Franklin (CV 13) - Naval Cruise Book

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96th general assembly regular session 1945 1946 H. R No 88 To fighting men and a fighting ship — the glorious crew and the inspiring sight of the staunch aircraft carrier, U. S. S. Franklin, as it steamed past the Statue of Liberty in New York Harbor. WHEREAS, The accomplishment of the U. S. S. FrankHn, the 27,000-ton airplane carrier, which in the face of almost unsurmountable difficulties, and when practically sunk, refused to go down, but fought a thrilling battle, sixty miles off the Japanese coast, indelibly carved its name on the scroll of the many illustrious and thrilling sea battles which adorn the pages of American history; and WHEREAS. The U. S. S. Franklin limped back to port under its own power, still flying the Stars and Stripes, and in spite of Japanese bombs, with their accompanying fires and explosions, returned four- teen thousand dangerous miles, though badly damaged, with hundreds of her crew killed or wounded, to the Brooklyn Navy Yard: and WHEREAS, Captain L. E. Gehres, the ship ' s commander, in the immortal words of Captain Lawrence, declared: I ' ll not abandon this ship, and in sticking to his decision added another episode of unforgettable glory- to America ' s sea fighters, saved his ship and two-thirds of her complement of twenty-five hundred men; and WHEREAS, High on the roll of honor for heroic service in the face of fire, is the name of Lt. Com- mander Joseph O ' Callahan, chaplain of the U. S. S. Franklin, whose brave action in moving around a burning and exposed deck, administering to the dying, recruiting damage control parties and leading officers and men into flames to jettison hot bombs and shells, wet down ammunition maga- zines, etc., made one of the ship ' s senior ofTicers remark: He was the bravest man I ever saw ' ; and WHEREAS, Hundreds of Purple Hearts were earned, as men from all walks of life, and race, color, creed, many from the State of Ohio, fought side by side against deadly flame, smoke, bombs and explosions to bring the U. S. S. Franklin home with flags flying; therefore be it RESOLVED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY, That in recognition of this seemingly impossible task of achievement that this resolution be adopted by a rising vote and a copy be spread upon the journal as a testimony of the accomplishments of the American people under fire and the real signifi- cance of lasting victory and its fruition in a permanent peace, when an age of reason will supplant an age of war, when a philosophy of life will supplant a philosophy of death and destruction as exemplified in the devotion of the .American people to the ideals of the brotherhood of man, liberty and justice and the right of every man to li e in dignity and freedom as his conscience dictates: and be it further RESOLVED, That the clerk of the House of Representatives send an authenticated copy of this reso- lution to James Forrestal, Secretary of the Navy; Henry L. Stimson, Secretary of War, and to Captain L. E. Gehres, of the L ' . S. S. Franklin. s Otis R. Johnson Clerk

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In reply address not the signer of this letter, but Bureau of Naval Personnel. Navy Department, Washinaton 25. D.C. Refer to No. Eers 328-DN-ILK Navy Department BUREAU OF NAVAL PERSONNEL WASHINGTON 25. D.C. 17 July 19A5. To: Commanding Officer, U.S.S. FRANKLIN. Subj : Resolution of the General Assembly of the State of Ohio - Forv arding of. 1. The Chief of Navel Personnel takes great pleasure in foirwarding the subject Resolution, passed by the General Assembly of the State of Ohio and presented to the U.S.S. FRANKLIN and her men in recognition of their gallant action in saving their ship and returning her safely to port. R. A. KOCH Cctptam, U. S. N. (Ret) Spedal Assistant to Chief of Naval PersonnsJ

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G ITATION On 3ttiarding the ©old JVItdal for Valor to Tht CI.jS.jS. Aircraft O rritr Franklin, Officers and Crew N THE MORNING OF MAY EIGHTEENTH. NEWS CAME THAT THE GREAT AIRCRAFT CARRIER FRANKLIN HAD BEEN STRUCK. WITH SADDENED HEARTS WE FOLLOWED THE FACTS ONE BY ONE AND LEARNED OF LOSS. CARNAGE. FIRE. EXPLOSION. AND DISASTER. ' BIG BEN. AFFECTIONATELY SO CALLED AFTER OUR FIRST GREAT AMERICAN. HAD BEEN CRIPPLED MANY WERE THEY WHO MADE THE SUPREME SACRIFICE AND GREATER LOVE HATH NO MAN SHOWN. THE PROUD CARRIER. LESS THAN TWO YEARS OLD. HAD ALREADY RECEIVED ITS BATTLE SCARS IN A PREVIOUS ATTACK. WE PAY HOMAGE TO OUR NAVY; WE GLORY IN HER PROWESS; WITH FAME SHE IS ADORNED. WE SINGLE OUT FAVORITES AND ADOPT THEM AND FOLLOW THEIR CAREERS WITH PRIDE AND AFFECTION. ESPECIALLY TO THOSE WHO REVERETHE NAME OF BENIAMIN FRANKLIN, BIG BEN IS OF SPECIAL CONCERN. IT COULD NOT THEN BE OTHERWISE THAN THAT AS FOLLOWERS AND STUDENTS OF FRANKLIN WITH SADDENED HEARTS. WE FOLLOWED THE FACTS ONE BY ONE. ERMISSION HAD BEEN GIVEN TO THE CAPTAIN TO ABANDON SHIP. BUT THE CARRIER FRANKLIN WAS NOT DESERTED. CAPTAIN GEHRES AND HIS GREAT CREW. MADE OF STERNER S rUFF. WERE DETERMINED NOT TO ABANDON. THEN AS WE LEARNED MORE THERE CAME TO US THE THRILL OF VICTORY. FOR THE IMPOSSIBLE HAD BECOME THE FACT AND THE GREAT CARRIER lUST WOULD NOT GO DOWN. A MIRACLE WAS DONE. FOR THE FRANKLIN THAT HAD GONE DEAD LIVED ONCE AGAIN! NOT IN THE HISTORY OF OUR NAVY HAS THE TRADITION OF FORTITUDE AND HEROISM EXCELLED THAT OF THE OFFICERS AND CREW ON THE DAY AND AFTER THE CARRIER WAS BOMBED EVER IN THE ANNALS OF NAVAL HISTORY HAS GLORY BEEN BESTOWED AT ONE TIME ON SO MANY AS ON THAT MARCH NINETEENTH WHEN OUT OF THE SKY DASHED THE ENEMY INTENT ON DEATH AND TOTAL DESTRUCTION. IT WAS THEN THAT EVERY MAN M DID HIS DUTY . IT WAS THEN THAT THE NOBLE CAPTAIN WAS EQUAL TO HIS GREAT RESPONSIBILITY; IT WAS THEN THAT OFFICERS AND CREW RALLIED AND WORKED AS A GREAT UNIT. SAVED LIVES AND SHIP. AND BROUGHT THE CRIPPLED FRANKLIN SAFELY HOME OVER A COURSE OF TWELVE THOUSAND LONG MILES. IT WAS ON THAT DAY THAT THE NAME FRANKLIN TOOK ON ANOTHER GLORY FOR THOSE WHO LOVE THE NAME. ). CAPTAIN GEHRES. THE INTERNATIONAL JUNIOR BENIAMIN FRANKLIN SOCIETY WITH CHAPTERS EXTENDING FROM MONTREAL AND MASSACHUSETTS.TO CALIFORNIA . SPONSORED BY THE INTERNATIONAL BENIAMIN FRANKLIN SOCIETY. lAMES WRIGHT BROWN. PRESIDENT. RECOGNIZING THE BRAVERY AND HEROISM OF THE OFFICERS AND CREW OF THE U S. S. CARRIER FRANKUN. ASKS YOU TO ACCEPT A MEDAL FOR VALOR TO BE PLACED ON THE CARRIER AS A CONSTANT REMINDER OF GREAT DEEDS WHICH WILL EVER BE AN EXAMPLE TO THOSE TO WHOM IS GIVEN GREAT RESPONSIBILITY ILL YOU BE PLEASED TO RECEIVE THE MEDAL AT THE HAND OF JOSEPH AGNELLO. PRESIDENT OFTHE GENERAL ORGANIZATION OF THIS SCHOOL AND MEMBER OF THE INTERNATIONAL JUNIOR BENIAMIN FRANKLIN SOCIETY. CHAPTER 8. WHICH IS ONE OF m SIX CHAPTERS ORGANIZED IN THE NEW YORK SCHOOL OF PRINTING. civrM iM Nfw TotiK THIS Hif SintTTianBnal Brnjamm franklin nttir, Jnr. NINr.fl EN IHJMWrO rOHTYflVE VICLWCSIDCNT