John Francis Sheehan
Encyclopedia
John Francis Sheehan was a United States Navy
sailor
killed in action during World War II
for whom a destroyer escort
was named during the war.
, Massachusetts
, on 20 January 1910. He enlisted in the U.S. Navy on 25 October 1928 at the Navy Recruiting Station at Boston, Massachusetts as a seaman apprentice
and transferred the same day to the Naval Training Center at Newport
, Rhode Island
.
Sheehan was rated seaman
2nd class on 27 February 1929, quartermaster
3rd class on 28 July 1930, quartermaster 2nd class on 16 November 1936, quartermaster 1st class on 16 February 1938, and chief quartermaster (acting appointment) on 1 March 1942.
Sheehan was assigned to protected cruiser
USS Cleveland (CL-21) on 21 January 1929 and served aboard her until 24 October 1929. He went on to serve aboard minesweeper
USS Chewink (AM-39)
from 1929 to 1932, heavy cruiser
USS Indianapolis (CA-35)
from 1932 to 1934, gunboat
USS Tulsa (PG-22)
from 1934 to 1937, and light cruiser
USS Cincinnati (CL-6)
from 1937 to 1939. He was stationed at Submarine Base New London at New London
, Connecticut
, from 9 November 1939 to 10 June 1940, then at INM Electric Boat Company at Bayonne
, New Jersey
, and then to patrol torpedo boat USS PT-9 on 24 July 1940 where he served briefly with Motor Torpedo Boat Squadron One. He was assigned to fast transport USS Gregory (APD-3) later in 1940.
Sheehan received the First Nicaraguan Campaign Medal for his service aboard Cleveland between 19 May 1929 and 2 August 1929, a Good Conduct Medal
for his enlistment ending 10 October 1932, and a Good Conduct Pin for his enlistment ending 8 November 1939. His service during World War II was deemed honorable.
Sheehan died in action during World War II on the night of 5 September 1942, when Gregory was sunk by gunfire from a Japan
ese cruiser
and three Japanese destroyer
s during the Naval Battle of Guadalcanal
. A U.S. Navy pilot, mistakenly thinking Gregory was a Japanese submarine
, dropped a string of flare
s over the surprised ship, silhouetting her against the blackness and allowing the Japanese to detect her. She was desperately overmatched by the four Japanese ships and, despite a gallant effort by her crew, was dead in the water within three minutes. After Gregorys crew had abandoned ship, the Japanese began shelling the helpless survivors in the water, killing 11, including Sheehan.
USS Sheehan (DE-541)
, launched
in 1943 but never completed, was named for Chief Quartermaster Sheehan.
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...
sailor
Sailor
A sailor, mariner, or seaman is a person who navigates water-borne vessels or assists in their operation, maintenance, or service. The term can apply to professional mariners, military personnel, and recreational sailors as well as a plethora of other uses...
killed in action 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...
for whom a destroyer escort
Destroyer 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...
was named during the war.
Naval career
John Francis Sheehan was born at Fall RiverFall River, Massachusetts
Fall River is a city in Bristol County, Massachusetts, in the United States. It is located about south of Boston, southeast of Providence, Rhode Island, and west of New Bedford and south of Taunton. The city's population was 88,857 during the 2010 census, making it the tenth largest city in...
, Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
, on 20 January 1910. He enlisted in the U.S. Navy on 25 October 1928 at the Navy Recruiting Station at Boston, Massachusetts as a seaman apprentice
Seaman Apprentice
ConstructionmanvariationFiremanvariationAirmanvariationSeamaninsigniaSeaman apprentice is the second lowest enlisted rank in the U.S. Navy and U.S. Coast Guard, just above seaman recruit and below seaman; this rank was formerly known as seaman second class.The actual title for an E-2 in the U.S....
and transferred the same day to the Naval Training Center at Newport
Newport, Rhode Island
Newport is a city on Aquidneck Island in Newport County, Rhode Island, United States, about south of Providence. Known as a New England summer resort and for the famous Newport Mansions, it is the home of Salve Regina University and Naval Station Newport which houses the United States Naval War...
, Rhode Island
Rhode Island
The state of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, more commonly referred to as Rhode Island , is a state in the New England region of the United States. It is the smallest U.S. state by area...
.
Sheehan was rated seaman
Seaman
Seaman is one of the lowest ranks in a Navy. In the Commonwealth it is the lowest rank in the Navy, followed by Able Seaman and Leading Seaman, and followed by the Petty Officer ranks....
2nd class on 27 February 1929, quartermaster
Quartermaster
Quartermaster refers to two different military occupations depending on if the assigned unit is land based or naval.In land armies, especially US units, it is a term referring to either an individual soldier or a unit who specializes in distributing supplies and provisions to troops. The senior...
3rd class on 28 July 1930, quartermaster 2nd class on 16 November 1936, quartermaster 1st class on 16 February 1938, and chief quartermaster (acting appointment) on 1 March 1942.
Sheehan was assigned to protected cruiser
Protected cruiser
The protected cruiser is a type of naval cruiser of the late 19th century, so known because its armoured deck offered protection for vital machine spaces from shrapnel caused by exploding shells above...
USS Cleveland (CL-21) on 21 January 1929 and served aboard her until 24 October 1929. He went on to serve aboard minesweeper
Minesweeper (ship)
A minesweeper is a small naval warship designed to counter the threat posed by naval mines. Minesweepers generally detect then neutralize mines in advance of other naval operations.-History:...
USS Chewink (AM-39)
USS Chewink (AM-39)
The first USS Chewink was a in the United States Navy. She was later converted to a submarine rescue ship.Chewink was launched 21 December 1918 by Todd Shipyard Corp., New York City; sponsored by Miss M. Sperrin; and commissioned 9 April 1919, Lieutenant J. Williams in command...
from 1929 to 1932, heavy cruiser
Heavy 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...
USS Indianapolis (CA-35)
USS Indianapolis (CA-35)
USS Indianapolis was a of the United States Navy. She holds a place in history due to the circumstances of her sinking, which led to the greatest single loss of life at sea in the history of the U.S. Navy...
from 1932 to 1934, gunboat
Gunboat
A gunboat is a naval watercraft designed for the express purpose of carrying one or more guns to bombard coastal targets, as opposed to those military craft designed for naval warfare, or for ferrying troops or supplies.-History:...
USS Tulsa (PG-22)
USS Tulsa (PG-22)
USS Tulsa , nicknamed the Galloping Ghost of the South China Coast, was an Asheville class gunboat in the United States Navy that was in commission from 1923 to 1946. She was named after the city of Tulsa, Oklahoma, and the county seat of Tulsa County...
from 1934 to 1937, and light cruiser
Light cruiser
A light cruiser is a type of small- or medium-sized warship. The term is a shortening of the phrase "light armored cruiser", describing a small ship that carried armor in the same way as an armored cruiser: a protective belt and deck...
USS Cincinnati (CL-6)
USS Cincinnati (CL-6)
USS Cincinnati , a light cruiser of the United States Navy, was the third ship of the four-stack Omaha-class. She was the third Navy ship named for the city of Cincinnati, Ohio....
from 1937 to 1939. He was stationed at Submarine Base New London at New London
New London, Connecticut
New London is a seaport city and a port of entry on the northeast coast of the United States.It is located at the mouth of the Thames River in New London County, southeastern Connecticut....
, Connecticut
Connecticut
Connecticut is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south .Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately...
, from 9 November 1939 to 10 June 1940, then at INM Electric Boat Company at Bayonne
Bayonne, New Jersey
Bayonne is a city in Hudson County, New Jersey, United States. Located in the Gateway Region, Bayonne is a peninsula that is situated between Newark Bay to the west, the Kill van Kull to the south, and New York Bay to the east...
, New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
, and then to patrol torpedo boat USS PT-9 on 24 July 1940 where he served briefly with Motor Torpedo Boat Squadron One. He was assigned to fast transport USS Gregory (APD-3) later in 1940.
Sheehan received the First Nicaraguan Campaign Medal for his service aboard Cleveland between 19 May 1929 and 2 August 1929, a Good Conduct Medal
Good Conduct Medal
The Good Conduct Medal is one of the oldest military awards of the United States military. The Navy Good Conduct Medal was first issued in 1869, followed by a Marine version in 1896. The Coast Guard Good Conduct Medal was issued in 1923 and the Army Good Conduct Medal in 1941. The Air Force was...
for his enlistment ending 10 October 1932, and a Good Conduct Pin for his enlistment ending 8 November 1939. His service during World War II was deemed honorable.
Sheehan died in action during World War II on the night of 5 September 1942, when Gregory was sunk by gunfire from a Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese cruiser
Cruiser
A cruiser is a type of warship. The term has been in use for several hundreds of years, and has had different meanings throughout this period...
and three Japanese 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 during the Naval Battle of Guadalcanal
Naval Battle of Guadalcanal
The Naval Battle of Guadalcanal, sometimes referred to as the Third and Fourth Battles of Savo Island, the Battle of the Solomons, The Battle of Friday the 13th, or, in Japanese sources, as the , took place from 12–15 November 1942, and was the decisive engagement in a series of naval battles...
. A U.S. Navy pilot, mistakenly thinking Gregory was a Japanese submarine
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...
, dropped a string of flare
Flare (pyrotechnic)
A flare, also sometimes called a fusee, is a type of pyrotechnic that produces a brilliant light or intense heat without an explosion. Flares are used for signalling, illumination, or defensive countermeasures in civilian and military applications...
s over the surprised ship, silhouetting her against the blackness and allowing the Japanese to detect her. She was desperately overmatched by the four Japanese ships and, despite a gallant effort by her crew, was dead in the water within three minutes. After Gregorys crew had abandoned ship, the Japanese began shelling the helpless survivors in the water, killing 11, including Sheehan.
Commemoration
The U.S. Navy 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...
USS Sheehan (DE-541)
USS Sheehan (DE-541)
USS Sheehan was a United States Navy John C. Butler-class destroyer escort launched during World War II but never completed.Sheehan was laid down at Boston Navy Yard at Boston, Massachusetts, on 8 November 1943 and launched on 17 December 1943, sponsored by Mrs...
, launched
Ship naming and launching
The ceremonies involved in naming and launching naval ships are based in traditions thousands of years old.-Methods of launch:There are three principal methods of conveying a new ship from building site to water, only two of which are called "launching." The oldest, most familiar, and most widely...
in 1943 but never completed, was named for Chief Quartermaster Sheehan.