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Robert Cox, YNCS
to remember
Sample, William Dodge, RADM.
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Contact Info
Home Town Buffalo, NY
Date of Passing Oct 02, 1945
Location of Interment Arlington National Cemetery (VLM) - Arlington, Virginia
During the Leyte invasion, Rear Admiral Sample "desired a better view of operations" and decided to hitch a ride in a torpedo bomber. He lay in the "tunnel gun" position and observed through the window below the tail. The plane was hit by antiaircraft fire. Sample was severely cut on the head and shoulders. James C. Edinger, ARM3c, USNR, of Foxburg, Pennsylvania, came down from the "blister" where he was manning a .50 in (13 mm) machine gun, and applied first aid. Edinger said that it took them more than an hour to return to Marcus Island, during which he kept kicking Sample in the face with his foot to keep the Admiral from passing out. Sample was a big man: Edinger was afraid that if they ended up in the water, he wouldn't be able to get him out of the plane. Each time Sample would warn Edinger to make sure the .30 cal machine gun in the tail was empty. He was afraid that when they landed the gun would go off. Later, Sample explained to Edinger that he could see the headlines in the paper, "Admiral lands upon carrier: shoots hole in deck". According to the ship's surgeon, Commander Lee, "the excellence of Edinger's treatment helped prevent infection". Admiral Sample was awarded the Purple Heart, and at Sample's request, Edinger was promoted to Aviation Radio Man, Second Class.
On 2 October 1945, shortly after the war ended, Sample was listed as missing after his Martin PBM Mariner aircraft failed to return from a familiarization flight near Wakayama, Japan. Rear Admiral Sample was officially declared dead on 3 October 1946.
The remains of Sample, Capt. Charles C. McDonald of Suwannee (CVE-27), and the seven members of the flight crew were discovered in the wreckage of the aircraft on 19 November 1948, recovered, and returned to the United States to be interred together at ArlingtonNationalCemetery on 17 May 1949.
Other Comments:
Rear Admiral (RADM) William Dodge Sample, United States Navy, Service Number: O-34596
Early Life
William Dodge Sample was born on 9 March 1898 in Buffalo, Erie County, New York. His nickname was “Bill”. His father, William Roderick Sample, born 29 June 1866 in Memphis, Tennessee, died 12 September 1956 in Fort McPherson, Georgia, was a Brigadier General in the U.S. Army. His mother, Bettie M. Saunders was born on 16 August 1869 in Georgia and died on 22 April 1920 in Atlanta, Fulton County, Georgia. William’s parents were married on 27 May 1891 in Birmingham, Jefferson County, Alabama. William was the younger of two sons in the family; he had a younger sister. After his mother died, his father married Carolyn (surname unknown) (1873-1949).
On 18 April 1928, in Florida, he married Mary Lee Lamar, born 5 November 1906 in Pensacola, Escambia County, Florida, died 30 Oct 2006 (aged 99) in Washington, District of Columbia. They had one daughter. After his death, in 1948, Mary Lee married George Whelan Anderson Jr. (1906-1992) who was the Chief of Naval Operations from 1961-1963 and U.S. Ambassador to Portugal 1963-1966.
Military
William Dodge Sample attended the U.S. Naval Academy, Class of 1919, although his class graduated one year early in 1918, due to the outbreak of World War I. He was designated as a Naval Aviator in 1923. At the time of his death, he was the Commander of Carrier Division 22.
During World War I, Sample served aboard the transport Henderson. For meritorious service during a fire onboard Henderson, he received a letter of commendation from the Secretary of the Navy. Detached in August 1918, he served on several destroyers based at Queenstown, Ireland. He remained in the European Waters Detachment after the end of World War I.
In December 1921, Sample was transferred to the gunboat Pampanga in the Asiatic Fleet.
Sample attended flight training at Naval Air Station Pensacola, Florida and was designated a Naval Aviator on June 23, 1923. Shortly thereafter, he served as Commanding Officer of Scouting Squadron VS-1. In the 1920s, he successively served in the Aviation Departments of the light cruisers Raleigh and Richmond, and battleships Arizona and New York.
Sample served on board the aircraft carriers Saratoga and Lexington, commanding Fighter Squadron VF-5 on the latter from 1932-1934. Promoted to Lieutenant Commander, Sample saw duty at the Bureau of Aeronautics from 1935-1937 followed by duty as Navigator on Ranger in 1938. In 1939, Sample was assigned as Air Operations Officer on Yorktown. His last duty before World War II was as Supervisor of Aviation Training at Naval Air Station, Pensacola, Florida.
World War II
At the outbreak of World War II, he assisted in the conversion of the oil tanker Santee into an escort carrier. Shortly thereafter, he was promoted to Commander. Assuming command of Santee on her commissioning, he was awarded a letter of commendation for service during Operation Torch; the invasion of North Africa.
Captain Sample assumed command of Intrepid on April 19, 1944. In May 1944, he was transferred to serve as Commanding Officer of Hornet and in the ensuing months participated in the Battle of the Philippine Sea and a strike against the Volcano Islands.
In late summer 1944, Sample was promoted to rear admiral, planting his flag aboard the escort carrier Marcus Island as Commander, Carrier Division 27 (CarDiv 27), for the invasion of Palau. In October 1944, at the Battle of Leyte Gulf, his CarDiv 27 was part of Task Unit 77.4.2 (TU 77.4.2, otherwise known as Taffy II) at the Battle off Samar under Rear Admiral Felix B. Stump. In early 1945, Commander, CarDiv 27, and Marcus Island supported the Invasion of Lingayen Gulf, Philippines. For the Invasion of Okinawa, Sample moved his flag to CarDiv 22 and Suwannee.
During the Leyte invasion, Rear Admiral Sample "desired a better view of operations" and decided to hitch a ride in a torpedo bomber. He lay in the "tunnel gun" position and observed through the window below the tail. The plane was hit by antiaircraft. Sample was severely cut on the head and shoulders. James C. Edinger, ARM3c, USNR, of Foxburg, Pennsylvania), came down from the "blister" where he was manning a .50 in (12.7 mm) machine gun, and applied first aid. Edinger said that it took them more than an hour to return to Marcus Island, during which he kept kicking Sample in the face with his foot to keep the Admiral from passing out. Sample was a big man: Edinger was afraid that if they ended up in the water, he would be unable to get him out of the plane. Each time Sample would warn Edinger to make sure the .30 in (7.6 mm) machine gun in the tail was empty. He was afraid that when they landed the gun would go off. Later, in the state room Sample explained to Edinger that he could see the headlines in the paper, "Admiral lands upon carrier: shoots hole in deck". According to the ship's surgeon, Commander Lee, “the excellence of Edinger's treatment helped prevent infection". Admiral Sample was awarded the Purple Heart, and at Sample's request, Edinger was promoted to Aviation Radio Man, Second Class.
The frigate USS Sample (FF-1048) was commissioned on March 23, 1968 in his honor.
VP-45 was initially established as Patrol Squadron 205 (VP-205) on 1 November 1942, redesignated Patrol Bombing Squadron 205 (VPB-205) on 1 October 1944.
Operational history:
1 November 1942: VP-205 was established at NAS Norfolk, Virginia, as a seaplane squadron flying the PBM-3 Mariner. During the first phase of training at NAS Norfolk, the squadron came under the operational control of FAW-5.
26 January – June 1943: Upon completion of the first phase of training, VP-205 was relocated to NS San Juan, Puerto Rico, with tender support provided by USS Albemarle. On 1 February 1943, the squadron came under the operational control of FAW-11. Training in advanced base operations continued along with regular operational patrol duties until June 1943. The squadron complement of aircraft was brought up to 13.
2–10 June 1943: VP-205 was relocated to NAS Trinidad, British West Indies. Duties consisted of antishipping and Anti-submarine warfare (ASW) patrols. New PBM-3S aircraft with improved radar replaced the older PBM-3C versions. On 10 June 1943, one of the new PBM-3S' was lost at sea during a patrol, possibly due to enemy action.
3 August 1943: A PBM piloted by Lieutenant (jg) C. C. Cox attacked a U-boat located on the surface and was shot down during the bomb run with the loss of all hands. Lieutenant Cox's attack resulted in the sinking of the submarine, later identified as U-572.
6 August 1943: A Mariner piloted by Lieutenant Anthony Matuski attacked a U-boat on the surface and was shot down with the loss of all hands. The heavily damaged submarine, U-615, was later sunk by other aircraft.
7 July 1944: VP-205 was relocated to NAS Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. Duties consisted of long-range ASW patrols and convoy coverage.
19 September 1944: VP-205 was relieved for return to NAS Norfolk. Personnel were given rehabilitation leave upon arrival and the PBM-3S aircraft were turned in for replacement with the PBM-5 version.
17 October 1944: Squadron personnel began returning from leave and check out in the new PBM-5 aircraft began. Reforming of the squadron and its assets was completed by the end of the month, and VPB-205 received orders to relocate to NAAS Harvey Point, North Carolina, for training.
29 November 1944 – 30 January 1945: Upon completion of training the squadron's area of operation was changed from the Atlantic to the Pacific. The cross-country flights from NAS Harvey Point to NAS San Diego, California, and then on to NAS Alameda, California, commenced with all aircraft arriving safely by 1 December. Upon arrival, aircrews began preparing their aircraft for the imminent trans-Pacific flight to NAS Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii. During this period the squadron came under the operational control of FAW-8. The first elements of the squadron began their transPac to NAS Kaneohe Bay on 21 December, with all aircraft arriving safely two days later. Operational training began immediately after the crews had settled into quarters. While at NAS Kaneohe Bay the squadron came under the operational control of FAW-2. From 23 to 30 January 1945, the squadron made several ferry flights between NAS Kaneohe Bay and NAS Alameda.
25 March 1945: VPB-205 relocated to the Mariana Islands operating under FAW-1. On 1 April 1945, the squadron moved temporarily ashore at NAB Tanapag, Saipan. From this location the squadron flew anti-shipping patrols, occasional Dumbo (air-sea rescue) missions and sector searches.
18 May 1945: VPB-205 was placed under the operational control of FAW-18 (TU 94.1.2). The squadron mission was changed from daytime to nighttime anti-shipping patrols.
25 August 1945: VPB-205 was relocated from Saipan to Chimu Wan, Okinawa, under the operational control of FAW-1. Tender support was provided by USS St. George. Duties consisted of anti-shipping patrols and long-range searches.
23 September 1945: VPB-205 was relocated to Wakayama, Japan, to provide surveillance support during the military disarmament of Japan and courier/passenger services for the occupation forces. During this period the squadron came under the operational control of FAW-17.
21 November 1945: VPB-205 was relieved for return to NAS Norfolk, for a period of training and overhaul.
Death and Burial
William Dodge Sample was a passenger on a PBM-5 aircraft from VPB-205, (#34596) that crashed near Wakayama airbase in Honshu, Japan on 2 October 1945. The wreckage of the plane was not located until 19 November 1948. Initially buried in the Pacific theater, he was reinterred on 17 May 1949 at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Virginia, Section: 15A, Site: 78SH in a common grave with the others who perished in the crash.
Buried in the common grave are:
Rear Admiral William Dodge Sample, USN
Aviation Radioman Third Class Donald Harry Hawthorne, USNR
Seaman First Class Robert H. Johnson, USNR
Aviation Radioman Second Class Herbert Andrew Kilgour, USNR
Aviation Machinist’s Mate Second Class Frank Frederick Kissinger, USNR
Captain Charles C. McDonald, USN
Lieutenant Gilbert D. Lizer, USNR
Ensign Kazimer Olenski, USNR
Aviation Machinist’s Mate Third Class Jack C. Mallory, USNR
Aviation Machinist’s Mate Third Class Albert J. Schale Jr., USNR
This story is part of the Stories Behind the Stars project (see www.storiesbehindthestars.org). This is a national effort of volunteers to write the stories of all 400,000+ of the US WWII fallen saved on Together We Served and Fold3. Can you help write these stories? Related to this, there will be a smartphone app that will allow people to visit any war memorial or cemetery, scan the fallen's name and read his/her story.
If you noticed anything missing in this profile, you may contact the author by clicking on this link: (Mulvanny, Robert (Red) (SBTS Historian), CDR) at redandbon@outlook.com
Mariana and Palau Islands Campaign (1944)/Battle of Saipan
From Month/Year
June / 1944
To Month/Year
July / 1944
Description The Battle of Saipan was a battle of the Pacific campaign of World War II, fought on the island of Saipan in the Mariana Islands from 15 June–9 July 1944. The Allied invasion fleet embarking the expeditionary forces left Pearl Harbor on 5 June 1944, the day before Operation Overlord in Europe was launched. The U.S. 2nd Marine Division, 4th Marine Division, and 27th Infantry Division, commanded by Lieutenant General Holland Smith, defeated the 43rd Division of the Imperial Japanese Army, commanded by Lieutenant General Yoshitsugu Saito.
Bombardment of Saipan began on 13 June 1944. Fifteen battleships were involved, and 165,000 shells were fired. Seven modern fast battleships delivered twenty-four hundred 16 in (410 mm) shells, but to avoid potential minefields, fire was from a distance of 10,000 yd (9,100 m) or more, and crews were inexperienced in shore bombardment. The following day the eight older battleships and 11 cruisers under Admiral Jesse B. Oldendorf replaced the fast battleships but were lacking in time and ammunition.
The landings[4] began at 07:00 on 15 June 1944. More than 300 LVTs landed 8,000 Marines on the west coast of Saipan by about 09:00. Eleven fire support ships covered the Marine landings. The naval force consisted of the battleships Tennessee and California. The cruisers were Birmingham and Indianapolis. The destroyers were Norman Scott, Monssen, Colahan, Halsey Powell, Bailey, Robinson and Albert W. Grant. Careful Japanese artillery preparation — placing flags in the lagoon to indicate the range — allowed them to destroy about 20 amphibious tanks, and the Japanese strategically placed barbed wire, artillery, machine gun emplacements, and trenches to maximize the American casualties. However, by nightfall the 2nd and 4th Marine Divisions had a beachhead about 6 mi (10 km) wide and 0.5 mi (1 km) deep. The Japanese counter-attacked at night but were repulsed with heavy losses. On 16 June, units of the U.S. Army's 27th Infantry Division landed and advanced on the airfield at Ås Lito (which is now the location of Saipan International Airport). Again the Japanese counter-attacked at night. On 18 June, Saito abandoned the airfield.
The invasion surprised the Japanese high command, which had been expecting an attack further south. Admiral Soemu Toyoda, commander-in-chief of the Japanese Navy, saw an opportunity to use the A-Go force to attack the U.S. Navy forces around Saipan. On 15 June, he gave the order to attack. But the resulting battle of the Philippine Sea was a disaster for the Imperial Japanese Navy, which lost three aircraft carriers and hundreds of planes. The garrisons of the Marianas would have no hope of resupply or reinforcement.
Without resupply, the battle on Saipan was hopeless for the defenders, but the Japanese were determined to fight to the last man. Saito organized his troops into a line anchored on Mount Tapotchau in the defensible mountainous terrain of central Saipan. The nicknames given by the Americans to the features of the battle — "Hell's Pocket", "Purple Heart Ridge" and "Death Valley" — indicate the severity of the fighting. The Japanese used the many caves in the volcanic landscape to delay the attackers, by hiding during the day and making sorties at night. The Americans gradually developed tactics for clearing the caves by using flamethrower teams supported by artillery and machine guns.
The operation was marred by inter-service controversy when Marine General Holland Smith, unsatisfied with the performance of the 27th Division, relieved its commander, Army Major General Ralph C. Smith. However, General Holland Smith had not inspected the terrain over which the 27th was to advance. Essentially, it was a valley surrounded by hills and cliffs under Japanese control. The 27th took heavy casualties and eventually, under a plan developed by General Ralph Smith and implemented after his relief, had one battalion hold the area while two other battalions successfully flanked the Japanese.
By 7 July, the Japanese had nowhere to retreat. Saito made plans for a final suicidal banzai charge. On the fate of the remaining civilians on the island, Saito said, "There is no longer any distinction between civilians and troops. It would be better for them to join in the attack with bamboo spears than be captured." At dawn, with a group of 12 men carrying a great red flag in the lead, the remaining able-bodied troops — about 3,000 men — charged forward in the final attack. Amazingly, behind them came the wounded, with bandaged heads, crutches, and barely armed. The Japanese surged over the American front lines, engaging both army and Marine units. The 1st and 2nd Battalions of the 105th Infantry Regiment were almost destroyed, losing 650 killed and wounded. However, the fierce resistance of these two battalions, as well as that of Headquarters Company, 105th Infantry, and supply elements of 3rd Battalion, 10th Marine Artillery Regiment resulted in over 4,300 Japanese killed. For their actions during the 15-hour Japanese attack, three men of the 105th Infantry were awarded the Medal of Honor — all posthumously. Numerous others fought the Japanese until they were overwhelmed by the largest Japanese Banzai attack in the Pacific War.
By 16:15 on 9 July, Admiral Turner announced that Saipan was officially secured. Saito — along with commanders Hirakushi and Igeta — committed suicide in a cave. Also committing suicide at the end of the battle was Vice-Admiral Chuichi Nagumo — the naval commander who led the Japanese carriers at Pearl Harbor and Midway — who had been assigned to Saipan to direct the Japanese naval air forces based there.
In the end, almost the entire garrison of troops on the island — at least 30,000 — died. For the Americans, the victory was the most costly to date in the Pacific War. 2,949 Americans were killed and 10,464 wounded, out of 71,000 who landed. Hollywood actor Lee Marvin was among the many American wounded. He was serving with "I" Company, 24th Marine Regiment, when he was shot in the buttocks by Japanese machine gun fire during the assault on Mount Tapochau. He was awarded the Purple Heart and was given a medical discharge with the rank of Private First Class in 1945.
