John F. Shafroth Jr.
John Franklin Shafroth Jr. | |
---|---|
Seventh Naval district Southeast Pacific Area Battleship Squadron 2 Battleship Division 8 Cruiser Division 3 USS Indianapolis | |
Battles/wars | Veracruz Expedition World War I |
Awards | Navy Cross Legion of Merit (4) |
Relations | John F. Shafroth (senator) |
Other work | President, Naval Historical Foundation |
John Franklin Shafroth Jr. (March 31, 1887 – September 1, 1967) was a highly decorated officer in the
Shafroth Jr. rose to the
Following the War, Shafroth remained in the Navy and commanded
Early career
John F. Shafroth Jr. was born March 31, 1887, in
His youngest brother, Will, graduated from the
While at the Academy, Shafroth was an universal athlete, becoming champion in heavyweight
Among his classmates were several future admirals including Harry A. Badt, John R. Beardall, Arthur S. Carpender, Jules James, James L. Kauffman, Thomas C. Kinkaid, Willis A. Lee Jr., William R. Munroe, William R. Purnell, Francis W. Rockwell and Richmond K. Turner.[5]
He graduated with
Shafroth then spent next three years aboard Virginia with training, participating in the Fleet Exercise in the Caribbean. He was commissioned Ensign on June 6, 1910, after serving two years at sea required then by law. Shafroth was promoted to Lieutenant (junior grade) on June 6, 1913, and served consecutively aboard destroyers USS Jouett, USS Beale, USS Jenkins. While aboard Jenkins, he served as ship's Executive officer under Lieutenant Frederick V. McNair and took part in the American occupation of Veracruz in April 1914.[6][2]
World War I
He was detached in September that year and ordered to the
The Terry just underwent extensive repairs and upon completion, she began patrolling along the Atlantic coast and escorting merchantmen bound for
Shafroth was later transferred to command of Submarine Chaser Detachment 3 and was stationed in
Interwar period
Upon his return, Shafroth served consecutively aboard destroyers
In June 1923, Shafroth was transferred to the staff of United States Fleet and served as Aide and Flag Secretary to its Commander-in-Chief, Admiral Robert Coontz. He was ordered to the Naval War College in Newport, Rhode Island, in June 1925 and completed Senior course there in May of the following year. While at the college, Shafroth was promoted to Commander on November 16, 1925.[12][13][2]
He was subsequently ordered for the instruction to the Army War College in Washington, D.C., and upon graduation in June 1927, Shafroth served as a member of the faculty until June 1928. Shafroth was then ordered to the battleship USS Arkansas and served as ship's Navigator under Captain Hayne Ellis during the patrolling of the Panama Canal Zone and the Caribbean until May 1930.[14][6][2]
Shafroth was subsequently ordered to
When he finally got his own "sea command" in June 1935, Shafroth was ordered the
However by the end of August 1938, Shafroth were given orders to assume command of modern heavy cruiser
World War II
Panama and Hawaii
Following the Japanese
Shafroth was then appointed Commander, Southeast Pacific Area with headquarters in Balboa, Panama Canal Zone. The old cruisers Richmond and Trenton were meanwhile replaced with newer ships and transferred to Shafroth's command to his disposal. Shafroth also received third cruiser Concord, and several additional destroyers and auxiliary vessels at his disposal. His area of responsibility was drawn from the Mexico-Guatemala border to the mid-Pacific near Clipperton Island and then southward to the South Pole.[25][3][24][20][2][26]
Although his area of responsibility was huge and force assigned to his command tiny, it proved to be more than sufficient due to lack of Japanese activity. Shafroth then focused on the escort convoy duty and helped transport 4,500 men to
In December 1942, Shafroth was ordered to
Shafroth remained in this capacity until March 1944, when he was appointed Inspector General,
Philippines, Okinawa and Japan
On December 26, 1944, Shafroth was appointed Commander, Battleship Division 8 (BatDiv 8), built around fast battleships
Shafroth's Division was reorganized by the end of January 1945 and now he had battleships
The BatDiv 8 then provided cover for fast carrier operations against Tokyo, Kyushu, and in the Inland Sea area and destroyed 54 enemy planes by its anti-aircraft batteries. For his leadership of BatDiv 8 at Lingayen Gulf, Iwo Jima and Okinawa, Shafroth received his second Legion of Merit.[1][2][29]
Shafroth was appointed Commander of Task Unit 34.8.1 of the
Following the sudden death of Vice admiral Willis Augustus Lee of heart attack, Shafroth assumed command of Battleship, Squadron Two on August 25, 1945, and led his command during another bombardment on the night of August 29–30, 1945. This time on the city of Hamamatsu, destroying industrial and railroad targets, inflicting heavy damage to the enemy, without any casualties to U.S. ships. For the leadership of his Task Unit during the bombardment of Japan, Shafroth received third and fourth Legion of Merit.[1][3][20][2]
Postwar service
Upon the
Shafroth served in this capacity until the beginning of July 1946, when he was transferred to
In April 1948, Shafroth returned to the United States and assumed duty as Chairman of the
Retirement
Following his retirement from the Navy, Shafroth resided in Washington, D.C., and was active in the Naval Historical Foundation. He was elected President of the Foundation in 1961 and remained in that assignment until his death from a stroke on September 1, 1967, aged 80. Vice admiral John F. Shafroth Jr. was buried with full military honors at Arlington National Cemetery, Virginia, together with his wife, Helena Marshall Fischer (1882–1975).[32] They had one daughter.[2][4][33][34]
Decorations
Here is the ribbon bar of Vice Admiral Shafroth:[1][4]
1st Row |
Navy Cross | Legion of Merit with three 5⁄16" Gold Stars | |||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2nd Row |
Mexican Service Medal | World War I Victory Medal with Destroyer Clasp |
American Defense Service Medal | ||||||||||||
3rd Row |
American Campaign Medal | Asiatic–Pacific Campaign Medal with four 3/16 inch service stars |
World War II Victory Medal
| ||||||||||||
4th Row |
Philippine Liberation Medal with one star |
Grand Officer of Order of the Sun of Peru | Grand Officer of the Military Order of Ayacucho (Peru) | ||||||||||||
5th Row |
Order of Abdon Calderón, 1st Class (Ecuador) |
Grand Cross of the Order of Boyaca )
(Colombia |
Grand Cross of the Order of Vasco Núñez de Balboa (Panama) |
See also
References
- ^ a b c d e f "Valor awards for John Franklin Shafroth". valor.militarytimes.com. Militarytimes Websites. Retrieved June 19, 2018.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab "Shafroth, J. F. (John Franklin), 1887–1967". snaccooperative.org. Social Networks and Archival Context Websites. Retrieved June 19, 2018.
- ^ a b c d e "The Pacific War Online Encyclopedia – John F. Shafroth Jr". pwencycl.kgbudge.com. The Pacific War Encyclopedia. Archived from the original on 26 April 2017. Retrieved 17 June 2017.
- ^ a b c d e f g h "John F. Shafroth, Admiral,, 80, Dies". timesmachine.nytimes.com. New York Times Websites. September 3, 1967. p. 52. Retrieved June 19, 2018.
- ^ a b "Lucky Bag – USNA Class of 1908". United States Naval Academy. Retrieved July 10, 2018.
- ^ Register of Commissioned and Warrant Officers of the United States Navy and Marine Corps. Washington DC: Government Printing Office. 1 July 1916. p. 72. Archived from the original on 28 July 2016.
- ^ Register of Commissioned and Warrant Officers of the United States Navy and Marine Corps. Washington DC: Government Printing Office. 1 July 1917. p. 70. Archived from the original on 28 July 2016.
- ^ Register of Commissioned and Warrant Officers of the United States Navy and Marine Corps. Washington DC: Government Printing Office. 1 July 1920. pp. 50–51. Archived from the original on 28 July 2016.
- ^ Register of Commissioned and Warrant Officers of the United States Navy and Marine Corps. Washington DC: Government Printing Office. 1 July 1921. pp. 50–51. Archived from the original on 28 July 2016.
- ^ Register of Commissioned and Warrant Officers of the United States Navy and Marine Corps. Washington DC: Government Printing Office. 1 July 1925. p. 56. Archived from the original on 28 July 2016.
- ^ Register of Commissioned and Warrant Officers of the United States Navy and Marine Corps. Washington DC: Government Printing Office. 1 July 1926. p. 56. Archived from the original on 28 July 2016.
- ^ Register of Commissioned and Warrant Officers of the United States Navy and Marine Corps. Washington DC: Government Printing Office. 1 July 1930. p. 48. Archived from the original on 28 July 2016.
- ^ Register of Commissioned and Warrant Officers of the United States Navy and Marine Corps. Washington DC: Government Printing Office. 1 July 1933. p. 50. Archived from the original on 26 July 2016.
- ^ "Veterans of USS West Virginia – John F. Shafroth jr". usswestvirginia.org. USS West Virginia Websites. Retrieved June 19, 2018.
- ^ Register of Commissioned and Warrant Officers of the United States Navy and Marine Corps. Washington DC: Government Printing Office. 1 July 1936. p. 42. Archived from the original on 2 August 2016.
- ^ Register of Commissioned and Warrant Officers of the United States Navy and Marine Corps. Washington DC: Government Printing Office. 1 July 1939. p. 34. Archived from the original on 2 August 2016.
- ^ Register of Commissioned and Warrant Officers of the United States Navy and Marine Corps. Washington DC: Government Printing Office. 1 July 1940. p. 36. Archived from the original on 2 August 2016.
- ^ "USS Indianapolis (CA 35) – Commanding Officers". navsource.org. NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive Websites. Retrieved June 19, 2018.
- ISBN 978-1-59114-580-6. Retrieved April 9, 2017.
- ^ "Indianapolis II (CA-35) – Naval History and Heritage Command". history.navy.mil. Naval History and Heritage Command Websites. Retrieved 28 January 2018.
- ^ ISBN 978-1-85109-968-9. Retrieved April 9, 2017.
- ^ "Appendix I: Principal Civilian Officials And Naval Officers In Command; 7 December 1941 – 2 September 1945". ibiblio.org. The Official Chronology of the Navy in World War II Websites. Retrieved June 19, 2018.
- ^ "U.S. Navy Has Southeast Pacific Command To Guard Panama Canal and Other Areas". timesmachine.nytimes.com. New York Times Websites. May 23, 1942. p. 6. Retrieved June 19, 2018.
- ^ "Navy Department Communiques 301-600 and Pacific Fleet Communiques; CINCPAC Press Release No. 443, June 14, 1944". history.navy.mil. Naval History and Heritage Command Websites. Retrieved 28 January 2018.
- ISBN 0-252-06963-3. Retrieved April 9, 2017.
- ^ "United States Pacific Fleet Organization, 1 May 1945". history.navy.mil. Naval History and Heritage Command Websites. Retrieved 28 January 2018.
- ^ "South Dakota II (BB-57)". history.navy.mil. Naval History and Heritage Command Websites. Retrieved 28 January 2018.
- ^ "Three Admirals Retiring". timesmachine.nytimes.com. New York Times Websites. February 18, 1949. p. 18. Retrieved June 19, 2018.
- ^ Burial Detail: Shafroth, John F – ANC Explorer
- ^ "Naval Historical Foundation – Leadership". navyhistory.org. Naval Historical Foundation Websites. Retrieved June 19, 2018.
- ^ The United States Naval Academy Alumni Association, Inc. – Register of Alumni of 1956. a: The Association. 1956. p. 5. Retrieved April 9, 2017.