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Contact Info
Home Town Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Last Address Retired to Seminole, Florida.
Date of Passing Oct 06, 2007
Location of Interment Arlington National Cemetery (VLM) - Arlington, Virginia
Captain Joseph James Doak, Jr., U.S.N.
World War Two and Viet-Nam
Commodore DESRON 23
Joseph J. Doak Jr., USN, was born on 30 January 1923 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, where he attended Public Schools and Saint Joseph’s College. He is a graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy.
Upon graduation from the Naval Academy in June 1944, he was assigned to the USS QUINCY (CA-71) and served in her throughout the remainder of World War II. The USS QUINCY participated in the Normandy and Southern France invasions before sailing for the Pacific war where she saw action including Okinawa and entered Tokyo Bay on 1 September 1945.
Following the war, Captain Doak served in a variety of sea and shore assignments. In July 1951, he was ordered to USS HEALY (DD-672) for the first of several tours of duty in various billets in destroyers, including Gunnery Officer of HEALY, and Executive Officer of USS BORDELON (DDR-881) and commanding officer of USS VAN VOORHIS (DE-1028) and USS DOUGLAS H. FOX (DD-779. His shore assignments had been as an instructor at the Naval Academy and at Tufts University.
On the 11th of August 1962, at the moment of breaking her commissioning pennant, USS BARNEY (DDG-6) became the responsibility of her first commanding officer - Commander Joseph J. Doak, Jr. On 11 December 1963 at La Spezia, Italy, he was relieved as Commanding Officer by Commander Keith V. Johnson.
CAPT. Joseph James Doak Jr., USS SIERRA (AD-18), June 1966 - September 1967
COMMODORE DESRON 23 (Destroyer Squadron 23), Captain J. J. Doak (July 1968 - January 1970).
Other Comments:
Joseph James Doak Jr. Capt. USN retired, 84, of Seminole, formerly of Philadelphia, PA, passed away in his home under the care of hospice, on Saturday, Oct. 6, 2007, after a long battle with cancer.
Joe was a 1944 graduate of the Naval Academy in Annapolis, MD. He spent 30 active years in the Navy. Among his many naval accomplishments, Joe commanded three destroyers, a destroyer tender, and as a commodore, led a squadron of six destroyers to Vietnam. He was a veteran of WWII, and the Vietnam War.
Upon retirement from the Navy, Joe chose to go back to teaching as he did previously at the Naval Academy, and at Tufts University.
In 1980, Joe and his wife, Betty, retired to Florida. Joe enjoyed traveling extensively, golfing, and was an avid Philadelphia Phillies fan.
Joe is survived by his wife, Betty of 56 years; a daughter, Maryellen; four sons, Joseph James III, Thomas Michael, Peter Thaddeus, and Daniel Francis; daughter, Elizabeth Anne; and six grandchildren.
A Memorial Service will be held at St. Jerome Catholic Church on Thursday, Oct. 11 at 10:30 am in the chapel.
Inurnment at Arlington National Cemetery.
World War II/Asiatic-Pacific Theater/Surrender of Japan, End of WWII
From Month/Year
August / 1945
To Month/Year
August / 1945
Description The surrender of the Empire of Japan was announced by Imperial Japan on August 15 and formally signed on September 2, 1945, bringing the hostilities of World War II to a close. By the end of July 1945, the Imperial Japanese Navy was incapable of conducting major operations and an Allied invasion of Japan was imminent. Together with the United Kingdom and China, the United States called for the unconditional surrender of the Japanese armed forces in the Potsdam Declaration on July 26, 1945—the alternative being "prompt and utter destruction". While publicly stating their intent to fight on to the bitter end, Japan's leaders (the Supreme Council for the Direction of the War, also known as the "Big Six") were privately making entreaties to the still-neutral Soviet Union to mediate peace on terms more favorable to the Japanese. Meanwhile, the Soviets were preparing to attack Japanese forces in Manchuria and Korea (in addition to southern Sakhalin and the Kuril Islands) in fulfillment of promises they had secretly made to the United States and the United Kingdom at the Tehran and Yalta Conferences.
My Participation in This Battle or Operation
From Month/Year
August / 1945
To Month/Year
August / 1945
Last Updated: Mar 16, 2020
Personal Memories
Memories QUINCY stood out of Hampton Roads 5 March 1945, arriving Pearl Harbor the 20th. After training in the Pearl Harbor area, she steamed for Ulithi via Eniwetok, joining the 5th Fleet there 11 April. Two days later, she departed Ulithi and joined Rear Admiral Wiltse's Cruiser Division 10, in Vice Admiral Mitscher's Fast Carrier Task Force. From 16 April, QUINCY supported the carriers in their strikes on Okinawa, Amami Gunto, and Minami Daito Shima. She returned to Ulithi with units of the task force 30 April.
In company with units of TF 58, QUINCY departed Ulithi 9 May for the area east of Kyushu, arriving 12 May for carrier strikes against Amami Gunto and Kyushu. Before dawn on 14 May, the cruiser splashed a Japanese plane. Her own aircraft strafed targets in Omonawa on Tokune Shima 19 May. QUINCY continued to support carrier aircraft strikes against Okinawa, Tokuno Shima, Kikai Jima, Amami Gunto, and Asumi Gunto until the force returned to base 13 June. Enroute, QUINCY safely rode out the severe typhoon of 5 June.
During the period of replenishment and upkeep at Leyte Rear Admiral Wiltse, ComCruDiv 10 transferred to QUINCY. The cruiser departed Leyte 1 July with Task Force 38 to begin a period of strikes at Japan's home islands which lasted until the termination of hostilities. She supported carriers in strikes in the Tokyo Plains area, Honshu, Hokkaido, and Shikoku.
QUINCY joined the Support Force, 23 August, and four days later, helped occupy Sagami Wan, Japan, and entered Tokyo Bay 1 September.
