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Rear Admiral Francis Thomas Spellman, USN Defenders of the American Constitution Sovereign Military Order of Malta (SMOM)
Date of birth: February 23, 1895
Date of death: October 28, 1972
Place of Birth: Jamaica Plain, Massachusetts
Home of record: Boston, Massachusetts
Francis Spellman graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy at Annapolis, Class of 1917. Advanced directly to the temporary rank of Lieutenant Junior Grade (act of May 22, 1917). He retired as a U.S. Navy Rear Admiral.
Awards and Citations
Silver Star
Awarded for actions during World War II
The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Captain Francis Thomas Spellman (NSN: 0-10845), United States Navy, for distinguished service in the line of his profession while in command of a Cruiser during the action for the occupation of the Gilbert Islands, 18 to 26 November 1943. The cruiser under his command effectively bombarded enemy shore installations at Bititu Island in the face of fire from shore batteries and retired without damage. The Task Group of which his ship was a part maintained its position within easy bombing range of enemy bases for a period of eight days during which time the Task Group was twice under heavy torpedo attack by enemy planes. One of these attacks was pressed home to close quarters in the face of heavy anti-aircraft fire from our ships, but only one of our vessels was damaged. His courageous and intelligent leadership not only brought his own ship through safely, but materially contributed to the defense of the entire Task Group and the success of its mission. His actions were in accordance with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.
General Orders: Commander in Chief Pacific: Serial 01891 (May 14, 1944) Action Date: November 18 - 26, 1943 Service: Navy Rank: Captain Company: Commanding Officer Division: United States Cruiser
Legion of Merit with Combat "V"
Awarded for actions during World War II
The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Legion of Merit with Combat "V" to Captain Francis Thomas Spellman (NSN: 0-10845), United States Navy, for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services to the Government of the United States in the removal of a burning ship from a congested harbor area. During a raid by enemy bombing planes on the Harbor of Oran, Algeria, on 19 May 1943, the SS SAMUEL GRIFFIN loaded with a cargo of gasoline was on fire from a bomb hit and in danger of exploding and thereby doing enormous damage to shipping and harbor facilities. This possible major catastrophe was averted by the initiative and courage of Captain Spellman, who without thought of his own personal safety and with an expert display of seamanship, boarded the ship and took charge of the operations of towing her from the harbor. The outstanding leadership, resourcefulness, and devotion to duty displayed by Captain Spellman were in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service. (Captain Spellman is authorized to wear the Combat "V".)
General Orders: Commander U.S. Naval Forces Northwest African Waters: Serial 0271 (August 3, 1943) Action Date: May 19, 1943 Service: Navy Rank: Captain
Legion of Merit with Combat "V"
Awarded for actions during World War II
The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting a Gold Star in lieu of a Second Award of the Legion of Merit with Combat "V" to Captain Francis Thomas Spellman (NSN: 0-10845), United States Navy, for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services to the Government of the United States as Commanding Officer of the U.S.S. CHESTER (CA-27) during combat operations against the enemy from 1 January to 16 July 1944. During this period he participated in the Marshall Islands Campaign, 23 January to 17 March 1944, several bombardments of Wotje Island during January and February 1944, the bombardment of Matsuwa, Kurile Islands on 13 June 1944, and the bombardment of Kurabu Zaki, Paramushiru, Kurile Islands, on 26 June 1944. He also served as the Commander of a Task Unit on independent duty during a portion of the above period. At all times he handled his ship with courageous skill and his disregard for personal safety and steadfast devotion to duty were in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service. (Captain Spellman is authorized to wear the Combat "V".)
General Orders: Commander in Chief Pacific: Serial 04898 (September 25, 1944) Action Date: January 1 - July 16, 1944 Service: Navy Rank: Captain Company: Commanding Officer Division: U.S.S. Chester (CA-27)
Other Comments:
World War II/Asiatic-Pacific Theater/Guadalcanal Campaign (1942-43)
From Month/Year
August / 1942
To Month/Year
February / 1943
Description The Guadalcanal Campaign, also known as the Battle of Guadalcanal and codenamed Operation Watchtower by Allied forces, was a military campaign fought between 7 August 1942 and 9 February 1943 on and around the island of Guadalcanal in the Pacific theatre of World War II. It was the first major offensive by Allied forces against the Empire of Japan.
On 7 August 1942, Allied forces, predominantly American, landed on the islands of Guadalcanal, Tulagi, and Florida in the southern Solomon Islands with the objective of denying their use by the Japanese to threaten the supply and communication routes between the US, Australia, and New Zealand. The Allies also intended to use Guadalcanal and Tulagi as bases to support a campaign to eventually capture or neutralize the major Japanese base at Rabaul on New Britain. The Allies overwhelmed the outnumbered Japanese defenders, who had occupied the islands since May 1942, and captured Tulagi and Florida, as well as an airfield (later named Henderson Field) that was under construction on Guadalcanal. Powerful US naval forces supported the landings.
Surprised by the Allied offensive, the Japanese made several attempts between August and November 1942 to retake Henderson Field. Three major land battles, seven large naval battles (five nighttime surface actions and two carrier battles), and continual, almost daily aerial battles culminated in the decisive Naval Battle of Guadalcanal in early November 1942, in which the last Japanese attempt to bombard Henderson Field from the sea and land with enough troops to retake it was defeated. In December 1942, the Japanese abandoned further efforts to retake Guadalcanal and evacuated their remaining forces by 7 February 1943 in the face of an offensive by the US Army's XIV Corps, conceding the island to the Allies.
The Guadalcanal campaign was a significant strategic combined arms victory by Allied forces over the Japanese in the Pacific theatre. The Japanese had reached the high-water mark of their conquests in the Pacific, and Guadalcanal marked the transition by the Allies from defensive operations to the strategic offensive in that theatre and the beginning of offensive operations, including the Solomon Islands, New Guinea, and Central Pacific campaigns, that resulted in Japan's eventual surrender and the end of World War II.
My Participation in This Battle or Operation
From Month/Year
August / 1942
To Month/Year
December / 1942
Last Updated: Mar 16, 2020
Personal Memories
Memories Chester was based at Pearl Harbor beginning in early 1941 and escorted two U.S. Army transports to the Philippines in October and November of that year. She was at sea when Japan began the Pacific War with their 7 December 1941 suprise attack on Pearl Harbor and operated in the Hawaiian area during the weeks that followed that raid. In January 1942, the cruiser took part in the reinforcement of Allied positions in the southern Pacific. On 1 February, she was damaged by a Japanese bomb during a raid on enemy facilities in the Marshall Islands. After repairs, Chester went back to the south Pacific, where in early May she participated in the Battle of the Coral Sea.
Overhauled on the west coast during the Summer of 1942, Chester was next assigned to take part in the Guadalcanal campaign, but had only spent about a month in the area when she was torpedoed by a Japanese submarine on 20 October and had to return to the U.S. for extensive repairs. She was back in the Pacific war zone in September 1943 and during the next six months participated in the invasions of the Gilbert and Marshall Islands. Sent to the North Pacific in late May 1944, Chester bombarded Japanese-held islands in the Kuriles during June. Moving to the central Pacific, she shelled Wake and Marcus Islands in September and October, then steamed west to participate in the Leyte operation and the resulting Battle of Leyte Gulf.
