This Military Service Page was created/owned by
Kent Weekly (SS/DSV) (DBF), EMCS
to remember
Phelan, James Frederick, Sr., CDR USN(Ret).
If you knew or served with this Sailor and have additional information or photos to support this Page, please leave a message for the Page Administrator(s) HERE.
Contact Info
Home Town Sedalia, MO
Date of Passing Apr 18, 1998
Location of Interment Arlington National Cemetery (VLM) - Arlington, Virginia
James Frederick, Phelan, Sr., (Jim), Commander, U. S. Navy (Ret.) 81, of Blacksburg, died Saturday, April 18, 1998 at Montgomery Regional Hospital. He was born in Sedalia, Missouri on January 13, 1917 to the late Leroy Dean and Frances Josephine Milburn Phelan. A graduate of the U. S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Md., Jim served during World War II and the Korean War. He retired from the Navy after 20 years of service in 1960. At that time, he became a Professor of Engineering at VPI & SU, where he taught until his retirement in 1983. Jim was very active in the Rotary Club International, Blacksburg Chapter. He was preceded in death by his wife, Katherine C. Phelan. He is survived by a daughter and son-in-law, Anne Phelan-Adams and Tom Adams of Lebanon, Ohio; a son and daughter-in-law, James F., Jr. and Susan Phelan, Lieutenant, USN (Ret.) of Los Angeles, Calif.; a brother and sister-in-law, Jack D. and Ruth D. Phelan of Coronado, Calif.; five grandchildren, Lieutenant James F. Phelan, III, U. S. Marine Corps of San Diego, Calif., Geoffrey, Megan, Mary and Thomas Adams, all of Lebanon, Ohio; and three nephews, John, Frank and Tom Phelan. There will be no memorial service. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made on Jim's behalf to a charity of your choice. The family will receive friends from 4 to 6 p.m. Monday evening at the McCoy Funeral Home, Blacksburg.
Guadalcanal Campaign (1942-43)/Battle of Savo Island
From Month/Year
August / 1942
To Month/Year
August / 1942
Description On 7 Aug 1942, the United States committed to its first land based counterattack. The Marines landed at both Tulagi and Guadalcanal, on both sides of Savo Sound. The installation at Guadalcanal was mostly construction workers and was an easy landing. The more established base at Tulagi involved heavy fighting, but was captured in two days. The Japanese responded immediately with air attacks from their bomber bases in New Britain (Rabaul) from the north and fighter strips in the northern Solomons (Bougainville). US carrier planes operating near the invasion fleet in Savo Sound defended. Thirty-three enemy were shot down for a loss of 12 US planes, one destroyer crippled, and a transport, George F. Elliot (AP-13), set afire and lost. The IJN also sent the Eighth Fleet from Rabaul to attack the US beachhead. This fleet (VAdm Mikawa) consisted of five heavy cruisers, two light cruisers and a destroyer.
The western approaches to Savo Sound were guarded by a screening force of six heavy cruisers and six destroyers (the battle fleet had been destroyed at Pearl Harbor) in two groups covering both passages. Radar pickets were the destroyers Blue (DD-387) and Ralph Talbot (DD-390) deployed west of Savo Island. The south passage was defended by HMAS Australia (flagship of RAdm Crutchley, RN), HMAS Canberra, USS Chicago (CA-29), Bagley (DD-386) and Patterson (DD-392). The northern group was made up of Vincennes (CA-44), Quincy (CA-39), Astoria (CA-34) and destroyers Helm (DD-391) and Wilson (DD-408). The eastern approaches also had a screening force, made up of light cruisers San Juan (CL-54 flag), HMAS Hobart, and destroyers Monssen (DD-436) and Buchanan (DD-484).
The IJN 8th fleet of fast cruisers arrived the second night and meet the US screening force for the Battle of Savo Island. At the same time, the three US carriers and their escorts, including North Carolina (BB-55), six cruisers, and 16 destroyers, were withdrawing to get out of sight of land-based bombers from Rabaul.
The enemy force of fast cruisers sent out scout floatplanes that reported the American forces. Both radar picket ships (radar range about 10 miles) were at the extreme ends of their patrols sailing away from the Japanese fleet which passed undetected about 500 yards from Blue. The enemy was lost in the visual and radar shadow of nearby Savo Island. Allied ships were faintly silhouetted by a freighter burning far over the horizon. The enemy discovered the southern force and fired torpedoes before they were detected. Simultaneously with the explosions, the scout plane dropped flares illuminating the allied fleet. Canberra was stuck by two torpedoes and heavy shelling. The US ships fired star shells and opened fire. Chicago of the southern force was torpedoed. The Jap force turned north in two columns. The northern defense force had not gotten the word, there was a rain squall in the area, and they assumed the southern force was shooting at aircraft. The two Jap columns passed on each side of the US force and opened fire on Astoria, Quincy, and Vincennes. The American captains ordered "cease fire" assuming they were Americans firing on their own ships. Vincennes caught a torpedo. Robert Talbot came charging south and was attacked first by friendly fire and then raked by the enemy escaping to the north. Quincy and Vincennes went down. During rescue operations for Canberra, Patterson was fired on by Chicago. Canberra was sunk the next morning to prevent capture as the US fleet left the waters that was hereafter called Iron Bottom Sound. Astoria sank about noon while under tow. Chicago had to undergo repair until Jan'43.
In just 32 minutes the enemy had inflicted massive damage. Four heavy cruisers were sunk and a heavy cruiser and destroyer badly damaged. 1,270 men were killed and 708 injured. The enemy had comparative scratches on three cruisers.