This Military Service Page was created/owned by
Kent Weekly (SS/DSV) (DBF), EMCS
to remember
Behrens, William Wohlsen, RADM USN(Ret).
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Contact Info
Home Town Lancaster, PA
Last Address Harrisburg, PA
Date of Passing Jun 27, 1965
Location of Interment Arlington National Cemetery (VLM) - Arlington, Virginia
During WWI, William Behrens served in the enlisted ranks as follows:
S1c - Section Base, Cape May, NJ from 6/6/1917 to 11/10/17
YN2 - USS Margo (SP-870) from 11/10/1917 to 12/10/1918
YN2 - USS Frances II (SP-503) from 12/10/18 to 9/3/1918
Other Comments:
Navy Cross
Awarded for Actions During World War II
Service: Navy
Division: U.S.S. Houston (CA-30)
General Orders: Commander 2d Carrier Task Force Pacific: Serial 0301 (November 30, 1944)
Citation: The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Navy Cross to Captain William Wohlsen Behrens (NSN: 0-55422), United States Navy, for extraordinary heroism and distinguished service in the line of this profession as Commanding Officer of the Heavy Cruiser U.S.S. HOUSTON (CA-30), during enemy air attacks on the evening of 14 October 1944, off Formosa. When his ship was torpedoed, dead in the water and dangerously stricken, Captain Behrens coolly supervised the evacuation of excess personnel, directed effective damage control measures and supervised the ship's being placed in tow by another cruiser. Subsequently his ship was again torpedoed in enemy air attacks on 16 October 1944. Again his cool action and unflagging determination were an inspiration to his officers and men, contributing in a large part to his ship's continued retirement to safety. His courage and skill were at all times in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.
Mariana and Palau Islands Campaign (1944)/Battle of Philippine Sea
From Month/Year
June / 1944
To Month/Year
June / 1944
Description The Battle of the Philippine Sea (June 19–20, 1944) was a major naval battle of World War II that eliminated the Imperial Japanese Navy's ability to conduct large-scale carrier actions. It took place during the United States' amphibious invasion of the Mariana Islands during the Pacific War. The battle was the last of five major "carrier-versus-carrier" engagements between American and Japanese naval forces, and pitted elements of the United States Navy's Fifth Fleet against ships and aircraft of the Imperial Japanese Navy's Mobile Fleet and nearby island garrisons.
The aerial part of the battle was nicknamed the Great Marianas Turkey Shoot by American aviators for the severely disproportional loss ratio inflicted upon Japanese aircraft by American pilots and anti-aircraft gunners. During a debriefing after the first two air battles a pilot from USS Lexington remarked "Why, hell, it was just like an old-time turkey shoot down home!" The outcome is generally attributed to American improvements in pilot and crew training and tactics, technology (including the top-secret anti-aircraft proximity fuze), and ship and aircraft design. Although at the time the battle appeared to be a missed opportunity to destroy the Japanese fleet, the Imperial Japanese Navy had lost the bulk of its carrier air strength and would never recover. During the course of the battle, American submarines torpedoed and sank two of the largest Japanese fleet carriers taking part in the battle.
This was the largest carrier-to-carrier battle in history.