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Contact Info
Home Town New Orleans, Louisiana
Last Address Nashville Ave., New Orleans, Louisiana.
Date of Passing May 09, 2012
Location of Interment Metairie Cemetery - New Orleans, Louisiana
John Francis Latham (Senior) was a life-long resident of New Orleans. Born October 4, 1920 he graduated from Fortier High School. He earned a Bachelor of Arts, '42, and LLB, '47, from Tulane University and served in the Naval Officers' Training Corps at Tulane University. He was commissioned an Ensign, in USNR in 1942 and saw active duty in the U. S. Navy as a Deck and Gunnery Officer on the USS Cincinnati CL-6 and USS Monterey CVL-26 (Plank Owner). In August 1944, Mr. Latham was advanced to full Lieutenant, USNR. Following the War, he practiced as an Average Adjuster for over 45 years. He was a member of the New Orleans Bar Association and the Louisiana State Bar Association. Mr. Latham died May 9, 2012.
Other Comments:
WWII, 1943-1945: USS Monterey was reclassified CVL-26 on 15 July 1943, shortly before commissioning, and after shakedown, departed Philadelphia for the western Pacific. She reached the Gilbert Islands on 19 November 1943, in time to help secure Makin Island. She took part in strikes on Kavieng, New Ireland on 25 December, as part of Task Group 37.2 (TG 37.2), and supported the landings at Kwajalein and Eniwetok until 8 February 1944. The light carrier then operated with Task Force 58 (TF 58) during raids in the Caroline Islands, Mariana Islands, northern New Guinea, and the Bonin Islands from February-July 1944. During this time she was also involved in the Battle of the Philippine Sea on 19-20 June.
Monterey then sailed to Pearl Harbor for overhaul, departing once again on 29 August. She launched strikes against Wake Island on 3 September, then joined TF 38 and participated in strikes in the southern Philippines and the Ryukyus. October through December 1944 were spent in the Philippines, supporting first the Leyte, and then the Mindoro landings.
Though enemy planes had been unable to damage Monterey, she did not complete her first full year of service unscathed. In December, she steamed into the path of Typhoon Cobra, with winds over 100 knots (190 km/h; 120 mph). At the height of the storm, which lasted 2 days, several planes tore loose from their cables, causing several fires on the hangar deck. During the storm future US President Gerald Ford, who served on board the ship, was almost swept overboard. Ford, serving as General Quarters Officer of the Deck, was ordered to go below to assess the raging fire. He did so safely, and reported his findings back to the ship's commanding officer, Captain Stuart Ingersoll. The ship's crew was able to contain the fire, and the ship got underway again.
Monterey arrived Bremerton, Washington for overhaul in January 1945. She rejoined TF 58 and supported Okinawa operations by launching strikes against Nansei Shoto and Kyūshū from 9 May to 1 June. She rejoined TF 38 for the final strike against Honshu and Hokkaido from 1 July to 15 August.
USS Monterey received 11 battle stars for World War II service while Mr. Latham was on board.
Monterey was reclassified CVL-26 on 15 July 1943, shortly after commissioning, and after shakedown, departed Philadelphia for the western Pacific. She reached the Gilbert Islands on 19 November 1943, in time to help secure Makin Island. She took part in strikes on Kavieng, New Ireland on 25 December, as part of Task Group 37.2 (TG 37.2), and supported the landings at Kwajalein and Eniwetok until 8 February 1944. The light carrier then operated with Task Force 58 (TF 58) during raids in the Caroline Islands, Mariana Islands, northern New Guinea, and the Bonin Islands from February-July 1944. During this time she was also involved in the Battle of the Philippine Sea on 19–20 June.
Monterey then sailed to Pearl Harbor for overhaul, departing once again on 29 August. She launched strikes against Wake Island on 3 September, then joined TF 38 and participated in strikes in the southern Philippines and the Ryukyus. October through December 1944 were spent in the Philippines, supporting first the Leyte, and then the Mindoro landings.
The Gunnery officers of the USSMonterey. Gerald R. Ford is second from the right, in the front row.
Though enemy planes had been unable to damage Monterey, she did not complete her first full year of service unscathed. In December, she steamed into the path of howling Typhoon Cobra, with winds over 100 knots. At the height of the storm, which lasted 2 days, several planes tore loose from their cables, causing several fires on the hangar deck. During the storm future US President Gerald Ford, who served on board the ship, was almost swept overboard. Volunteering to lead a fire fighting team below decks, Ford and his team fought all night to extinguish the fires that threatened his ship.
Monterey arrived Bremerton, Washington for overhaul in January 1945. She rejoined TF 58 and supported Okinawa operations by launching strikes against Nansei Shoto and Kyūshū from 9 May to 1 June. She rejoined TF 38 for the final strike against Honshū and Hokkaidō from 1 July to 15 August.
Monterey departed Japanese waters on 7 September, having embarked troops at Tokyo, and steamed home, arriving in New York City on 17 October. Monterey left behind an impressive and enviable war record. Her planes sank five enemy warships, and damaged others. She was responsible for the destruction of thousands of tons of Japanese shipping, hundreds of planes, and vital industrial complexes. She was assigned "Magic Carpet" duty, and made several voyages between Naples and Norfolk. She was decommissioned on 11 February 1947, and was assigned to the Atlantic Reserve Fleet, Philadelphia Group.
With the outbreak of hostilities in the Korean War, Monterey recommissioned on 15 September 1950. She departed Norfolk on 3 January 1951, and proceeded to Pensacola, Florida, where she operated for the next 4 years under the Naval Training Command, training thousands of naval aviation cadets, student pilots, and helicopter trainees. From 1 to 11 October 1954, she took part in a flood rescue mission in Honduras. She departed Pensacola on 9 June 1955 and steamed to rejoin the reserve fleet. She was decommissioned on 16 January 1956. Reclassified AVT-2 on 15 May 1959, she remained berthed at Philadelphia until she was sold for scrapping in May 1971.
Other Memories John Francis Latham earned a Bachelor of Arts and LLB from Tulane University and served in the Naval Officers' Training Corp at Tulane University. He was commissioned an Ensign, in USNR in 1942 and saw active duty in the U.S. Navy as a Deck and Gunnery Officer on the USS Cincinnati and USS Monterey. Following the War, he practiced as an Average Adjuster for over 45 years. He was a member of the New Orleans Bar Association and the Louisiana State Bar Association.
