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Jerry Dealey-Family
to remember
Dealey, Samuel David, Jr. (MOH), CDR.
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Casualty Info
Home Town Dallas, TX
Last Address Dallas, TX
Casualty Date Aug 24, 1944
Cause KIA-Body Not Recovered
Reason Other Explosive Device
Location Pacific Ocean
Conflict World War II
Location of Interment Texas State Cemetery - Austin, Texas
Wall/Plot Coordinates M1 B 10 (memorial marker)
Official Badges
Unofficial Badges
Additional Information
Last Known Activity:
CDR Dealey is considered the most decorated sailor of WWII.
The USS Harder (SS-257) began her 6th War Patrol on August 5th, 1944 and formed a "wolfpack" with four other submarines. She sank two merchant ships before her final attack on August 24th. While the Hake escaped sinking, a depth charge attack sunk the Harder with all hands. Commander Dealey was listed as Missing in Action and later declared dead 2 October 1945.
Comments/Citation:
Service number: 063136
Medal of Honor
Awarded for Actions During World War II
Service: Navy
Division: U.S.S. Harder (SS-257)
Citation: The President of the United States of America, in the name of Congress, takes pride in presenting the Medal of Honor (Posthumously) to Commander Samuel David Dealey (NSN: 0-63136), United States Navy-
"for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty as Commanding Officer of the U.S.S. Harder (SS-257) during her Fifth War Patrol in Japanese-controlled waters. Floodlighted by a bright moon and disclosed to an enemy destroyer escort which bore down with intent to attack, Commander Dealey quickly dived to periscope depth and waited for the pursuer to close range, then opened fire, sending the target and all aboard down in flames with his third torpedo. Plunging deep to avoid fierce depth charges, he again surfaced and, within nine minutes after sighting another destroyer, had sent the enemy down tail first with a hit directly amidships. Evading detection, he penetrated the confined waters off Tawi Tawi with the Japanese Fleet base six miles away and scored death blows on two patrolling destroyers in quick succession. With his ship heeled over by concussion from the first exploding target and the second vessel nose-diving in a blinding detonation, he cleared the area at high speed. Sighted by a large hostile fleet force on the following day, he swung his bow toward the lead destroyer for another "down-the-throat" shot, fired three bow tubes and promptly crash-dived to be terrifically rocked seconds later by the exploding ship as the Harder passed beneath. This remarkable record of five vital Japanese destroyers sunk in five short-range torpedo attacks attests the valiant fighting spirit of Commander Dealey and his indomitable command."
SS-257 USS HARDER - Specifications and General comments
Date
Not Specified
Last Updated: Jul 6, 2007
Comments
Gato Class Submarine: Laid down, 1 December 1941, at the Electric Boat Co., Groton, CT.; Launched, 19 August 1942; Commissioned USS Harder (SS-257), 1 December 1942; Sunk on 6th patrol by depth charging in Davol Bay, west coast of Luzon Island, PI, 24 August 1944, all hands lost; off Philippines by IJN Patrol Vessel 102 (ex-USS Stewart captured in the DEI), 24 August 44 (6th war patrol) Struck from the Naval Register, (date unknown). Harder was awarded the Presidential Unit Citation and received 6 battle stars for World War II service.
Specifications: Displacement, Surfaced: 1,526 t., Submerged: 2,424 t.; Length 311' 9"; Beam 27' 3"; Draft 15' 3"; Speed, Surfaced 20.25 kts, Submerged 8.75 kts; Complement 6 Officers 54 Enlisted; Operating Depth, 300 ft; Submerged Endurance, 48 hrs at 2 kts; Patrol Endurance 75 days; Cruising Range, 11,000 miles surfaced at 10 kts; Armament, ten 21" torpedo tubes, six forward, four aft, 24 torpedoes, one 3"/50 deck gun, two .50 cal. machine guns, two .30 cal. machine guns; Propulsion, diesel electric reduction gear with four Hoover, Owens, Rentschler Co. main generator diesel engines, 5,400HP, Fuel Capacity, 97,140 gal., four Allis Chalmers Manufacturing Co. main motors, 2,740HP, two 126-cell main storage batteries, twin screws.
HARDER was officially credited with having sunk 20.5 enemy ships. This gave HARDER, one of the greatest fighting machines in the Pacific war, a total of 82,500 tons sunk and seven ships damaged.
Dealey and the HARDER were dubbed "The Destroyer Killer," and this intrepid submarine had created havoc among Japanese shipping. Her record of aggressive daring exploits became almost legendary. All six of her patrols were designated successful. She received the Presidential Unit Citation, and HARDER received the Presidential Unit Citation for her first five patrols, and Six Battles Stars. In accordance with Navy custom the Presidential Unit Citation was presented to USS HARDER (SS-568) upon her commissioning.
The resolute and resourceful Commander Dealey "a submariner's submariner," was posthumously awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor for his outstanding contribution to the war effort on HARDER's fifth patrol.
The success of Dealey and the HARDER in the "down the throat" shot changed the way submarines conducted the remainder of the war. Enemy destoyers were consequently promoted from a "5" on the prime target list, to a "2".
