William M. Hobby
Encyclopedia
William M. Hobby was a United States Navy
officer killed in action
during World War II
for whom a U.S. Navy ship was named.
, Georgia
. He was appointed a midshipman from the 1st Congressional District of Georgia on 20 June 1919, attended the United States Naval Academy
at Annapolis
, Maryland
, and graduated in the class of 1923.
After initial sea duty in the battleship
USS Oklahoma (BB-37)
from June 1923 to April 1925, Hobby underwent brief aviation
instruction at Naval Air Station Pensacola
at Pensacola
, Florida
. He then reported to the destroyer
USS Kidder (DD-319)
on 21 November 1925 and served in Kidder as she earned the Second Nicaraguan Campaign Medal.
Hobby then underwent submarine
instruction at Submarine Base New London in New London
, Connecticut
, from late December 1927 to June 1928. He then travelled to the United States Asiatic Fleet
, where he reported to the submarine tender
USS Canopus (AS-9)
on 10 August 1928, prior to his joining the submarine USS S-37 (SS-142)
on 20 August 1928. After successive tours in the submarines USS S-41 (SS-146)
and USS S-30 (SS-135)
, Hobby returned to the United States
for service at the United States Naval Academy from May 1931 to June 1933. He then helped to fit out
the submarine USS Cachalot (SS-170)
before serving back-to-back tours in the battleship USS Tennessee (BB-43)
and training ship USS Wyoming (AG-17)
into the summer of 1938.
Hobby reported to the Federal Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Company at Kearny
, New Jersey
, on 11 May 1939, to supervise the fitting out of the new Sims-class destroyer
and to become her first commanding officer
when she was placed in commission
.
Detached from Anderson on 22 March 1941, Hobby then rejoined the battleship Oklahoma (BB-37) on 26 March 1941 as damage control
officer and first lieutenant. After Oklahoma capsize
d and sank in the Japan
ese attack on Pearl Harbor
on 7 December 1941, Hobby served briefly in the 12th Naval District before he joined the new battleship USS Washington (BB-56)
on 3 January 1942. He acted as navigator
of Washington until he relieved Commander
Walter E. Moore as executive officer
of the light cruiser
USS Juneau (CL-52)
at Espiritu Santo
on 2 November 1942.
On 12 November 1942, ten days after he reported aboard, Juneau was heavily damaged during the Naval Battle of Guadalcanal
. The following afternoon
, 13 November 1942, while she was returning to Espiritu Santo, the Japanese submarine I-26
torpedo
ed her. The torpedo hit detonated Juneaus magazine
, and she disintegrated in a massive explosion, leaving only ten survivors. Commander Hobby was among those who perished in the cataclysmic blast that tore the ship apart.
USS William M. Hobby (DE-236) was named for Commander Hobby. During construction, she was converted into a high-speed transport, and was in commission
as such as USS William M. Hobby (APD-95)
from 1945 to 1946.
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 killed in action
Killed in action
Killed in action is a casualty classification generally used by militaries to describe the deaths of their own forces at the hands of hostile forces. The United States Department of Defense, for example, says that those declared KIA need not have fired their weapons but have been killed due to...
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 U.S. Navy ship was named.
Biography
William Matthews Hobby, Jr., was born on 27 July 1899 in SylvaniaSylvania, Georgia
Sylvania is a city in Screven County, Georgia, United States. The population was 2,675 at the 2000 census. The city is the county seat of Screven County.-Geography:Sylvania is located at ....
, Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
. He was appointed a midshipman from the 1st Congressional District of Georgia on 20 June 1919, 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...
at Annapolis
Annapolis, Maryland
Annapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Maryland, as well as the county seat of Anne Arundel County. It had a population of 38,394 at the 2010 census and is situated on the Chesapeake Bay at the mouth of the Severn River, south of Baltimore and about east of Washington, D.C. Annapolis is...
, Maryland
Maryland
Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
, and graduated in the class of 1923.
After initial sea duty in 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...
USS Oklahoma (BB-37)
USS Oklahoma (BB-37)
USS Oklahoma , the only ship of the United States Navy to ever be named for the 46th state, was a World War I-era battleship and the second of two ships in her class; her sister ship was . She, along with her sister, were the first two U.S...
from June 1923 to April 1925, Hobby underwent brief aviation
Aviation
Aviation is the design, development, production, operation, and use of aircraft, especially heavier-than-air aircraft. Aviation is derived from avis, the Latin word for bird.-History:...
instruction at Naval Air Station Pensacola
Naval Air Station Pensacola
Naval Air Station Pensacola or NAS Pensacola , "The Cradle of Naval Aviation", is a United States Navy base located next to Warrington, Florida, a community southwest of the Pensacola city limits...
at Pensacola
Pensacola, Florida
Pensacola is the westernmost city in the Florida Panhandle and the county seat of Escambia County, Florida, United States of America. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 56,255 and as of 2009, the estimated population was 53,752...
, Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
. He then reported to the 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...
USS Kidder (DD-319)
USS Kidder (DD-319)
USS Kidder was a Clemson-class destroyer in the United States Navy following World War I. She was named for Hugh Kidder.-History:...
on 21 November 1925 and served in Kidder as she earned the Second Nicaraguan Campaign Medal.
Hobby then underwent 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...
instruction at Submarine Base New London in 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 late December 1927 to June 1928. He then travelled to the United States Asiatic Fleet
United States Asiatic Fleet
The United States Asiatic Fleet was part of the U.S. Navy. Preceding the World War II era, until 1942, the fleet protected the Philippines.Originally the Asiatic Squadron, it was upgraded to fleet status in 1902. In 1907, the fleet became the First Squadron of the Pacific Fleet. However, on 28...
, where he reported to the submarine tender
Submarine tender
A 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...
USS Canopus (AS-9)
USS Canopus (AS-9)
USS Canopus was a submarine tender in the United States Navy, named for the star Canopus.Canopus was launched in 1919 by New York Shipbuilding Company, Camden, New Jersey, as the passenger liner SS Santa Leonora for W. R. Grace and Company, but taken over by the Navy upon completion in July 1919...
on 10 August 1928, prior to his joining the submarine USS S-37 (SS-142)
USS S-37 (SS-142)
USS S-37 was an S-class submarine of the United States Navy. Her keel was laid down on 12 December 1918 by the Union Iron Works in San Francisco, California. She was launched on 20 June 1919 sponsored by Miss Mildred Bulger, and commissioned on 16 July 1923 with Lieutenant Paul R...
on 20 August 1928. After successive tours in the submarines USS S-41 (SS-146)
USS S-41 (SS-146)
USS S-41 , a, was a first-group S-class submarine of the United States Navy. Her keel was laid down on 17 April 1919 by the Bethlehem Shipbuilding Corporation in San Francisco, California. She was launched on 21 February 1921 sponsored by Mrs. John F. Conners, and commissioned on 15 January 1924...
and USS S-30 (SS-135)
USS S-30 (SS-135)
USS S-30 was an S-class submarine of the United States Navy during World War II.S-30 was laid down on 1 April 1918 by the Union Iron Works at San Francisco, California. She was launched on 21 November 1918 sponsored by Mrs. Edward S. Stalnaker, and commissioned on 29 October 1920 with Lieutenant...
, Hobby returned to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
for service at the United States Naval Academy from May 1931 to June 1933. He then helped to fit out
Fitting-out
Fitting-out, or "outfitting”, is the process in modern shipbuilding that follows the float-out of a vessel and precedes sea trials. It is the period when all the remaining construction of the ship is completed and readied for delivery to her owners...
the submarine USS Cachalot (SS-170)
USS Cachalot (SS-170)
USS Cachalot , the lead ship of her class and one of the "V-boats", was the only ship of the United States Navy to be named for the sperm whale. Her keel was laid down by the Portsmouth Navy Yard. She was launched on 19 October 1933 as V-8 sponsored by Miss K. D...
before serving back-to-back tours in the battleship USS Tennessee (BB-43)
USS Tennessee (BB-43)
USS Tennessee , the lead ship of her class of battleship, was the third ship of the United States Navy named in honor of the 16th US state. During World War II in the Pacific Theater, she was damaged during the attack on Pearl Harbor in December 1941 but was repaired and modernized...
and training ship USS Wyoming (AG-17)
USS Wyoming (BB-32)
USS Wyoming , the lead ship of her class of battleship, was the third ship of the United States Navy named Wyoming, although it was only the second named in honor of the 44th state....
into the summer of 1938.
Hobby reported to the Federal Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Company at Kearny
Kearny, New Jersey
Kearny is a town in Hudson County, New Jersey, United States. It was named after Civil War general Philip Kearny. As of the United States 2010 Census, the town population was 40,684. The town is a suburb of the nearby city of Newark....
, 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...
, on 11 May 1939, to supervise the fitting out of the new Sims-class destroyer
Sims class destroyer
The Sims-class consisted of 12 destroyers in the United States Navy, built in seven various shipyards, and commissioned in 1939 and 1940. It was the last United States destroyer class completed prior to World War II. All Sims-class ships saw action in World War II, and seven survived the war...
and to become her first commanding officer
Commanding officer
The commanding officer is the officer in command of a military unit. Typically, the commanding officer has ultimate authority over the unit, and is usually given wide latitude to run the unit as he sees fit, within the bounds of military law...
when she was placed in commission
Ship commissioning
Ship commissioning is the act or ceremony of placing a ship in active service, and may be regarded as a particular application of the general concepts and practices of project commissioning. The term is most commonly applied to the placing of a warship in active duty with its country's military...
.
Detached from Anderson on 22 March 1941, Hobby then rejoined the battleship Oklahoma (BB-37) on 26 March 1941 as damage control
Damage control
Damage control is a term used in the Merchant Marine, maritime industry and navies for the emergency control of situations that may hazard the sinking of a ship...
officer and first lieutenant. After Oklahoma capsize
Capsize
Capsizing is an act of tipping over a boat or ship to disable it. The act of reversing a capsized vessel is called righting.If a capsized vessel has sufficient flotation to prevent sinking, it may recover on its own if the stability is such that it is not stable inverted...
d and sank in the 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 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...
on 7 December 1941, Hobby served briefly in the 12th Naval District before he joined the new battleship USS Washington (BB-56)
USS Washington (BB-56)
USS Washington , the second of two battleships in the North Carolina class, was the third ship of the United States Navy named in honor of the 42nd state. Her keel was laid down on 14 June 1938 at the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard. Launched on 1 June 1940, Washington went through fitting-out before...
on 3 January 1942. He acted as navigator
Navigator
A navigator is the person on board a ship or aircraft responsible for its navigation. The navigator's primary responsibility is to be aware of ship or aircraft position at all times. Responsibilities include planning the journey, advising the Captain or aircraft Commander of estimated timing to...
of Washington until he relieved Commander
Commander
Commander is a naval rank which is also sometimes used as a military title depending on the individual customs of a given military service. Commander is also used as a rank or title in some organizations outside of the armed forces, particularly in police and law enforcement.-Commander as a naval...
Walter E. Moore as executive officer
Executive officer
An executive officer is generally a person responsible for running an organization, although the exact nature of the role varies depending on the organization.-Administrative law:...
of the 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 Juneau (CL-52)
USS Juneau (CL-52)
The first USS Juneau was a United States Navy Atlanta-class light cruiser sunk at the Naval Battle of Guadalcanal in November 1942. In total 687 men, including the five Sullivan brothers, were killed in action as a result of its sinking....
at Espiritu Santo
Espiritu Santo
Espiritu Santo is the largest island in the nation of Vanuatu, with an area of . It belongs to the archipelago of the New Hebrides in the Pacific region of Melanesia. It is in the Sanma Province of Vanuatu....
on 2 November 1942.
On 12 November 1942, ten days after he reported aboard, Juneau was heavily damaged 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...
. The following afternoon
Afternoon
Afternoon is the time of day from noon to about 18:00.The term should not be confused with "after noon" , which is a translation of the Latin "post meridiem" as used in the 12-hour clock, meaning a time of day from noon to midnight.In Australia and New Zealand, the word "arvo" is a slang term for...
, 13 November 1942, while she was returning to Espiritu Santo, the Japanese submarine I-26
Japanese submarine I-26
I-26 was a Japanese B1 type submarine which saw service in the Imperial Japanese Navy during World War II. She was completed and commissioned at the Kure Dockyard on 6 November 1941, under the command of Commander Yokota Minoru....
torpedo
Torpedo
The modern torpedo is a self-propelled missile weapon with an explosive warhead, launched above or below the water surface, propelled underwater towards a target, and designed to detonate either on contact with it or in proximity to it.The term torpedo was originally employed for...
ed her. The torpedo hit detonated Juneaus magazine
Magazine (artillery)
Magazine is the name for an item or place within which ammunition is stored. It is taken from the Arabic word "makahazin" meaning "warehouse".-Ammunition storage areas:...
, and she disintegrated in a massive explosion, leaving only ten survivors. Commander Hobby was among those who perished in the cataclysmic blast that tore the ship apart.
Namesakes
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 William M. Hobby (DE-236) was named for Commander Hobby. During construction, she was converted into a high-speed transport, and was in commission
Ship commissioning
Ship commissioning is the act or ceremony of placing a ship in active service, and may be regarded as a particular application of the general concepts and practices of project commissioning. The term is most commonly applied to the placing of a warship in active duty with its country's military...
as such as USS William M. Hobby (APD-95)
USS William M. Hobby (APD-95)
USS William M. Hobby , ex-DE-236, was a United States Navy high-speed transport in commission from 1945 to 1946.-Construction and commissioning:...
from 1945 to 1946.