This Military Service Page was created/owned by
Shaun Thomas (Underdog), OSC
to remember
Turner, Richmond Kelly, ADM USN(Ret).
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Contact Info
Home Town Portland, OR
Last Address Monterey, CA
Date of Passing Feb 13, 1961
Location of Interment Golden Gate National Cemetery (VA) - San Bruno, California
Fleet Admiral Chester W. Nimitz (U.S. Naval Academy, 1905) had long worked with Admiral Raymond Spruance (U.S. Naval Academy, 1906) and made him the air boss at Midway. He was the pre-eminent carrier strategist of the Pacific. Turner (U.S. Naval Academy, 1906) won Nimitz' admiration for leading amphibious groups throughout the Pacific during the war and Charles Lockwood (U.S. Naval Academy, 1908) was a submariner, like Nimitz, and became Commander Submarine Force, Pacific (COMSUBPAC) in February 1943 which force crushed the Japanese Merchant Fleet.
Nimitz had enormous respect and appreciation for each of these men and wanted them all to be together. They had been friends and shipmates for forty years. Their wives had been supportive and friends also.
Thus, their grave sites perfectly aligned in the first row along the street bearing Nimitz's name –Nimitz Drive. This is a unique tribute to each of these Californians.
Other Comments:
USS Richmond K. Turner (DLG-20 / CG-20) was a Leahy-class cruiser destroyer leader in the United States Navy. The ship was named for AdmiralRichmond K. Turner.
Navy Cross
Awarded for Actions During World War II
Service: Navy
Division: Task Force Tare
General Orders: Commander in Chief Pacific: Serial 022004 (October 3, 1942)
Citation:
"The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Navy Cross to Rear Admiral Richmond Kelly Turner (NSN: 0-6312), United States Navy, for extraordinary heroism and distinguished service in the line of his profession as Commander, Task Force TARE, during the Amphibious landings in the Solomon Islands on 7 August 1942.
...
He, in spite of much enemy opposition and under repeated severe air attack, led his force with great courage and determination and was successful not only in carrying the initial attack through to complete victory but in landing supplies and equipment so that the objectives captured could be held and used in further operations against the enemy. His conduct throughout was in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service."
On Dec 7th she was docked at Pearl Harbor: Battleship Row; forward of the Maryland and Oklahoma
Fate: The California was struck by two torpedoes and one bomb. The first torpedo hit at 8:05 a.m.; the second came moments later. With a gaping hole in the ship, it started capsizing. Despite efforts to bail water from the ship, it sank to the harbor bottom after three days of progressive flooding.
Crew: 2,200
Deceased: 105
The ship was raised via cofferdams, moved to the Pearl Harbor Navy Yard on April, 1942, with repairs to her cage mainmast and all six 14" forward guns were removed to facilitate her refloating. It took until January, 1944 for the ship's total reconstruction but it was a match for most of the newer US battleships in all but it's main guns (still 14").
An after view of the USS California.
January, 1945, the USS California was hit by a Japanese kamikaze where 44 of her crew died and 155 injured. Battle repairs were made to keep her battle-worthy and on station. She stayed on station until the end of the month and returned to Puget Sound for repairs. She was back on station for the landings at Okinawa and from there until the Japanese surrender in mid-August.
Of historical interest is that after the official end of WWII, the USS California was still on duty and after different assignments in Philippines and other areas in SE Asia, she returned to the US on Dec 7, 1945 - exactly 4 years to the day of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor.
