World War II Honoree

Earl Beck

Branch of Service

U.S. Navy

Hometown

Union City, Michigan

Honored By

Robert S. Cox

SWORN INTO NAVAL SERVICE IN DECEMBER 1939 IN DETROIT, MICHIGAN AT AGE 18. AFTER BASIC TRAINING AT THE NAVAL TRAINING STATION, NEWPORT, RHODE ISLAND, ASSIGNED TO THE DESTROYER TENDER USS WHITNEY (AD-4) BASED AT SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA. SAILED TO HAWAII IN THE SPRING AND AUTUMN OF 1940 AND WAS BASED AT PEARL HARBOR UNTIL DEPARTING HAWAII FOR SAN DIEGO IN AUGUST 1941. IN SEPTEMBER 1941 VOLUNTEERED AND WAS ACCEPTED FOR SUBMARINE DUTY. ATTENDED THE 6-WEEK SUBMARINE SCHOOL AND THEN THE 2-WEEK DIESEL COURSE AT NEW LONDON, CONNECTICUT. REMAINED THERE ASSIGNED TO THE WWI SUBMARINE O-3 (SS-64) FOR FURTHER TRAINING WITH DUTIES IN THE ENGINE ROOM. REASSIGNED TO THE SUBMARINE USS MARLIN (SS-205) AT NEW LONDON WITH DUTIES AS AN OILER TAKING PART IN PATROLLING AND TRAINING ACTIVITIES. REASSIGNED TO THE NEWLY COMMISSIONED SUBMARINE USS REDFISH (SS-395) IN APRIL 1944. PART OF THE ORIGINAL CREW; A 'PLANK OWNER.' AFTER SHAKEDOWN AND TRAINING CRUISES SAILED THROUGH THE PANAMA CANAL AND ARRIVED AT THE WARTIME BASE AT PEARL HARBOR, HAWAII ON JUNE 27, 1944. SERVED IN THE ASIATIC-PACIFIC THEATER AS A MEMBER OF THE 'BLACK GANG' ENGINE ROOM CREW, AND ALSO SERVED AS NUMBER 3-MAN ON THE 5-INCH DECK GUN. DEPARTED HAWAII ON HIS FIRST COMBAT PATROL ON JULY 23, 1944. HIS SHIP SANK A JAPANESE CARGO SHIP ON AUGUST 25TH, A TANKER ON SEPTEMBER 16TH, AND A TRANSPORT ON SEPTEMBER 21ST, ALL OFF FORMOSA. AFTER REARMING, REPAIR AND MAINTENANCE AT MIDWAY, SAILED ON OCTOBER 25, 1944 ON HIS NEXT PATROL. HIS SHIP SANK A TRANSPORT SHIP ON NOVEMBER 23RD AND, WHILE SUPPORTING OPERATIONS IN THE PHILIPPINE ISLANDS, INFLICTED HEAVY DAMAGE ON THE JAPANESE LIGHT AIRCRAFT CARRIER HAYATAKA ON DECEMBER 9TH. ON DECEMBER 19TH WHILE RUNNING ON THE SURFACE IN THE EAST CHINA SEA, WERE TAKEN UNDER ATTACK AND FORCED TO SUBMERGE BY A JAPANESE AIRCRAFT USING DEPTH CHARGES. LATER IN THE AFTERNOON HIS BOAT SPOTTED THE JAPANESE AIRCRAFT CARRIER UNRYU AND FIRED AN INITIAL BRACE OF TORPEDOES THAT CRIPPLED THE CARRIER. THE REDFISH WAS TAKEN UNDER ATTACK BY ENEMY DESTROYERS AND FIRES FROM OTHER SURFACE SHIPS BUT CONTINUED TO PRESS THE ATTACK. ANOTHER TORPEDO BROKE THE UNRYU APART AND IT SANK SOME 32 MINUTES AFTER BEING SPOTTED. HIS SUB THEN DOVE TO 232 FEET BEFORE SETTLING ON THE BOTTOM. A SERIES OF DEPTH CHARGES FORCED THE HULL DOWN ONTO THE ENGINE WHILE HE WAS WORKING AS THROTTLE MAN IN THE ENGINE ROOM, CAUSED FIRE IN THE MANEUVERING ROOM, CAUSED LOSS OF HYDRAULIC POWER, JAMMED STEERING GEARS, AND CRACKED THE PRESSURE HULL IN THE FORWARD TORPEDO ROOM. HE TOOK ACTION TO CLOSE A SEA VALVE THAT HAD BEEN FORCED OPEN BY THE PRESSURE AND WOULD HAVE FLOODED THE SUB. UNABLE TO REMAIN SUBMERGED, THE BOAT WAS RIGGED FOR SILENT RUNNING, SURFACED AND ESCAPED JAPANESE PURSUIT IN THE DARKNESS AT FLANK SPEED. THE REDFISH WAS SO BADLY DAMAGED THAT SHE RETURNED TO THE PORTSMOUTH NAVAL SHIPYARD FOR MAJOR REPAIRS ON FEBRUARY 17, 1945. AWARDED THE NAVY PRESIDENTIAL UNIT CITATION FOR HIS OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE DURING COMBAT OPERATIONS ABOARD THE REDFISH. REMAINED IN THE SERVICE AFTER THE WAR AND RETIRED IN 1963.