Rear Admiral Daniel J. Callaghan - USN July 26, 1890 – November 13, 1942 Killed in action during the Naval Battle for Guadalcanal - Night of November 13,1942. Born and raised in San Francisco. From a devout Catholic family - USNA 1911. WW I - served on USS New Orleans - CL 22 InterWar - 1918 - 1920 - Bureau of Navigation (BUNAV) Washington 1920 - 1923 - USS Idaho (BB 42) Fire Control Officer 1923 - 1925 - Board of Inspection and Survey 1925 USS Colorado (BB 45) 1926 - 1928 USS Mississippi (BB 41) Gunnery Officer -: I can scarcely report too favorably on this officer. He is excellent generally and particularly; and he looks and acts the part. As gunnery officer, he is being highly successful and I unhesitatingly recommend him for almost any detail.’ June 1931 - Promoted Commander Served as Executive Officer of NROTC program at UCal Berkley 1938 Promoted Captain 1938-1941 Presidential Naval Aide to Franklin Delano Roosevelt It is with great regret that I am letting Captain Callaghan leave as my Naval Aide. He has given every satisfaction and has performed duties of many varieties with tact and real efficiency. He has shown a real understanding of the many problems of the service within itself and in relationship to the rest of Government.[1] FDR 1941 - Captain USS San Francisco (CA 38) 1942 - Rear Admiral - Chief of Staff to Robert Ghormley - Chief SOWESPAC Commander of TF 67.4 steaming in Guadalcanal area. A fine tactician - mortally wounded on the bridge of San Francisco in close night action off of Guadalcanal at 0200-0204 in action with IJN Hiei (BB-BC) during what would be called the Naval Battle of Guadalcanal. The cruiser took 45 hits and barely made it back to the US. Called “the most furious surface action of the entire war.”, Callaghan was the third Admiral KIA at that time. Earlier in the same engagement Admiral Norman Scott became the second. Callaghan was awarded a posthumous Medal of Honor. At the news that a fight with battleships was brewing, [Rear Admiral Daniel] Callaghan began pacing his flag bridge. He was heard mumbling that it was a fools errand to take on ships three times the San Fransiscos size, and that it was a shame there was no time to confer gain with Admiral Halsey. When the moment presented itself, Eugene Tarrant exercised the cooks prerogative and asked Callaghan if he really thought the mission was hopeless. As Tarrant recalled, the task force commander was candid. He said to me, Yes it may be that. But we are going in.’ Callaghan was buried at sea. 8 from left, Henderson Field,11 from left, Savo Island, 12 from left, Hiei trailing oil before going down
Posted on: Tue, 23 Sep 2014 14:45:50 +0000
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