William M. Callaghan
Encyclopedia
William McCombe Callaghan (August 8, 1897 – July 8, 1991) was a United States Navy
officer who served as the first captain of the battleship and the inaugural commander of the Military Sea Transportation Service
. Through the course of almost 40 years, he served his country in three wars. His naval career began on a destroyer in the final months of World War I
. Following command of the destroyer and logistical work prior to World War II
, he took command of the Missouri in 1944.
Callaghan is perhaps best known for ordering, despite disagreement from some of his crew, that an honorable funeral be held for an enemy pilot who died during a suicide attack on the Missouri in 1945. Following World War II, he directed the US Navy's transportation service and filled senior command roles in eastern Asia, including leadership of the US Pacific Fleet
's Amphibious Force during the Korean War
. He retired from the US Navy at the rank of Vice Admiral
in 1957 and worked in civilian maritime transport before retiring to Maryland.
(1890–1942), would later become a US Navy Rear Admiral and posthumous Medal of Honor
recipient. Both brothers studied at Saint Ignatius College Preparatory
in San Francisco, the younger graduating in the class of 1914. He subsequently attended the United States Naval Academy
, graduating in 1918.
in 1925, and would become a Knight of Malta
. In the mid-1920s, he served as assistant engineering officer on board the light cruiser , which was then performing scouting duties. From 1932 to 1933, he was a Lieutenant aboard the aircraft carrier .
At the rank of Commander, Callaghan captained the destroyer USS Reuben James from June 1936 to March 1938, and subsequently joined the staff of the Chief of Naval Operations
in 1939. Before the US entered World War II, he was stationed in London in a logistical role. During the first part of World War II, he served as a logistics officer on the staff of the Commander in Chief, US Pacific Fleet, Admiral Chester Nimitz. He received the Legion of Merit
for this work.
On June 11, 1944, Callaghan became the first captain of the USS Missouri, the last battleship commissioned by the US Navy. He commanded the Missouri in engagements at Iwo Jima
, Okinawa, and Tokyo.
At 2:42 PM on April 11, 1945, off the coast of Kikaijima Island
, a Japanese
fighter pilot in an A6M5c Zero
launched a kamikaze
attack on the USS Missouri. Bill Obitz, a Seaman at the time, recalled that the attacking plane approached at an extreme angle and estimated that it was 20 feet (6 m) above the water. Although struck by intense antiaircraft fire
, the plane survived and struck the ship's starboard side at frame 169 below the main deck. While the impact of one of the plane's wings started a fire at 5-inch mount number 3, its 500-pound bomb did not detonate, so the damage was minimal. There were no American casualties, but the Japanese pilot died. Parts of the plane's wreckage and the top half of the pilot's body landed on board the Missouri. The plane's wing was turned over to the crew to be cut up for souvenirs.
Despite protests from some of his crew, Callaghan insisted that the young Japanese airman had done his job to the best of his ability, with honor, and deserved a military funeral. Stephen Cromwell, a corpsman at the time, later recalled, "I was able to recover his body and I called up to the bridge to ask if I should throw it overboard ... Captain Callaghan said, ‘No, when we secure, take it down to the sick bay, and we'll have a burial for him tomorrow.’" Ivan Dexter, another crew member, gave his account of events to Herb Fahr, recalling that the top half of the Japanese pilot's body was scattered over the deck, while the bottom half fell with the rest of the plane into the sea. What remained of the body was brought to sick bay for examination, and various Missouri crew took souvenirs from the clothing, including the helmet, scarf, and jacket. Following examination, the remains were placed in a canvas bag with dummy shell casings to weigh it down.
The following day, the Japanese pilot received a military funeral at sea. An improvised Japanese flag, sewn by one of the ship's bosun's mates, covered the bag holding the man's remains. The ship's chaplain committed the body to the sea and the six pallbearers let it slide overboard, accompanied by a volley of rifle fire. Fahr wrote, "There was still much bitterness on the part of many in the crew, but now, the honorable thing was done." According to Lee Collins, visitor operations director for the Battleship Missouri Memorial, Callaghan said that the ceremony was simply a tribute to "a fellow warrior who had displayed courage and devotion, and who had paid the ultimate sacrifice with his life, fighting for his country."
On May 14, 1945, Callaghan passed command of the Missouri on to Captain Stuart Murray
, who had been a classmate of his at the US Naval Academy.
on his experience in the Naval Transportation Service before the war. On October 1, 1949, he was appointed as the first commander of the Military Sea Transportation Service, which would later become the Military Sealift Command. He was promoted from Rear Admiral to Vice Admiral around this time. From 1953 to 1954, during the Korean War, he commanded the Amphibious Force of the US Pacific Fleet. From 1954 to 1956, he served as Commander, US Naval Forces Far East. He then replaced retiring Vice Admiral Francis Low as Commander of the Western Sea Frontier. He retired from the US Navy at the rank of Vice Admiral in 1957.
, and then as Chairman of the Maritime Transportation Research Board under the National Academy of Sciences
. He would later have a transport ship named after him: the GTS Admiral W. M. Callaghan (AKR-1001).
Late in life, Callaghan resided in Chevy Chase, Maryland
. Following a stroke, he died on July 8, 1991, at Bethesda Naval Hospital. His first wife, Helen Brunett Callaghan (1896–1970), and second wife, Martha Rawlins Callaghan (1905–1973), predeceased him. He was survived by his third wife, Sarah Duerson Callaghan (1914–2011), and two children, William M. Callaghan Jr. (a retired US Navy Rear Admiral) and Jane Callaghan Gude (c. 1925–2008), as well as eight grandchildren. Callaghan's grandchildren include William Callaghan III, Chad Callaghan, and A. Carey Callaghan. His great-grandchildren include Caitlin Callaghan, Larkin Callaghan, and Connor Callaghan, and many others.
Junko Kamata, a niece of one of the Japanese pilots killed in the April 1945 battle, said, "I want to thank Captain Callaghan for his humanitarian consideration for kamikaze soldiers." Minoru Shibuya, Japanese Consul General, called Callaghan's actions "a glorious deed, to salute the [pilot's] bravery." Daniel Inouye
, US Senator from Hawaii, reflected that "from the dawn of civilization, warriors respected their adversaries; it was an unspoken code of honor. When Callaghan saw the broken body of his sworn enemy lying upon his ship, he saw him not as an enemy, but simply as a man."
At a 1998 reunion of Missouri veterans, many of those present who had served during World War II felt that, on reflection, their captain had acted correctly. Robert Kihune, a retired US Navy Vice Admiral, said, "In wartime, courage is measured as much by one's actions as their strength of leadership during the heat of battle ... I think the leadership qualities showed by Captain Callaghan illustrate the ideal of what we want our military leaders to follow."
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...
officer who served as the first captain of the battleship and the inaugural commander of the Military Sea Transportation Service
Military Sealift Command
The Military Sealift Command is a United States Navy organization that controls most of the replenishment and military transport ships of the Navy. It first came into existence on 9 July 1949 when the Military Sea Transportation Service became solely responsible for the Department of Defense's...
. Through the course of almost 40 years, he served his country in three wars. His naval career began on a destroyer in the final months of World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
. Following command of the destroyer and logistical work prior to 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...
, he took command of the Missouri in 1944.
Callaghan is perhaps best known for ordering, despite disagreement from some of his crew, that an honorable funeral be held for an enemy pilot who died during a suicide attack on the Missouri in 1945. Following World War II, he directed the US Navy's transportation service and filled senior command roles in eastern Asia, including leadership of the US Pacific Fleet
United States Pacific Fleet
The United States Pacific Fleet is a Pacific Ocean theater-level component command of the United States Navy that provides naval resources under the operational control of the United States Pacific Command. Its home port is at Pearl Harbor Naval Base, Hawaii. It is commanded by Admiral Patrick M...
's Amphibious Force during the Korean War
Korean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
. He retired from the US Navy at the rank of Vice Admiral
Vice admiral (United States)
In the United States Navy, the United States Coast Guard, the United States Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Commissioned Corps, and the United States Maritime Service, vice admiral is a three-star flag officer, with the pay grade of...
in 1957 and worked in civilian maritime transport before retiring to Maryland.
Early life
Callaghan was born on August 8, 1897, the son of businessman Charles William Callaghan and Rose Wheeler Callaghan. The family had a devout Roman Catholic foundation. His elder brother, Daniel CallaghanDaniel J. Callaghan
Daniel Judson Callaghan was a United States Navy officer who received the Medal of Honor posthumously for his actions during the Naval Battle of Guadalcanal. In a career spanning just over 30 years, he served his country in two wars...
(1890–1942), would later become a US Navy Rear Admiral and posthumous 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...
recipient. Both brothers studied at Saint Ignatius College Preparatory
St. Ignatius College Preparatory
St. Ignatius College Preparatory is a preparatory school in the Jesuit tradition serving the San Francisco Bay Area since 1855. Located in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of San Francisco, in the Sunset District of San Francisco, St. Ignatius is one of the oldest secondary schools in the U.S. state...
in San Francisco, the younger graduating in the class of 1914. He subsequently attended 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...
, graduating in 1918.
Early service
Callaghan served on a destroyer during the last six months of World War I. He received a Master of Science degree in electrical engineering from Columbia UniversityColumbia University
Columbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
in 1925, and would become a Knight of Malta
Knight of Obedience
Knight of Obedience is a rank in the Sovereign Military Hospitaller Order of Saint John of Jerusalem, of Rhodes and of Malta. Unlike those professed chaplains and knights who take vows of chastity, poverty and obedience these Knights, and now Dames, make a promise of obedience...
. In the mid-1920s, he served as assistant engineering officer on board the light cruiser , which was then performing scouting duties. From 1932 to 1933, he was a Lieutenant aboard the aircraft carrier .
Ship commands
Chief of Naval Operations
The Chief of Naval Operations is a statutory office held by a four-star admiral in the United States Navy, and is the most senior uniformed officer assigned to serve in the Department of the Navy. The office is a military adviser and deputy to the Secretary of the Navy...
in 1939. Before the US entered World War II, he was stationed in London in a logistical role. During the first part of World War II, he served as a logistics officer on the staff of the Commander in Chief, US Pacific Fleet, Admiral Chester Nimitz. He received the Legion of Merit
Legion of Merit
The Legion of Merit is a military decoration of the United States armed forces that is awarded for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services and achievements...
for this work.
On June 11, 1944, Callaghan became the first captain of the USS Missouri, the last battleship commissioned by the US Navy. He commanded the Missouri in engagements at Iwo Jima
Iwo Jima
Iwo Jima, officially , is an island of the Japanese Volcano Islands chain, which lie south of the Ogasawara Islands and together with them form the Ogasawara Archipelago. The island is located south of mainland Tokyo and administered as part of Ogasawara, one of eight villages of Tokyo...
, Okinawa, and Tokyo.
Attack on the USS Missouri
Kikai Island
is the historical island where Shunkan, Taira no Yasuyori, and Fujiwara no Naritsune were exiled following the Shishigatani Incident of 1177. It belonged to Satsuma Province....
, a Japanese
Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service
The Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service was the air arm of the Imperial Japanese Navy during World War II, the organization was responsible for the operation of naval aircraft and the conduct of aerial warfare in the Pacific War.It was controlled by the Navy Staff of the Imperial Japanese Navy and...
fighter pilot in an A6M5c Zero
A6M Zero
The Mitsubishi A6M Zero was a long-range fighter aircraft operated by the Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service from 1940 to 1945. The A6M was designated as the , and also designated as the Mitsubishi A6M Rei-sen and Mitsubishi Navy 12-shi Carrier Fighter. The A6M was usually referred to by the...
launched a kamikaze
Kamikaze
The were suicide attacks by military aviators from the Empire of Japan against Allied naval vessels in the closing stages of the Pacific campaign of World War II, designed to destroy as many warships as possible....
attack on the USS Missouri. Bill Obitz, a Seaman at the time, recalled that the attacking plane approached at an extreme angle and estimated that it was 20 feet (6 m) above the water. Although struck by intense antiaircraft fire
Anti-aircraft warfare
NATO defines air defence as "all measures designed to nullify or reduce the effectiveness of hostile air action." They include ground and air based weapon systems, associated sensor systems, command and control arrangements and passive measures. It may be to protect naval, ground and air forces...
, the plane survived and struck the ship's starboard side at frame 169 below the main deck. While the impact of one of the plane's wings started a fire at 5-inch mount number 3, its 500-pound bomb did not detonate, so the damage was minimal. There were no American casualties, but the Japanese pilot died. Parts of the plane's wreckage and the top half of the pilot's body landed on board the Missouri. The plane's wing was turned over to the crew to be cut up for souvenirs.
Despite protests from some of his crew, Callaghan insisted that the young Japanese airman had done his job to the best of his ability, with honor, and deserved a military funeral. Stephen Cromwell, a corpsman at the time, later recalled, "I was able to recover his body and I called up to the bridge to ask if I should throw it overboard ... Captain Callaghan said, ‘No, when we secure, take it down to the sick bay, and we'll have a burial for him tomorrow.’" Ivan Dexter, another crew member, gave his account of events to Herb Fahr, recalling that the top half of the Japanese pilot's body was scattered over the deck, while the bottom half fell with the rest of the plane into the sea. What remained of the body was brought to sick bay for examination, and various Missouri crew took souvenirs from the clothing, including the helmet, scarf, and jacket. Following examination, the remains were placed in a canvas bag with dummy shell casings to weigh it down.
The following day, the Japanese pilot received a military funeral at sea. An improvised Japanese flag, sewn by one of the ship's bosun's mates, covered the bag holding the man's remains. The ship's chaplain committed the body to the sea and the six pallbearers let it slide overboard, accompanied by a volley of rifle fire. Fahr wrote, "There was still much bitterness on the part of many in the crew, but now, the honorable thing was done." According to Lee Collins, visitor operations director for the Battleship Missouri Memorial, Callaghan said that the ceremony was simply a tribute to "a fellow warrior who had displayed courage and devotion, and who had paid the ultimate sacrifice with his life, fighting for his country."
On May 14, 1945, Callaghan passed command of the Missouri on to Captain Stuart Murray
Stuart S. Murray
Stuart Shadrick Murray was a Vice Admiral of the United States Navy who served during World War II. Born in Delia, Texas he graduated from the United States Naval Academy in 1919...
, who had been a classmate of his at the US Naval Academy.
Senior commands
In 1946, Callaghan held the rank of Rear Admiral, and in that year gave a presentation to the Naval War CollegeNaval War College
The Naval War College is an education and research institution of the United States Navy that specializes in developing ideas for naval warfare and passing them along to officers of the Navy. The college is located on the grounds of Naval Station Newport in Newport, Rhode Island...
on his experience in the Naval Transportation Service before the war. On October 1, 1949, he was appointed as the first commander of the Military Sea Transportation Service, which would later become the Military Sealift Command. He was promoted from Rear Admiral to Vice Admiral around this time. From 1953 to 1954, during the Korean War, he commanded the Amphibious Force of the US Pacific Fleet. From 1954 to 1956, he served as Commander, US Naval Forces Far East. He then replaced retiring Vice Admiral Francis Low as Commander of the Western Sea Frontier. He retired from the US Navy at the rank of Vice Admiral in 1957.
Later life
Following retirement from military service, Callaghan served as Vice President of American Export LinesAmerican Export-Isbrandtsen Lines
American Export-Isbrandtsen Lines, New York, was the leading US-flag shipping company between the US east coast and the Mediterranean from 1919 to 1977, offering both Cargo ship services and Passenger ship services, until declaring bankruptcy and was acquired by Farrell Lines, New York.-American...
, and then as Chairman of the Maritime Transportation Research Board under the National Academy of Sciences
United States National Academy of Sciences
The National Academy of Sciences is a corporation in the United States whose members serve pro bono as "advisers to the nation on science, engineering, and medicine." As a national academy, new members of the organization are elected annually by current members, based on their distinguished and...
. He would later have a transport ship named after him: the GTS Admiral W. M. Callaghan (AKR-1001).
Late in life, Callaghan resided in Chevy Chase, Maryland
Chevy Chase, Maryland
Chevy Chase is the name of both a town and an unincorporated census-designated place in Montgomery County, Maryland. In addition, a number of villages in the same area of Montgomery County include "Chevy Chase" in their names...
. Following a stroke, he died on July 8, 1991, at Bethesda Naval Hospital. His first wife, Helen Brunett Callaghan (1896–1970), and second wife, Martha Rawlins Callaghan (1905–1973), predeceased him. He was survived by his third wife, Sarah Duerson Callaghan (1914–2011), and two children, William M. Callaghan Jr. (a retired US Navy Rear Admiral) and Jane Callaghan Gude (c. 1925–2008), as well as eight grandchildren. Callaghan's grandchildren include William Callaghan III, Chad Callaghan, and A. Carey Callaghan. His great-grandchildren include Caitlin Callaghan, Larkin Callaghan, and Connor Callaghan, and many others.
Legacy
Callaghan's decision on the Japanese pilot's funeral in 1945 would receive praise years later, although a memorial service aboard the Missouri in April 2001 attracted controversy. Leading up to the service, Callaghan's son said, "My father believed a burial at sea for the pilot was the right thing to do. He felt it would set a good example for the crew in showing respect for the life of people, even for the people you are opposing."Junko Kamata, a niece of one of the Japanese pilots killed in the April 1945 battle, said, "I want to thank Captain Callaghan for his humanitarian consideration for kamikaze soldiers." Minoru Shibuya, Japanese Consul General, called Callaghan's actions "a glorious deed, to salute the [pilot's] bravery." Daniel Inouye
Daniel Inouye
Daniel Ken "Dan" Inouye is the senior United States Senator from Hawaii, a member of the Democratic Party, and the President pro tempore of the United States Senate making him the highest-ranking Asian American politician in American history. Inouye is the chairman of the United States Senate...
, US Senator from Hawaii, reflected that "from the dawn of civilization, warriors respected their adversaries; it was an unspoken code of honor. When Callaghan saw the broken body of his sworn enemy lying upon his ship, he saw him not as an enemy, but simply as a man."
At a 1998 reunion of Missouri veterans, many of those present who had served during World War II felt that, on reflection, their captain had acted correctly. Robert Kihune, a retired US Navy Vice Admiral, said, "In wartime, courage is measured as much by one's actions as their strength of leadership during the heat of battle ... I think the leadership qualities showed by Captain Callaghan illustrate the ideal of what we want our military leaders to follow."
See also
- Burial at seaBurial at seaBurial at sea describes the procedure of disposing of human remains in the ocean, normally from a ship or boat. It is regularly performed by navies, but also can be done by private citizens in many countries.-By religion:...
- Clemson class destroyerClemson class destroyerThe Clemson class was a series of 156 destroyers which served with the United States Navy from after World War I through World War II.The Clemson-class ships were commissioned by the United States Navy from 1919 to 1922, built by Newport News Shipbuilding & Dry Dock Company, New York Shipbuilding...
- Iowa class battleshipIowa class battleshipThe Iowa-class battleships were a class of fast battleships ordered by the United States Navy in 1939 and 1940 to escort the Fast Carrier Task Forces which would operate in the Pacific Theater of World War II. Six were ordered during the course of World War II, but only four were completed in...
- SealiftSealiftSealift is a term used predominantly in military logistics and refers to the use of cargo ships for the deployment of military assets, such as weaponry, vehicles, military personnel, and supplies...
External links
- NavSource Naval History: Battleship Photo Index BB-63 USS Missouri August–December 1944 includes photographs of Callaghan on the bridge of the Missouri in 1944.
- NavSource Naval History: Battleship Photo Index BB-63 USS Missouri 1984–1987 includes a photograph of Callaghan at a Missouri reunion in Annapolis in 1985.
- The Jerseyman (No. 63, 3rd Quarter 2009, p. 8) includes a photograph showing the dent in the side of the Missouri (resulting from the attack of April 1945), still visible as of May 16, 2009.