Callaghan, William M.., VADM

Deceased
 
 Service Photo   Service Details
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Final Rank
Vice Admiral
Last Designator Group
Line Officer
Primary Unit
1956-1957, Commander Western Sea Frontier
Service Years
1918 - 1957
Vice Admiral Vice Admiral

 Last Photo   Personal Details 

79 kb


Home State
California
California
Year of Birth
1897
 
This Military Service Page was created/owned by Steven Loomis, IC3 to remember Callaghan, William (Bill), VADM.

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Contact Info
Home Town
San Francisco
Last Address
Arlington County, Virginia
Arlington National Cemetery
Date of Passing
Jul 08, 1991
 

 Official Badges 

US Merchant Marine Service US Navy Retired 30


 Unofficial Badges 






 Additional Information
Last Known Activity:

William McCombe Callaghan
Vice Admiral, United States Navy


Vice Admiral William McCombe Callaghan (August 8, 1897 - July 8, 1991), born in San Francisco, California, was a U.S. naval officer and the first commander of the USS Missouri (BB-63). 

Callaghan graduated from the United States Naval Academy in 1918. After commanding the USS Reuben James (DE-153) in 1936, he joined the staff of the Chief of Naval Operations in 1939.

In 1944, Captain Callaghan was named the first commanding officer of the Missouri, the Navy's newest battleship. 

On April 11, 1945, USS Missouri was struck by a kamikaze off the coast of Okinawa. The damage was minor, and no one died aboard this battleship except the Japanese pilot, Setsuo Ishino, whose body was recovered. Captain Callaghan insisted that the young Japanese airman had done his job to the best of his ability and with honor and deserved a military funeral. The following day, April 12, 1945, the pilot was given a military funeral at sea. 

During the Korean War, Callaghan commanded U.S. naval forces in the Far East. He retired in 1957. 

Senior commands 
In 1946, Callaghan held the rank of Rear Admiral, and in that year gave a presentation to the Naval War College on his experience in the Naval Transportation Service before the war. On October 1, 1949, he was appointed as the first commander of the Military Sea Transportation Service, which would later become the Military Sealift Command. He was promoted from Rear Admiral to Vice Admiral around this time. From 1953 to 1954, during the Korean War, he commanded the Amphibious Force of the US Pacific Fleet. From 1954 to 1956, he served as Commander, US Naval Forces Far East. He then replaced retiring Vice Admiral Francis Low as Commander of the Western Sea Frontier. He retired from the US Navy at the rank of Vice Admiral in 1957.

Admiral Callaghan died July 8, 1991, at Bethesda Naval Hospital after suffering a stroke. 

   
Other Comments:

William M. Callaghan a retired Navy Vice Admiral, 93, who served as Commanding Officer of the USS Missouri in World War II, died July 8, 1991 at Bethesda Naval Hospital after suffering a stroke four weeks ago. 

The California native graduated from the United States Naval Academy in 1918 and served aboard a destroyer in World War I. He later assumed command of the USS Reuben James in 1936. After joining the staff of the Chief of Naval Operations in 1939, he was war plans officer for logistics for the commander in chief of the Pacific Fleet. For his performance, was awarded the Legion of Merit. 

In 1944, Admiral Callaghan commissioned the USS Missouri and commanded it in operations against Tokyo, Iwo Jima and Okinawa. 

During the Korean War, he served as commander of Naval forces in the Far East. 

Years of service: 1918–1957
Rank: USN-O9, Vice Admiral
Commands held:
USS Reuben James (DD-245)
USS Missouri (BB-63)
Military Sea Transportation Service
Battles/wars:
World War I
World War II, Battle of Okinawa
Korean War
Awards:
Legion of Merit
Order of the Rising Sun
Order of the White Elephant
Order of Boyaca
Namesake: A transport ship named the GTS Admiral Wm. M. Callaghan (AKR-1001).

   

  1944-1945, USS Missouri (BB-63)

Captain

From Month/Year
- / 1944

To Month/Year
- / 1945

Unit
USS Missouri (BB-63) Unit Page

Rank
Captain

NEC
Not Specified

Base, Station or City
Not Specified

State/Country
Not Specified
 
 
 Patch
 USS Missouri (BB-63) Details

USS Missouri (BB-63)
Iowa Class Battleship: Displacement 45,000 Tons, Dimensions, 887' 3" (oa) x 108' 2" x 37' 9" (Max). Armament 9 x 16"/50 20 x 5"/38AA, 80 x 40mm 49 x 20mm, 3 AC. Armor, 12 1/8" Belt, 17" Turrets, 1 1/2" +6" +5/8" Decks, 17 1/4" Conning Tower. Machinery, 212,000 SHP; G.E. Geared Turbines, 4 screws. Speed, 33 Knots, Crew 1921. Operational and Building Data: Laid down by New York Naval Ship Yard, January 6, 1941. Launched January 29, 1944. Commissioned June 11, 1944. Decommissioned February 26, 1955. Recommissioned May 10, 1986. Decommissioned March 31, 1992. Stricken for disposal January 12, 1995. Donated for preservation May 4, 1998. Fate: Preserved as a museum at Ford Island, Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, June 1998.

Type
Surface Vessel
 

Parent Unit
Iowa-class

Strength
Battleship

Created/Owned By
MM Bowen, Eric, MM1 18
   

Last Updated: Jul 27, 2010
   
   
Yearbook
 
My Photos For This Unit
Order of the Rising Sun
Seal of the State of Missouri
34 Members Also There at Same Time
USS Missouri (BB-63)

Sherman, Frederick Carl, ADM, (1910-1947) Vice Admiral
Hillenkoetter, Roscoe Henry, VADM, (1915-1957) Captain
Murray, Stuart Shadrick, VADM, (1919-1956) Captain
Cooper, Jacob, RADM, (1926-1952) Commander
Faulk, Roland William, CAPT, (1937-1968) OFF 410X Commander
MURRAY, Albert, CDR, (1942-1947) Commander
Backus, Standish, CDR, (1940-1956) Lieutenant Commander
JAMIESON, Mitchell, LT, (1942-1945) Lieutenant
Bostic, Earl, LCDR, (1945-1973) Lieutenant Junior Grade
Markus, Norbert, LTJG, (1943-1946) .G Sp(G) Lieutenant Junior Grade
Lajoie, Philippe, (1944-1946) MAT MATT-0000 Other Service Rank
Erickson, Leif, CPO, (1941-1945) PH PH-8143 Chief Petty Officer
Bailey, William S, PO1, (1940-1946) CM CM-0000 Petty Officer First Class
Bucon, Henry, PO1, (1944-1946) YN CYN-0000 Petty Officer First Class
Dalton, Verlan Riley, PO1, (1941-1945) SF SF-0000 Petty Officer First Class
Munro, David, PO1, (1942-1945) CB CB-0000 Petty Officer First Class
Thompson, Ernest Russel, PO1, (1936-1945) WT WT-0000 Petty Officer First Class
Taub, Jerry, PO2, (1943-1946) SM SM-0000 Petty Officer Second Class
Johnson, Ray Gottfried, PO2, (1939-1945) SSM SSML-0000 Petty Officer 2nd Class
Poulin, Lawrence, PO3, (1937-1945) WT WT-0000 Petty Officer Third Class
Randall, Jerome Edward, PO3, (1944-1946) RD RD-0000 Petty Officer Third Class
Wray, Virgil, PO3, (1943-1947) SC SC-0000 Petty Officer Third Class
Dobratz, Arthur, PO3, (1943-1945) FC FC-0000 Fire Controlman 3rd Class
Dobratz, Arthur, PO3, (1943-1945) FC FC-0000 Seaman First Class
Donahue, Joseph, S1c, (1944-1947) S1c S1c-0000 Seaman First Class
Francisco, Arthur Orville, S1c, (1942-1945) S1c S1c-0000 Seaman First Class
Nemeth, Joe, S1c, (1942-1945) GM GM-0000 Seaman First Class
Packer, Harwell, HN, (1945-1951) Hospitalman
Bailey, John Bruce, F1c, (1945-1947) F1c F1c-0000 Fireman First Class
Vecchio, Guido, S1c, (1944-1946) Airman 1st Class
Comeau, Amos Joseph, S2c, (1944-1945) 00 Seaman Second Class
Touchette, Alfred, S2c, (1944-1946) Seaman Second Class
Rudolph, Alfred, SA, (1945-1948) SA SA-0000 Seaman Apprentice
Costello, John, HA, (1944-1947) SA SA-0000 Hospitalman Apprentice
Brodt, Leonard, AS, (1944-1946) AS AS-0000 Apprentice Seaman

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