USS Franklin (CV-13)
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On the 19 March 1945 only 50 miles off the coast of Japan, the US Naval Carrier commonly referred to as "Big Ben" was devastatingly bombed by Japanese aircraft.
Its casualty list of hundreds dead and hundreds more wounded was the highest in Naval history at that time and when she finally limped into Pearl Harbour it was considered the most damaged ship to ever reach port. Aboard the USS Franklin during this ordeal was a Chaplain named Joseph T. O'Callahan. He received the first Congressional Medal of Honor ever awarded a navy chaplain for his gallantry above and beyond the call of duty and wrote a book recalling the events and the heroic exploits of the men on the USS Franklin entitled "I was Chaplain on the Franklin" published by the Macmillan Company in 1956. This first hand account of the attack and the heroic exploits of the men to save their fellow crew members and ship makes very interesting reading for anyone interested in the USS Franklin and its men. Additionally, the Appendix includes a listing of the composition of Task Force 58 during the period 14 through 22 March 1945 as well as a listing of men attached to the USS Franklin who were awarded decorations for action on 19 March 1945, several of whom are mentioned in Father O'Callahan's inspiring account of this tragic event. Included on this website is an alphabetical index of names appearing in the award section of the appendix. Information includes First and Last Names, class/rank, award received and the number of the page in the appendix where it can be found. Since this file is in txt format you will need to use your browser's back button to return to this page. VIEW THE ALPHABETICAL INDEX FOR MORE INFORMATION concerning the USS Franklin, its history and its men, I strongly recommend the following websites: US Navy - A Brief History of Aircraft Carriers: Attack on USS Franklin (CV 13) Naval Historical Center Online Library US People-- O'Callahan, Joseph T. Naval Historical Center Online Library US People-- Gary, Donald A. Naval Historical Center Online Library US Navy Ships-- USS Franklin (CV-13) CV-13 U.S.S. Franklin at NavyHistorycom USS Franklin Homepage NavSource Online: Aircraft Carrier Photo Archive CV-13 USS FRANKLIN The Carrier Project: CV-13 USS Franklin |
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