This Military Service Page was created/owned by
Kent Weekly (SS/DSV) (DBF), EMCS
to remember
DeSomer, Abraham (MOH), LCDR USN(Ret).
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Contact Info
Home Town Milwaukee
Last Address Unknown
Date of Passing Aug 31, 1974
Location of Interment San Francisco National Cemetery (VA) - San Francisco, California
Awarded the Medal of Honor for actions during the Battle of Vera Cruz-
Description of Medal of Honor Action:
In a letter dated 13 June 1914 to DeSomer, Josephus Daniels quoted Admiral F. F. Fletcher's summary of DeSomer's actions on 21 ~ 22 April 1914:
On the afternoon of April 21st, [DeSomer] was placed in charge of a small squad of men and stationed at the corner of a warehouse to eastward of the custom house. His position was subject to a severe fire from the buildings along Avenida Inadero y Cos, and after several hours of well directed fire he silenced it. On April 22d when a general advance began, he was sent ahead to locate and silence fire from snipers. Being an excellent marksman and notably cool, he was especially selected for this work. Later, when two sections of artillery were sent to join Captain Anderson's command, he performed similar services and was almost continually under direct fire from snipers. His services in this connection were of more value than a whole squad.
- Frank Friday Fletcher
Daniels concluded with:
The Department concurs with the opinion of Rear Admiral Fletcher and highly commends your conspicuous courage, coolness and skill, which were in accord with and added to the best traditions of the naval service. ... In addition a Medal of Honor and a gratuity of One Hundred Dollars has been awarded you.
- Josephus Daniels
Other Comments:
After the fall of France in 1940 LT DeSomer returned to active duty and served until 1946. Retiring again, this time as a LCDR
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.
