Phil H. Bucklew

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Phil H. Bucklew
Silver Star
Bronze Star
Croix de Guerre
(France)

Phil Hinkle Bucklew (December 18, 1914 – December 30, 1992) was a professional

Navy Cross
, the second highest decoration in the United States Military.

After World War II, Bucklew completed his

captain
and worked as a consultant for a shipbuilding company in the private sector.

Bucklew died in 1992 after a series of strokes. He is known as the "Father of U.S. Naval Special Warfare" and the Phil Bucklew Naval Special Warfare Center in Coronado, California bears his name.[1]

Early life

Bucklew was born and raised in

Columbus North High School. He went on to attend Xavier University in Cincinnati, where he earned fame as a football player (fullback, punter, and tight end). After college, Bucklew played for the Cleveland Rams in 1937 and 1938.[2] In 1939, Bucklew left the Rams and coached the Columbus Bullies for two years, until the United States entered World War II in 1941.[3][4]

He played football before proper protective safety gear was available, and his testicles were crushed, leaving him sterile. He had no children.

He had an older brother, William Bucklew, who went to France to fight in WWI at the age of 13. While there he was injured by mustard gas, which shortened his life significantly.

William "Bill" Bucklew had one child, Dawn Joan Bucklew. One of her four children carries his name, Douglas Philip Hale. His other great nephews are Winfield William Hale, Burcham Thomas Hale, and grandniece Candace Elisabeth Hale Weir.

Phil and William are rumored to have had a half brother, Robert Earl Bucklew who may lived in Troy Mo.

Naval career

World War II

Bucklew had served in the Naval Reserve from 1930 until 1934, and once again volunteered for military service on December 8, 1941, the day after the

Salerno, Italy (Operation Avalanche), where he was awarded the Silver Star.[7]

Bucklew and his unit were transferred to

British Commando. They swam the rest of the way and hid in the water to watch and time sentry patrols, before going ashore to collect more sand samples and other useful intelligence.[citation needed
]

On

D-Day, June 6, 1944, Bucklew commanded a scout boat, assigned to lead the first wave of tank-carrying landing craft to Omaha Beach.[9] The landing craft were accompanied by DD tanks. While he was still out at sea, Bucklew saw that the sea conditions were too dangerous for launching the DD tanks.[10] Unfortunately, his radio report was ignored and most of the DD tanks foundered.[10] Bucklew was awarded a second Navy Cross while leading the first wave of tank-carrying landing craft to the beach in his scout boat. On that occasion he had to combat both heavy surf and enemy fire. He remained on station as a guide boat all day, directing assault waves and giving supporting fire against German positions. He rescued many soldiers, whose landing craft were destroyed, from drowning. Bucklew laid down in the bow of his boat and pulled the drowning men from the water using the strength of his arms.[citation needed
]

Bucklew's final assignment during World War II took him to China, where he scouted the Chinese coast and later moved inland to help train and equip Chinese guerrillas to fight the Japanese. Bucklew moved from one partisan group to another, gathering intelligence on the Japanese along the way. Due to his large size and inability to speak Chinese, the partisans disguised him as a deaf mute. The Japanese learned of this "American Spy" and labeled him "Big Stoop". When his mission was complete he was debriefed in Calcutta, India.[11]

Three of his closest friends in the Scouts also had athletic backgrounds:

NFL, and Jerry Donnell, a football player who was killed in action at the Battle of Anzio.[12]

Post World War II

In 1946, Bucklew married his fiancée, Helen Nagel, and left active duty for two years to complete his

CIA, conducted infiltration, harassment, and psychological operations against North Korea.[15]

In 1962, after 20 years of service, Bucklew was facing mandatory retirement due to staff reductions within the Navy.

BUD/S himself.[9]

Vietnam

In early 1964, before American forces became actively engaged in South Vietnam, Captain Bucklew, at the behest of CINCPAC

Vietcong openly moving supplies by sampan inside Cambodia, despite its neutrality. In his report to CINCPAC, Bucklew described the totality of the Communist infiltration effort, criticized the South Vietnamese response as inefficient and inadequate, and suggested that halting the Vietcong would require a coastal blockade augmented by extensive patrolling of the internal rivers along the Cambodian frontier, in addition to the Mekong and Bassac. The "Bucklew Report" further recommended that the Navy establish "a viable means of controlling the rivers by implementing barricades, curfews, checkpoints, and patrols."[17]

The Navy initially disregarded Bucklew's conclusion, placing emphasis on seaborne infiltration of South Vietnam by the North Vietnamese and the Vietcong. After the Navy launched Operation Market Time, it refused to consider the implications of the Bucklew report. Ironically the effectiveness of Market Time caused the North Vietnamese and Vietcong to do what Bucklew predicted in greater force: make use of the rivers along the Cambodian frontier to move logistics into a region where countermeasures were nonexistent. Hence, the Vietcong was able to conclude the build-up necessary to launch the attacks of early 1968.[17] Bucklew's report was, however, used as the impetus to deploy SEAL Teams for direct action missions in 1966.[5]

After relinquishing command of NSWG1 in 1967, Bucklew was assigned to the Department of the Navy at the Pentagon, where he served until his retirement in 1969.[4]

Post-military life and legacy

Grave at Arlington National Cemetery

After retirement, Bucklew remained in the D.C. area. From 1974 to 1984, he served as the D.C. representative for Swiftships, a Louisiana boat-building company.[4][18]

Bucklew is often called "The Father of Naval Special Warfare" by members of the Naval Special Warfare community and military authors.[5][7][9][19] His written memoirs were published in 1982.[16] In 1987, using a wheelchair after a stroke, Bucklew attended the ceremony in which the Naval Special Warfare Center in Coronado, California was named for him.[5] In October 1989, he was inducted as the 34th member of the Columbus Hall of Fame, and his photograph hangs in City Hall.[4] Bucklew died at Fairfax Hospital in Fairfax, Virginia, in 1992 after suffering more strokes. He is buried at Arlington National Cemetery with his wife Helen Nagel (1921–2004).[20][18]

Navy Cross citations

First Navy Cross citation

Citation:

The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Navy Cross to Lieutenant, Junior Grade [then Ensign] Phil Hinkle Bucklew, United States Naval (Reserve), for extraordinary heroism and distinguished service in the line of his profession as a Scout Boat Officer in action against enemy forces during the amphibious assault on the Island of Sicily on July 10, 1943. Achieving a high degree of success in his capable and resourceful training of scout boat crews for the entire attack force, Lieutenant, Junior Grade, Bucklew participated in the actual invasion with outstanding courage. Undeterred by glaring searchlight illumination and withering blasts of hostile weapons, he proceeded through hazardous waters, located the designated beach and directed the assault boat wave. Utterly disregarding shore battery and machine-gun fire which repeatedly struck his vessel, Lieutenant, Junior Grade, Bucklew persevered in guiding subsequent waves to the proper beach. The conduct of Lieutenant, Junior Grade, Bucklew throughout this action reflects great credit upon himself, and was in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.[21]

Second Navy Cross citation

Citation:

The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting a Gold Star in lieu of a Second Award of the Navy Cross to

Lieutenant, Junior Grade Phil Hinkle Bucklew, United States Naval (Reserve), for extraordinary heroism and distinguished service in the line of his profession as Officer in Charge of an LCT Scout Boat during the amphibious assault on the Normandy Coast of France on June 6, 1944. Embarked in one of the first craft to approach the strongly defended cost, Lieutenant, Junior Grade, Bucklew successfully accomplished his highly important mission of locating the designated beaches and, despite rough surf and continuous harassing enemy fire, skillfully led the first wave of DD tanks, going in close to the beach and taking his station as guide. Firing his boat's rockets over the tanks at target objectives in support of the landings, he moved in closer to direct his guns at suspected hostile machine-gun nests in houses along the beach and subsequently, in the face of heavy enemy opposition, rescued wounded personnel from burning landing craft and regulated the flow of traffic throughout the morning and afternoon of D-Day. The conduct of Lieutenant, Junior Grade, Bucklew throughout this action reflects great credit upon himself, and was in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.[22]

Military awards and decorations


Gold star


Badge Special Warfare Insignia
1st Row Navy Cross w/ one 5/16 inch star
2nd Row Silver Star Bronze Star Medal Meritorious Service Medal
Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal
3rd Row Presidential Unit Citation
Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation
Navy Good Conduct Medal
 China Service Medal
4th Row
American Defense Medal
 American Campaign Medal
Asiatic Pacific Campaign Medal
 World War II Victory Medal
5th Row Navy Occupation Service Medal National Defense Service Medal w/ one bronze 3/16 Service star Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal Vietnam Service Medal
6th Row Croix de Guerre with palm
Korean Presidential Unit Citation
United Nations Korean Medal
 Vietnam Campaign Medal

Head coaching record

Year Team Overall Conference Standing Bowl/playoffs
Xavier Musketeers (Independent) (1946)
1946 Xavier 3–7
Xavier: 3–7
Total: 3–7

References

  1. ISBN 1-4000-4695-5
    .
  2. ^ "Phil Bucklew, Stats". Retrieved December 5, 2009.
  3. ^ Hollingsworth, Philip K. "Champions of Leagues That No Longer Exist". Retrieved December 2, 2009.[permanent dead link]
  4. ^ a b c d Powers, Scott (December 2, 1989). "Hall of Fame honoree a legend in the Navy". Columbus Dispatch.
  5. ^
    ISBN 978-0-425-20072-8
    .
  6. ^
    ISBN 978-0-671-86762-1
    .
  7. ^
    ISBN 978-0-7434-8216-5
    .
  8. ISBN 978-0-275-94409-4
    .
  9. ^
    ISBN 978-0-88363-105-8
    .
  10. ^ a b Allen, Thomas B. (June 2002). "Untold Stories of D-Day". National Geographic Magazine. p. 42.
  11. ISBN 978-1-888952-85-8
    .
  12. ^ Taylor, Blaine (1987). "Before Invasions Commence". Military History. 4 (2). Empire Press: 45.
  13. ^ Salisbury, Bill (December 2, 1999). "A former Navy SEAL Commander asks:Was Jesse a SEAL or a UDT Guy?". San Diego Reader. Archived from the original on October 1, 2009. Retrieved December 2, 2009.
  14. ^ Sayre, Joel; Lardner, Rex (November 20, 1948). "Bone, Bone, Bone". The New Yorker. p. 31. Retrieved December 5, 2009.
  15. ISBN 978-0-7385-6903-1
    .
  16. ^ a b Bucklew, Phil H. Reminiscences of Captain Phil H. Bucklew, USN (Ret.). Annapolis, Maryland: United States Naval Institute. p. 918.
  17. ^
    ISBN 978-1-55750-196-7
    .
  18. ^ a b Smith, J.Y. (January 4, 1993). "Phil H. Bucklew, Navy Captain, Dies". The Washington Post. Washington, DC. Archived from the original on November 2, 2012. Retrieved December 5, 2009.
  19. ISBN 978-0-345-44891-0
    .
  20. ^ Burial Detail: Bucklew, Phil Hinkle (Section 8, Grave 10174) – ANC Explorer
  21. ^ Bureau of Naval Personnel Information Bulletin No. 334 (January 1945)
  22. ^ Bureau of Naval Personnel Information Bulletin No. 333 (December 1944)

External links

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