Howard W. Gilmore
Selma Alabama native, CDR Howard W. Gilmore was The first U.S. submariner to receive the Medal of Honor in World War II,
 Click image to view full size | Howard Walter Gilmore was born in Selma Alabama in 1902. He entered the U. S. Naval Academy in 1926 after serving some time as an enlisted member of the U.S. Navy. Gilmore graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy 34th in his class of 456. CDR Gilmore took command of the USS Growler (SS215) in April of 1942, just 4 months after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor.He made the ultimate sacrifice on Feb. 7, 1943. Wounded on deck by Machine gun fire he chose the safety of his ship and crew over his own life. He ordered his ship to dive for safety while he remained on deck to be washed into the sea. In the war memorial plaza at Selma's "Block Park" a monument stands in honor of Commander Gilmore's heoric scrifice. |
"For conspicuous gallantry and valor above and beyond the call of duty as Commanding Officer of the USS GROWLER during her Fourth War Patrol in the Southwest Pacific from 10 January to 7 February 1943. Boldly striking at the enemy in spite of continuous hostile air and anti-submarine patrols, Commander Gilmore sank one Japanese freighter and damaged another by torpedo fire, successfully evading severe depth charges following each attack. In the darkness of night on 7 February, an enemy gunboat closed range and prepared to ram the GROWLER. Commander Gilmore daringly maneuvered to avoid the crash and rammed the attacker instead, ripping into her port side at 17 knots and bursting wide her plates. In the terrific fire of the sinking gunboat's heavy machine guns, Commander Gilmore calmly gave the order to clear the bridge, and refusing safety for himself, remained on deck while his men preceded him below. Struck down by the fusillade of bullets and having done his utmost against the enemy, in his final living moments, Commander Gilmore gave the last order to the deck, 'Take her down.' The GROWLER dived; seriously damaged but under control, she was brought safely to port by her well-trained crew inspired by the courageous fighting spirit of their dead captain
Commander Submarine Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet (COMSUBPAC) Press Release
Howard W. Gilmore - American Hero.
by JOCS(SW/AW) Darrell D. Ames
Pearl Harbor, HI -- One of the most inspiring legends of the submarine force to emerge from World War II was a selfless act of heroism by submarine commander Howard W. Gilmore. The Selma, Alabama native immortalized the phrase "take her down" as he courageously gave his life to save his ship.
Gilmore took command of the USS Growler (SS 215) in March, 1942 and sailed her into the Pacific theater. The ship, the fourth boat of the 81-ship Gato (SS 212) class, left Brisbane, Australia January 1, 1943 on her sixth war patrol. On January 16, Growler sank a 6,000-ton Japanese passenger-cargo ship and, on the final day of the month, attacked a 2,500-ton converted gunboat without success.
On the night of February 7, while charging batteries, CDR Gilmore saw what he believed to be the converted gunboat he had failed to sink just a week before. It was, however, a 900-ton provision ship, but Growler had already gone to battle stations and was in pursuit. The enemy ship spotted Growler from a mile away and turned towards the sub to ram it head on. Growler’s crew was slow to detect the target’s change in course.
Gilmore's family believed he had been born under an "unlucky star." It was now shining brightly. The small ship suddenly emerged out of the darkness dead ahead while Gilmore, on the bridge, sounded the collision alarm and shouted, "left full rudder!" Gilmore intended to avoid both ramming and being rammed. However, the swing of the ship left put Growler on collision course and she struck the enemy boat amidships while traveling at 17 knots.
The massive impact sent Growler heeling 50 degrees and threw everyone below decks off their feet. The crew of the gunboat immediately manned their machine guns and let out with a deadly spray of bullets across Growler’s bridge. The assistant officer of the deck, Ensign William Williams, and lookout, Fireman Kelley, were killed instantly. Gilmore, wounded, was clinging to the bridge frame while the enemy machine guns roared. Amid the chaos several other crewmembers on the bridge could hear Gilmore give the order, "Clear the bridge!"
The officer of the deck, the quartermaster, and two wounded lookouts hurried down the hatch into the conning tower. The executive officer, LCDR Arnold Schade, stood at the foot of the ladder waiting for Gilmore to come down. Realizing that he could not get below in time if the ship were to be saved, Gilmore chose to make the supreme sacrifice for his shipmates. Then came the final command from the skipper - one that would become submarine legend.
"Take her down!"
"Do I save the ship or save the captain," his mind raced. The XO decided to follow his captain's final order and save the ship. He gave orders to dive and Growler disappeared below the waves, leaving Howard Gilmore, along with the bodies of Williams and Kelley, topside. No one knows how long Gilmore lived in the water and the Japanese apparently made no effort to capture him. It is believed he drifted off into the darkness, carried off by the winds and current into immortality.
Beneath the waves, LCDR Schade, dazed and bruised from a fall from the conning tower to the control room, turned his focus to the battle at hand. The impact of the collision had bent 18 feet of Growler’s bow, rendering her forward torpedo tubes useless. Saltwater poured through bullet holes in the conning tower. Schade gave orders to surface and sink the enemy boat, but realized the seas were empty when she came up. It was initially believed the enemy had gone down following the collision and subsequent machine gun attack, but the ship had simply departed the area, living to fight on, as did Growler.
The XO was able to get the leaks repaired and limped slowly back to Brisbane. Upon returning Growler received an endorsement from RADM James J. Fife, task force commander. "The performance of the officers and crew in effecting repairs and bringing the ship safely back to base is one of the outstanding submarine feats of the war to date," said Fife. "Growler will be repaired and will fight again," he added.
Growler did fight again, sinking four more enemy vessels before sadly going down herself with all hands in November, 1944 under the command of CDR Thomas B. Oakley.
For sacrificing his own life to save his ship, CDR Howard W. Gilmore was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor, the first man of the submarine force to be so decorated. Subsequently, the submarine tender USS Howard W. Gilmore (AS 16) was named for him and sponsored by his widow. Even today - more than 50 years later - "take her down" remains one of the legendary phrases of the U.S. Submarine Force.
Submarine Hero - Howard Walter Gilmore by Edward Whitman
USS GROWLER (SS 215) November 8, 1944 - 86 Men Lost
USS Growler (SS-215) Wikipedia
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