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Nicole Summers, MMFN
to remember
Ackerman, Edward, LCDR.
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Casualty Info
Home Town Cincinnati, OH
Last Address Cincinnati, OH
Casualty Date Mar 20, 1945
Cause KIA-Body Not Recovered
Reason Other Explosive Device
Location Pacific Ocean
Conflict World War II
Location of Interment Courts of the Missing at the Honolulu Memorial - Honolulu, Hawaii
Wall/Plot Coordinates Court 5 (cenotaph)
Official Badges
Unofficial Badges
Additional Information
Last Known Activity:
USS Kete (SS-369) began her second war patrol, clearing Guam on 1 March 1945. After three weeks, she was down to three torpedoes, having sunk four enemy ships. She was ordered back to Midway but never arrived, and was listed as presumed lost, 16 April 1945. Lieutenant Commander Ackerman was listed as Missing in Action and later declared dead 1 April 1946.
Comments/Citation:
Service number: 082383
Commands and duties:
Diving Officer - USS Grayback (SS-208) - 1942 and 1943
Executive Officer - USS Grayback (SS-208) - 9/30/42 to 12/1/43
Executive Officer - USS Kete (SS-369) - 7/44 to 1/45
Commanding Officer - USS Kete (SS-369) - 2/20/45 to 3/20/45
Silver Star
Awarded for actions during World War II
Service: Navy
Rank: Lieutenant
Division: U.S.S. Grayback (SS-208)
General Orders: Commander 7th Fleet: Serial 0547 (March 11, 1944)
Citation: The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Lieutenant Edward Ackerman (NSN: 0-82383), United States Navy, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action. During the first SEVEN War Patrols of the U.S.S. GRAYBACK (SS-208), Lieutenant Ackerman, as Diving Officer, calmly and skillfully maintained depth control of his ship during torpedo attacks and during trying conditions of no less than 15 enemy depth-charge counterattacks. On one occasion, when a main ballast tank malfunctioned, he took corrective action to prevent loss of trim and serious damage or loss of his ship. His assistance to his Commanding Officer contributed to the successful attacks on seven enemy ships, including a destroyer, during a single war patrol. His actions throughout were in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.
The USS Grayback (SS-208) was a Tambor-class World War II era submarine.
Grayback was named for a small species of lake herring of commercial importance found abundantly in the Great Lakes.
Keel laid: 04/03/1940
Launched: 01/31/1941
Commissioned: 06/30/1941
Sunk 02/26/1944
Specifications:
Radio call sign: Nan - Baker - King - Fox
Displacement:
Surfaced: 1,475 tons
Submerged: 2,370 tons
Length 307'2'
Beam 27' 3"
Draft 13' 3"
Speed:
Surfaced 20 kts
Submerged 8.75 kts
Complement 6 Officers 54 Enlisted
Operating Depth, 300 ft
Submerged Endurance, 48 hrs at 2 kts
Patrol Endurance 75 days
Cruising Range, 11,000 miles surfaced at 10 kts
Armament:
Ten 21" torpedo tubes, six forward, four aft
24 torpedoes
One 3"/50 deck gun
Two .50 cal. machine guns
Two .30 cal. machine guns
Propulsion, diesel electric reduction gear with four General Motors main generator engines, HP 5400, Four General Electric main motors, HP 2740, two 126-cell main storage batteries, twin propellers.
Fuel Capacity, 96,365 gals.
Commanding Officers:
LT W. E. Saunders 06/30/1941 - 09/22/21942
LCDR E. C. Stephen 09/22/1942 - 07/19/1943
LCDR J. A. Moore 07/19/1943 - 02/26/1944
Executive Officers:
LCDR R. E. Nichols 06/30/1941 - 04/25/1943
LT J. H. Stewart 04/25/1943 - 02/26/1944
