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Nicole Summers, MMFN
to remember
Acree, Lloyd Edgar, AOM3c.
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Casualty Info
Home Town Beggs, OK
Last Address Tulsa, OK
Casualty Date Oct 12, 1942
Cause KIA-Died of Wounds
Reason Multiple Fragmentation Wounds
Location Pacific Ocean
Conflict World War II
Official Badges
Unofficial Badges
Additional Information
Last Known Activity:
Following the American Invasion of Guadalcanal 7 August 1942, Acree participated in the grim struggle for control of the Solomons. During the night of 11 to 12 October, 1946, an American cruiser-destroyer force under Rear Admiral Norman Scott intercepted a cruiser-destroyer bombardment group off Cape Esperance and repulsed the enemy after a furious night battle. Early in the action an enemy shell burst close aboard to starboard and sprayed the cruiser with shell fragments. Acree, who was holding a 5-inch shell loading into No. 3 gun, fell to the deck, seriously wounded in the abdomen. Although in intense pain, he gallantly clung to the shell to prevent its explosion. He died a short time later while undergoing emergency surgery. For his great courage and outstanding devotion to duty, Acree was awarded the Navy Cross posthumously.
Although he was buried at sea, a memorial marker was erected at Memroial Park Cemetery in Tulsa, OK.
Comments/Citation:
Service number: 3563872
Navy Cross
Awarded for actions during World War II
Service: Navy
Division: U.S.S. Salt Lake City (CA-25)
General Orders: Letter (February 26, 1943), P15/(02): Serial 0319
Citation: The President of the United States of America takes pride in presenting the Navy Cross (Posthumously) to Aviation Ordnanceman Third Class Lloyd Edgar Acree (NSN: 3563872), United States Navy, for extraordinary heroism and devotion to duty while serving on board the Heavy Cruiser U.S.S. SALT LAKE CITY (CA-25), during action against enemy Japanese naval forces off Savo Island during the Battle of Cape Esperance on the night of 11 - 12 October 1942. On that date Task Group 64.2, of which the U.S.S. SALT LAKE CITY was a unit, engaged a Japanese force of cruisers and destroyers. Aviation Ordnanceman Third Class Acree was a relief fuse pot loader on five-inch gun #1. During the action, he was struck by shell fragments in the arm and abdomen, causing him to fall to the deck. Despite his injuries, he continued to hold the shell and to protect the base and primer with his hand. Both the main arm and 5-inch batteries of the ship were firing at the same time, and a shell rolling loose on the deck would have constituted a serious hazard to personnel and might well have hampered the effectiveness of the forward five-inch battery. During the next lull, he was given first aid, but died shortly thereafter. His conduct throughout was in keeping with the highest traditions of the Navy of the United States. He gallantly gave his life for his country.
Guadalcanal Campaign (1942-43)/Battle of Cape Esperance
From Month/Year
October / 1942
To Month/Year
October / 1942
Description Cape Esperance (Second Savo) October 11–12, 1942. The Battle of Cape Esperance, also known as the Second Battle of Savo Island and, in Japanese sources, as the Sea Battle of Savo Island, took place on 11–12 October 1942, and was a naval battle of the Pacific campaign of World War II between the Imperial Japanese Navy and United States Navy. The battle was the second of four major surface engagements during the Guadalcanal campaign and took place at the entrance to the strait between Savo Island and Guadalcanal in the Solomon Islands. Cape Esperance (9°15′S 159°42′E) is the northernmost point on Guadalcanal, and the battle took its name from this point.
On the night of 11 October, Japanese naval forces in the Solomon Islands area—under the command of Vice Admiral Gunichi Mikawa—sent a major supply and reinforcement convoy to their forces on Guadalcanal. The convoy consisted of two seaplane tenders and six destroyers and was commanded by Rear Admiral Takatsugu Jojima. At the same time, but in a separate operation, three heavy cruisers and two destroyers—under the command of Rear Admiral Aritomo Goto-were to bombard the Allied airfield on Guadalcanal (called Henderson Field by the Allies) with the object of destroying Allied aircraft and the airfield's facilities.
Shortly before midnight on 11 October, a U.S force of four cruisers and five destroyers—under the command of Rear Admiral Norman Scott—intercepted Goto's force as it approached Savo Island near Guadalcanal. Taking the Japanese by surprise, Scott's warships sank one of Goto's cruisers and one of his destroyers, heavily damaged another cruiser, mortally wounded Goto, and forced the rest of Goto's warships to abandon the bombardment mission and retreat. During the exchange of gunfire, one of Scott's destroyers was sunk and one cruiser and another destroyer were heavily damaged. In the meantime, the Japanese supply convoy successfully completed unloading at Guadalcanal and began its return journey without being discovered by Scott's force. Later on the morning of 12 October, four Japanese destroyers from the supply convoy turned back to assist Goto's retreating, damaged warships. Air attacks by U.S. aircraft from Henderson Field sank two of these destroyers later that day.
As with the preceding naval engagements, around Guadalcanal, the strategic outcome was inconsequential because neither the Japanese nor United States navies secured operational control of the waters around Guadalcanal as a result of this action. However, the Battle of Cape Esperance provided a significant morale boost to the US Navy after the disaster of Savo Island.
