Eugene B. Fluckey
Eugene Bennett Fluckey | |
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United States of America | |
Service/ | United States Navy |
Years of service | 1935–1972 |
Rank | Rear admiral |
Commands held |
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Battles/wars | World War II
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Awards | Navy Distinguished Service Medal (2) (2)Legion of Merit |
Other work | Orphanage Director, Portugal |
Eugene Bennett Fluckey (October 5, 1913 – June 28, 2007),
Early life
Fluckey was born in Washington, D.C., on October 5, 1913. He graduated from Western High School in Washington at age 15. He was too young to go to college, so his father sent him to the Mercersburg Academy in Mercersburg, Pennsylvania. He also was a member of the Boy Scouts, achieving the rank of Eagle Scout. He prepared for the Naval Academy at Columbian Preparatory School, Washington.
Fluckey entered the United States Naval Academy on June 13, 1931, graduated and was commissioned an Ensign on June 6, 1935. One of his classmates was Samuel Adams.
His initial assignments with the Navy were aboard the
World War II
He completed five war patrols on the Bonita and after he was detached from the submarine in June 1942, he returned to
In one of the more unusual incidents in the war, Fluckey sent a landing party ashore to set demolition charges on a coastal railway line on
Fluckey was awarded four
Post-war
In August 1945, Fluckey was ordered to
In August 1950, he became the flag secretary to Admiral
His selection for the rank of
Fluckey retired from active duty as a Rear admiral in 1972.
Retirement and death
After he retired from the Navy in 1972, he and his wife, Marjorie, started running an orphanage in Portugal in 1974. Marjorie died in 1979, after 42 years of marriage. He married his second wife, Margaret, in 1980 and they continued to run the orphanage together until it closed in 1982. He has one daughter, Barbara.
His book, Thunder Below! published in 1992, depicts the exploits of his beloved Barb. "Though the tally shows more shells, bombs, and depth charges fired at Barb, no one received the Purple Heart and Barb came back alive, eager, and ready to fight again."[4]
Fluckey died at age 93, from complications of Alzheimer's disease,[7] at Anne Arundel Medical Center in Annapolis, Maryland, on June 28, 2007.[8][9] He is buried at the United States Naval Academy Cemetery.
Military awards
Fluckey's military decorations and awards include:
Submarine Warfare Insignia
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1st Row | Medal of Honor | |||||||||||||||
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2nd Row | Navy Cross with three 5⁄16 gold stars
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Navy Distinguished Service Medal with one 5⁄16 gold star | Legion of Merit with one 5⁄16 gold star | |||||||||||||
3rd Row | Presidential Unit Citation with one 3⁄16 bronze star | Navy Unit Commendation with one 3⁄16 bronze star | American Defense Service Medal with fleet clasp (3⁄16 bronze star) | |||||||||||||
4th Row | American Campaign Medal | Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal with seven 3⁄16 bronze stars
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World War II Victory Medal | |||||||||||||
5th Row | National Defense Service Medal with one 3⁄16 bronze star |
Philippine Liberation Medal | Navy Pistol Marksmanship Medal
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6th Row | Submarine Combat Patrol Insignia
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Medal of Honor citation
For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty as commanding officer of the U.S.S. Barb during her 11th war patrol along the east coast of China from 19 December 1944 to 15 February 1945. After sinking a large enemy ammunition ship and damaging additional tonnage during a running 2-hour night battle on 8 January, Comdr. Fluckey, in an exceptional feat of brilliant deduction and bold tracking on 25 January, located a concentration of more than 30 enemy ships in the lower reaches of Nankuan Chiang (Mamkwan Harbor). Fully aware that a safe retirement would necessitate an hour's run at full speed through the uncharted, mined, and rock-obstructed waters, he bravely ordered, "Battle station — torpedoes!" In a daring penetration of the heavy enemy screen, and riding in 5 fathoms [9 m] of water, he launched the Barb's last forward torpedoes at 3,000 yard [2.7 km] range. Quickly bringing the ship's stern tubes to bear, he turned loose 4 more torpedoes into the enemy, obtaining 8 direct hits on 6 of the main targets to explode a large ammunition ship and cause inestimable damage by the resultant flying shells and other pyrotechnics. Clearing the treacherous area at high speed, he brought the Barb through to safety and 4 days later sank a large Japanese freighter to complete a record of heroic combat achievement, reflecting the highest credit upon Comdr. Fluckey, his gallant officers and men, and the U.S. Naval Service.
Other honors
Fluckey was awarded
He was an honorary companion of the Maryland Commandery of the Military Order of Foreign Wars.
His book Thunder Below! was winner of the 1993 Samuel Eliot Morison Award for Naval Literature.[13][14]
See also
Notes
- ^ Flint Whitlock; Ron Smith; Albert Konetzni. The Depths of Courage: American Submariners at War with Japan, 1941–1945. Penguin Group. p. 355.
- ^ "Historical Perspective". ussnautilus.org. Archived from the original on 3 December 2019. Retrieved 17 September 2017.
- ^ a b c d e "Eugene B. Fluckey entry". Veterantributes.org. Retrieved 1 December 2023.
- ^ a b Goldstein, Richard (July 1, 2007). "Eugene B. Fluckey, Daring Submarine Skipper, Dies at 93". The New York Times. Retrieved October 5, 2010.
- ^ Hauptman, Max (9 February 2023). "That time a US Navy submarine got a confirmed kill on a train during WWII". Taskandpurpose.com. Retrieved 2023-07-17.
- ^ Hare, Mary Gail (1 July 2007). "Navy hero known as 'Galloping Ghost'". The Baltimore Sun. Retrieved 1 December 2023.
- ^ Goldstein, Richard (2 July 2007). "Eugene B. Fluckey, 93, a Top Sub Commander, Is Dead". The New York Times. Retrieved 17 September 2017.
- ^ Ewing, Philip (2007-07-02). "Highly decorated WWII ex-admiral dies at 93". Navy Times. Retrieved 2007-07-07.
- ^ Schudel, Matt (July 2, 2007). "Eugene Fluckey, iconic admiral credited with daring sub raids". The Boston Globe. Retrieved 2007-07-07.
- ^ "Pinnacle". Time. February 9, 1948. Archived from the original on February 1, 2011.
- ^ "Rendezvous with the Rattlesnake". The Airman Magazine. 1974. Archived from the original (Republished on Geocities.com) on 2009-08-03. Retrieved 2007-01-11.
- ^ "Congressional Medal of Honor Recipient CPT Arlo L. Olson" (PDF). South Dakota Department of Military and Veteran Affairs. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 8, 2011. Retrieved May 5, 2012.
- ^ Matt Schudel (July 2, 2007). "Rear Adm. Eugene B. Fluckey; Commanded Submarine Attacks on Japanese Shipping". The Washington Post. Retrieved December 23, 2017.
- ^ Eugene B. Fluckey. "Message to Today's Submariners". Submarine Force Museum. Retrieved December 23, 2017.
Thunder Below!, which won the prestigious Samuel Eliot Morison prize for Best Naval Literature in 1993
References
- This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the Naval History and Heritage Command.
- "Fluckey, Eugene B., Rear Admiral, USN, Naval Historical Center, Department of the Navy". Archived from the original on September 7, 2010. Retrieved September 29, 2010.
- Schudel, Matt; Post, Washington (July 2, 2007). "The Boston Globe "Eugene Fluckey, iconic admiral credited with daring sub raids": Obituaries July 2, 2007". The Boston Globe. Retrieved September 29, 2010.
External links
- "Submarine Group 7 official website". Archived from the original on February 1, 2011. Retrieved September 29, 2010.
- "fleetsubmarine.com: Eugene Fluckey". Archived from the original on August 25, 2010. Retrieved September 29, 2010.
- "Obituary, The Daily Telegraph, July 10, 2007". London. July 10, 2007. Retrieved September 29, 2010.[dead link]
- "Obituary, The Times, July 20, 2007". London. July 20, 2007. Retrieved September 29, 2010.
- "Eugene B. Fluckey". Claim to Fame: Medal of Honor recipients. Find a Grave. Retrieved 2007-10-23.
- Eugene B. Fluckey Papers, 1902–2003 (bulk 1942–2003) MS 393 held by Special Collection & Archives, Nimitz Library at the United States Naval Academy