This Military Service Page was created/owned by
Tommy Burgdorf (Birddog), FC2
to remember
Cecil, Charles Purcell, RADM.
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Casualty Info
Home Town Louisville, KY
Last Address Bonnie Brae Flat Rock, NC (Wife~Mary Randolph Pelzer Cecil)
Casualty Date Jul 31, 1944
Cause Non Hostile- Died Other Causes
Reason Air Loss, Crash - Sea
Location Tuvalu
Conflict World War II
Location of Interment Arlington National Cemetery (VLM) - Arlington, Virginia
Wall/Plot Coordinates Section 8 Grave 3428
Official Badges
Unofficial Badges
Additional Information
Last Known Activity:
On a day in July 1943, a sorry looking group of Navy men—officers and blue-jackets, all lucky to be alive, waded ashore on a Pacific island. Among them was Charles P. Cecil, the tall, cold-eyed skipper of the heroic cruiser Helena, which had been torpedoed in the July 7 Battle of Kula Gulf. With the others. Captain Cecil had floated for hours in the oil-covered waters. He had refused to be picked up until his men were rescued.
It was the second ship Cecil had lost to the enemy. In the Battle of Santa Cruz, in October 1942, he had commanded the lost destroyer Porter. He ruefully remarked: "I guess they have my number."
His number was crossed out when an airplane in which he was riding crashed at a Pacific base on July31, 1943. He was the ninth flag officer (plus one general officer of the Marines) lost by the Navy in operations or action in World War II.
Comments/Citation:
Name of Award
Navy Cross X2
Years Awarded
1942
1943
Details behind Award:
Awarded for actions during World War II
The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Navy Cross to Captain Charles Purcell Cecil, United States Navy, for extraordinary heroism and distinguished service in the line of his profession as Commander, Destroyer Squadron FIVE, during the engagement with enemy Japanese forces north of the Santa Cruz Islands on 26 October 1942. Captain Cecil conducted his group so that units under his command maneuvered skillfully in forming a tight defensive screen around a United States carrier in spite of intense and violent action sustained for an hour and a half. Captain Cecil's inspiring leadership and the valiant devotion to duty of his command contributed in large measure to the outstanding success of these vital missions and reflect great credit upon the United States Naval Service. General Orders: Bureau of Naval Personnel Information Bulletin No. 314 (May 1943) Action Date: 26-Oct-42 Service: Navy Rank: Captain Company: Commander Division: Destroyer Squadron 5
The President of the United States of America takes pride in presenting a Gold Star in lieu of a Second Award of the Navy Cross (Posthumously) to Captain Charles Purcell Cecil, United States Navy, for extraordinary heroism and distinguished service in the line of his profession as Commanding Officer of the Light Cruiser U.S.S. HELENA (CL-50), during operations in Kula Gulf, Solomon Islands, on 5 and 6 July 1943. Commanding his warship during landing operations on New Georgia island, Captain Cecil skillfully maneuvered his ship through submarine-infested waters and effectively bombarded Japanese shore batteries in the face of intense gun and torpedo fire. Twenty-four hours later the Helena participated in an engagement with a numerically superior force and contributed materially to the sinking or severe damaging of all the enemy ships before she was struck by a torpedo. Captain Cecil, calmly and without confusion, directed the abandonment of his sinking ship, and continued supervision of rescue operations from a small life raft. Captain Cecil's inspiring leadership and the valiant devotion to duty of his command contributed in large measure to the outstanding success of these vital missions and reflect great credit upon the United States Naval Service.
General Orders: Bureau of Naval Personnel Information Bulletin No. 319 (October 1943) Action Date: July 5 & 6, 1943 Service: Navy Rank: Captain Company: Commanding Officer Division: U.S.S. Helena (CL-50)
Guadalcanal Campaign (1942-43)/Battle of the Santa Cruz Islands
From Month/Year
October / 1942
To Month/Year
October / 1942
Description The Battle of the Santa Cruz Islands, 26 October 1942, sometimes referred to as the Battle of Santa Cruz or in Japanese sources as the Battle of the South Pacific, was the fourth carrier battle of the Pacific campaign of World War II and the fourth major naval engagement fought between the United States Navy and the Imperial Japanese Navy during the lengthy and strategically important Guadalcanal campaign. In similar fashion to the battles of Coral Sea, Midway, and the Eastern Solomons, the ships of the two adversaries were rarely in direct visual range of each other. Instead, almost all attacks by both sides were mounted by carrier or land-based aircraft.
In an attempt to drive Allied forces from Guadalcanal and nearby islands and end the stalemate that had existed since September 1942, the Imperial Japanese Army planned a major ground offensive on Guadalcanal for 20–25 October 1942. In support of this offensive, and with the hope of engaging Allied naval forces, Japanese carriers and other large warships moved into a position near the southern Solomon Islands. From this location, the Japanese naval forces hoped to engage and decisively defeat any Allied (primarily U.S.) naval forces, especially carrier forces, that responded to the ground offensive. Allied naval forces also hoped to meet the Japanese naval forces in battle, with the same objectives of breaking the stalemate and decisively defeating their adversary.
The Japanese ground offensive on Guadalcanal was under way in the Battle for Henderson Field while the naval warships and aircraft from the two adversaries confronted each other on the morning of 26 October 1942, just north of the Santa Cruz Islands. After an exchange of carrier air attacks, Allied surface ships were forced to retreat from the battle area with one carrier sunk and another heavily damaged. The participating Japanese carrier forces, however, also retired because of high aircraft and aircrew losses plus significant damage to two carriers. Although a tactical victory for the Japanese in terms of ships sunk and damaged, the loss of many irreplaceable, veteran aircrews would prove to be a long term strategic advantage for the Allies, whose aircrew losses in the battle were relatively low and could be quickly replaced. The high cost of the battle for the Japanese prevented their carrier forces from further significant involvement in the Guadalcanal campaign.
My Participation in This Battle or Operation
From Month/Year
October / 1942
To Month/Year
October / 1942
Last Updated: Mar 16, 2020
Personal Memories
Memories In 1941, at the beginning of World War II he assumed command of Pacific Destroyer Division Eleven followed by command of Destroyer Squadron Five. He was awarded the Navy Cross for Action with Destroyer Squadron Five against superior Japanese Forces at the battle of Santa Cruz Islands on 26 October 1942. In
