Hawes (FFG 53) - Naval Cruise Book

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Richard €lllngton Howes was bom in Thomoson, Georgia, on Februari 12, 1894. Flveri talented oChleCe, he attended first the Universiti of Georgia on a base- ball scholarship, then Mercer Universiti where he plained both baseball and football. LUhile at Mercer he complet- ed his requirements for a law degree but decided to plot professional baseball instead. World LUar I inter rup - ted his brief baseball career. In 1917, he enlisted as a fireman and received orders to the battleship, US5 OHLnHOMH (tiU-37). Because of his law degree, he was awarded a reserve commission in 1918. Rt the close of the war he reverted to the rank of LUar rant Boatswain and worked on se veral fleet tugs and submarine rescue ships. Howes received his first Novi Cross for distin- guished service in the raising of the sunken submarine SB 1 (SS 162) in 1 926. He was again commissioned an En- sign bi a special act of Congress in 1929 for his part in the salvage of the sunken submarine 54 (SS 109) the previous i ear. During the Depression, the military was forced to cut bock severely on manpower. Many of the older officers and mustangs were forced from the service or given undesirable jobs, and L TJG Howes was no exception. He was placed in charge of a Civilian Con- servation Corps camp in New Cngland with on exception- ally poor record. He instilled his unit with swelling pride and soon earned credit for having the cleanest and most improved camp in the nation. In 1935, Hawes re- turned to his speciality of submarine salvage with as- signment to the USS fHLCON (nS 1-2) as Commanding Officer after this successful tour, he returned to shore training duty but did not remain there long. In January 1940. L T Hawes took command of the submarine rescue ship USS PIG€ON (nSR-6) which conducted salvage and rescue operations throughout the Pacific as a member of the Asiatic Fleet. The ship also participated in the evacuation of the 4th Marines and ships of the Yangtze River Patrol in November 1941. Then on December 10. 194 1. as USS PIG€ON was docked at the Covite Naval yard in Manilla Bay repairing her steering gear which had been severely damaged during a typhoon, the Japa- nese launched a massive surprise air raid. The Japa- nese attack came fast and furious, and even though Pl- G€ON ' S four machine guns were no match for the ene- my. USS PIGiON still managed to clear the docks using tiller ropes for steering. Hnowing the fate of sleeping fleet at Pearl Harbor, Hawes had relieving tackles rigged, steam at the throttle, and his men ready for ac- tion. Then, returning through heavy fire, PIG€ON hauled the submarine SCRDRRGON stern first into the relative safety of the harbor. Hawes ' foresight saved not only the PIG€ON but also S6RDRRGON which later went on to sink more enemy tonnage than any other submarine in LUorld LUar II. For her heroic actions in saving S€RDRR- GON, PIG€ON received the first Presidential Unit Cita- tion awarded a ship in LUorld LUar II. By the end of Decem- ber, Howes ' valiant sailors earned o second Presiden- tial Unit Citation for their fighting ability, and L T Hawes was awarded a second Navy Cross. In June 1942, Hawes was recalled to LUashington where he played a major role in designing and building the USS CHRNTI- CL€€R (RSR-7), a submarine rescue vessel. It was the first such vessel of its type, and Commander Hawes sub- sequently became its first Commanding Officer. He ex- hibited such ingenuity in effecting repairs to the submar- ines assigned to his ship for refit that he received a let- ter of commendation from Commander. 7th Fleet. The final ship Rear Rdmiral Howes commanded during LUorld LUar II was the submarine tender USS RNTH€OON (RS- 24). He received a Bronze Star for leadership of his crew which repaired and refitted 34 submarines in addition to making emergency repairs to a dozen others. In all. Rear Rdmiral Howes commanded three ships during LUorld LUar II. participating in heavy battle action at Cov- ite, Subic Bay. and off the Rustralian coast. UJhen he re- tired in December, 1952, Rdmiral Howes hod won most of the medals and ribbons awarded by the No vy. In addi- tion, USS PIG€ON was the only surface ship to win two Presidential Unit Citations during LUorld LUar II. One of the nation ' s most gallant Naval heroes. Rdmiral Hawes died in 1968. V r f Z

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MeO MeF 1987

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COMMRNDING OFFICeR Commond r Joint Ul Sf »». USN. M o oduot ol Uppt it Ootr Ugh Sttioet. PnibtMgft. Ponni vonla. Butt Pfp ot yv S hool. ax) a 1969 gfoduot» of th U 5 No»at fkoOtf fctowmg hl% ommt%iiorwtg h» fivd obood USS fOMST StWUMN (DO 931) o Comnunconont Otticm tiom 1969 1971 H» luoi th«f otd tvd to th« uoff ol Conrmond ' Ottrov ' 5quo on 94 ot tf)0 Stall Cotnnun otions Offkt In Xjnm. 1973. Command ' Sp «r uof ' »otugn«d o%hOf a tr » Op- »fatlon%. Plans and Rutomot»d Data Prot iitng (RDfij Produttton OHK»r ol ift Norol 1»t» ommurt- ,oiinn% C nt»f (NTCC). Cr rut Pkua. UkttNngion. D C from 0» »mb 1974. to AA I97S Com- If Spoor ottondod U S Novol Doitroy Sthool H» uMM tftoo ottignod at UJ»Ofiont Offtc0r n USS niNStVOATH (ff 1090) and subioqu ntk roportod lor duty ot ttto ftog S ttorv to Coitwnond- Ol i-runofDostrovor Group Tuio Upon co r 3lO(lon ol tftat lOir Commondtr Sp tr att»nti»d ttm Cologo ol Command and St JI at (ho U S Novo UJor Cologo. gfoduattng m 198 1 Ho rtton rottfn0d to soo OS €to utivo OffKOf aboard USS THOtUH (DO 909) unit kmo 1983 from Ju 1983 to Jufy. I96S. Commondoi Spoor uxm osijgnod to Commondor. Naval Mmon Pononn Commond and iorvod as eho CruisorDoitrovor Pkxomont OlfKor uMthtn tho Sirfoeo Ulor aro Gonoral Urvitnetod Imo Olliior Diitrlbutton Division Subsoquont to ttus ossigrvnont. Commortdor Sp «r ottondod tfto yvJustrlol Cologo ol tho ftrmod for cos. Notional Dolonso UnvorsJtv. graduating m Juno 1986 Con- currontk . Commondor Spoor corr lotod his graduoto studios and oornod a Mostors m Pubtc Adm»t- istrotion from Coorgo UJashlngton UnivorsKi m l ugust 1986 On 16 fiprt 1987. Commondor Spo r assumod corrwnond of USS HMV€S (ffG-53). Commondor Spoor s porsonol do orotK ns mdudo ttto MorKorious Sorvice Modal. Novi Commoodotion Modal (uMh gold slot m tov ol s»cond outord . Nov ochiovomont Modal, and rnjmoro js urK and sorvKO oujofds