the ship’s flooding and limped back to Brisbane on February 17.
For sacrificing his own life to save his ship, commander Howard Gilmore was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor, "the first man of the submarine force to be so decorated."
Of the 72 submarine commanders responsible for more than five Axis
ships sunk in World War 2, Gilmore, with 6 ships sunk over four patrols, ranks sixty-sixth.
Even today “Take her down!” remains one of the legendary phrases of the U.S. Submarine Force.
Submarine
A submarine is a watercraft capable of independent operation below the surface of the water. It differs from a submersible, which has more limited underwater capability...
commander in the United States Navy
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...
who received the Medal of Honor
Medal of Honor
The Medal of Honor is the highest military decoration awarded by the United States government. It is bestowed by the President, in the name of Congress, upon members of the United States Armed Forces who distinguish themselves through "conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his or her...
posthumously for his heroic self-sacrifice 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...
.
Early Life and Career
Howard Gilmore was born in Selma, AlabamaSelma, Alabama
Selma is a city in and the county seat of Dallas County, Alabama, United States, located on the banks of the Alabama River. The population was 20,512 at the 2000 census....
, September 29, 1902 and enlisted in the Navy November 15, 1920. In 1922 he was appointed to the United States Naval Academy
United States Naval Academy
The United States Naval Academy is a four-year coeducational federal service academy located in Annapolis, Maryland, United States...
by competitive examination. Standing 34 in a class of 436, Gilmore was commissioned in 1926 and reported to the battleship
Battleship
A battleship is a large armored warship with a main battery consisting of heavy caliber guns. Battleships were larger, better armed and armored than cruisers and destroyers. As the largest armed ships in a fleet, battleships were used to attain command of the sea and represented the apex of a...
. Gilmore underwent submarine training in 1930 and in the years that followed served in various submarines and at stations ashore.
Gilmore served as the executive officer of , and in a near-fatal incident during Shark's
USS Shark (SS-174)
was a Porpoise-class submarine, the fifth ship of the United States Navy to be named for the shark. Her keel was laid down by the Electric Boat Company in Groton, Connecticut, on 24 October 1933...
shakedown cruise, narrowly survived an assault by a group of thugs in Panama
Panama
Panama , officially the Republic of Panama , is the southernmost country of Central America. Situated on the isthmus connecting North and South America, it is bordered by Costa Rica to the northwest, Colombia to the southeast, the Caribbean Sea to the north and the Pacific Ocean to the south. The...
, who cut his throat during an excursion ashore. In 1941, he assumed his first command, , only to be transferred the day following the attack on Pearl Harbor
Attack on Pearl Harbor
The attack on Pearl Harbor was a surprise military strike conducted by the Imperial Japanese Navy against the United States naval base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, on the morning of December 7, 1941...
to take command of the still-unfinished .
World War II
Gilmore commanded his submarine skillfully during four PacificPacific War
The Pacific War, also sometimes called the Asia-Pacific War refers broadly to the parts of World War II that took place in the Pacific Ocean, its islands, and in East Asia, then called the Far East...
war patrols. During his first, on 5 July 1942
Action of 5 July 1942
The Action of 5 July 1942 was a naval engagement fought during the Aleutian Islands Campaign of World War II. During the action, the American submarine attacked three Japanese warships anchored off Kiska island...
attacked three enemy destroyer
Destroyer
In naval terminology, a destroyer is a fast and maneuverable yet long-endurance warship intended to escort larger vessels in a fleet, convoy or battle group and defend them against smaller, powerful, short-range attackers. Destroyers, originally called torpedo-boat destroyers in 1892, evolved from...
s off Kiska
Kiska
Kiska is an island in the Rat Islands group of the Aleutian Islands of Alaska located at . It is about long and varies in width from - Discovery :...
, sinking one and severely damaging the other two, while narrowly avoiding two torpedoes fired in return, for which Gilmore received 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...
.
On his second patrol, sank four merchant ships totaling 15,000 tons in the East China Sea
East China Sea
The East China Sea is a marginal sea east of China. It is a part of the Pacific Ocean and covers an area of 1,249,000 km² or 750,000 square miles.-Geography:...
near Taiwan
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
. Gilmore received a gold star in lieu of a second Navy Cross.
In October 1942, patroled off of Truk in the Caroline Islands in a repositioning of submarine assets on the way to Brisbane, Australia. No significant action occurred.Submarine Hero-Howard Walter Gilmore
The submarine continued to take a heavy toll of shipping on her fourth war patrol, and on the night of 6–February 7, 1943, she approached a convoy
Convoy
A convoy is a group of vehicles, typically motor vehicles or ships, traveling together for mutual support and protection. Often, a convoy is organized with armed defensive support, though it may also be used in a non-military sense, for example when driving through remote areas.-Age of Sail:Naval...
stealthily for a surface attack. Suddenly a fast gunboat, Hayasaki, closed and prepared to ram. As the small ship charged out of the darkness, Gilmore sounded the collision alarm and shouted, “Left full rudder!” — to no avail. Perhaps inadvertently, hit the Japanese adversary amidships at 17 knots (31 km/h), heeling the submarine 50 degrees, bending 18 feet of her bow sideways to port, and disabling the forward torpedo tubes.
Medal of Honor Action
Simultaneously, the Japanese crew unleashed a burst of machine gun fire at Growler’s bridge, killing the assistant officer of the deck and a lookout, while wounding Gilmore himself and two other men. “Clear the bridge!” Gilmore ordered as he struggled to hang on to a frame. As the rest of the bridge party dropped down the hatch into the conning tower, the executive officer, Lieutenant Commander Arnold Schade — shaken by the impact and dazed by his own fall into the control room — waited expectantly for his captain to appear. Instead from above came the shouted command: “Take her down!” Realizing that he could not get himself below in time if the ship were to escape, Gilmore chose to make the supreme sacrifice for his shipmates. Schade hesitated briefly — then followed his captain’s last order and submerged the crippled ship.Surfacing some time later in hope of reattacking the Hayasaki, Schade found the seas empty. The Japanese ship had, in fact, survived the encounter, but there was no sign of Gilmore, who apparently had drifted away in the night. Schade and Growler’s crew managed to control the ship’s flooding and limped back to Brisbane on February 17.
For sacrificing his own life to save his ship, commander Howard Gilmore was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor, "the first man of the submarine force to be so decorated."
World War II Summary
| Departing From | Date | Days | Wartime Credit Ships/Tonnage |
JANAC Credit Ships/Tonnage Credit Ships/Tonnage |
Patrol Area | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Growler-1 | Pearl Harbor, TH | June 1942 | 27 | 2/3,400 | 1/1,500 | Alaska |
| Growler-2 | Pearl Harbor, TH | August 1942 | 49 | 4/26,000 | 4/15,000 | East China Sea |
| Growler-3 | Pearl Harbor, TH | October 1942 | 49 | zero | zero | Truk |
| Growler-4 | Brisbane Australia |
January 1943 | 48 | 2/7,900 | 1/5,900 | Solomons |
Of the 72 submarine commanders responsible for more than five Axis
Axis Powers
The Axis powers , also known as the Axis alliance, Axis nations, Axis countries, or just the Axis, was an alignment of great powers during the mid-20th century that fought World War II against the Allies. It began in 1936 with treaties of friendship between Germany and Italy and between Germany and...
ships sunk in World War 2, Gilmore, with 6 ships sunk over four patrols, ranks sixty-sixth.
| Ranking | Number of Patrols | Ships/Tons Credited |
Ships/Tons JANAC |
| 66 | 4 | 8/37,300 | 6/22,681 |
Medal of Honor citation
For distinguished gallantry and valor above and beyond the call of duty as commanding officer of the U.S.S. Growler during her 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 antisubmarine patrols, Comdr. Gilmore sank one Japanese freighter and damaged another by torpedo fire, successfully evading severe depth charges following each attack. In the darkness of night on 7 February, an enemy gunboat closed range and prepared to ram the Growler. Comdr. Gilmore daringly maneuvered to avoid the crash and rammed the attacker instead, ripping into her port side at 11 knots and bursting wide her plates. In the terrific fire of the sinking gunboat's heavy machineguns, Comdr. Gilmore calmly gave the order to clear the bridge, and refusing safety for himself, remained on deck while his men preceded him below. Struck down by the fusillade of bullets and having done his utmost against the enemy, in his final living moments, Comdr. Gilmore gave his last order to the officer of 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.
Even today “Take her down!” remains one of the legendary phrases of the U.S. Submarine Force.
See also
- List of Medal of Honor recipients for World War II
Other Posthumous Honors
- In September 1943, the submarine tenderSubmarine tenderA submarine tender is a type of ship that supplies and supports submarines.Submarines are small compared to most oceangoing vessels, and generally do not have the ability to carry large amounts of food, fuel, torpedoes, and other supplies, nor to carry a full array of maintenance equipment and...
was named for him and sponsored by his widow. - A cenotaphCenotaphA cenotaph is an "empty tomb" or a monument erected in honour of a person or group of people whose remains are elsewhere. It can also be the initial tomb for a person who has since been interred elsewhere. The word derives from the Greek κενοτάφιον = kenotaphion...
(photo of stone can be found here http://www.kithandkinofthesouth.org/gilmore-stone.html) in Commander Gilmore's memory and honor was placed by Ed Shields, Ward Calhoun, and the Lauderdale County Department of Archives and History, Inc. at Magnolia Cemetery, Meridian, Mississippi in the Howard Family Plot. His mother's maiden name was Howard.
Popular Culture
- In the historical notes section epilogue of War and RemembranceWar and RemembranceWar and Remembrance is a novel by Herman Wouk, published in 1978, which is the sequel to The Winds of War. It continues the story of the extended Henry family and the Jastrow family starting on 15 December 1941 and ending on 6 August 1945. This novel was adapted into a mini-series presented on...
(copyright 1978 by Herman Wouk, Library of Congress catalog Card Number 78-17746) Howard Gilmore is recognized by "The death of Carter Aster is based on the famous self-sacrifice of Commander Howard W. Gilmore of the U.S.S. Growler for which he was posthumously awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor" - In the movie Operation PacificOperation PacificOperation Pacific is a 1951 World War II submarine film starring John Wayne and directed by George Waggner. The technical advisor for this film was Admiral Charles A...
, John Wayne'sJohn WayneMarion Mitchell Morrison , better known by his stage name John Wayne, was an American film actor, director and producer. He epitomized rugged masculinity and became an enduring American icon. He is famous for his distinctive calm voice, walk, and height...
character as Executive Officer of USS Thunderfish orders Thunderfish submerged, leaving his wounded Commanding Officer (played by Ward BondWard BondWardell Edwin "Ward" Bond was an American film actor whose rugged appearance and easygoing charm were featured in over 200 movies and the television series Wagon Train.-Early life:...
) on the bridge. - In the movie Submarine CommandSubmarine commandSubmarine Command is a 1951 film starring William Holden, Don Taylor, Nancy Olson, William Bendix, and Darryl Hickman, directed by John Farrow...
, on the last day of World War 2 William Holden'sWilliam HoldenWilliam Holden was an American actor. Holden won the Academy Award for Best Actor in 1954 and the Emmy Award for Best Actor in 1974...
character as Executive Officer of USS Tiger Shark orders Tiger Shark submerged while under attack from a Japanese destroyer, leaving his wounded Commanding Officer (played by Jack Gregson) on the bridge.