World War II Honoree

Melvin Donald O'Connell

Branch of Service

U.S. Navy

Hometown

San Francisco, California

Honored By

U.S. Submarine Veterans, Inc.

Relationship

Shipmates

CHIEF ELECTRICIAN'S MATE. KILLED IN ACTION ONBOARD USS SEALION SS-195. THE USS SEALION WAS THE FIRST SUBMARINE VICTIM OF ENEMY ACTION. THE SEALION WAS SUNK ON DECEMBER 10, 1941 IN THE FINAL STAGES OF OVERHAUL AT THE NAVY YARD, CAVITE, PHILIPPINES WHEN IT TOOK TWO DIRECT HITS IN THE JAPANESE AIR RAID WHICH DEMOLISHED THE NAVY YARD. THE FIRST BOMB STRUCK THE AFTER END OF HER CONNING TOWER AND EXPLODED OUTSIDE THE HULL, OVER THE CONTROL ROOM. THE SECOND SMASHED THROUGH A MAIN BALLAST TANK AND THE PRESSURE HULL TO EXPLODE IN THE AFTER ENGINE ROOM, KILLING THE FOUR MEN THEN WORKING THERE. A FRAGMENT OF THE BOMB PIERCED THE CONNING TOWER OF THE INBOARD SEADRAGON KILLING ENSIGN SAM HUNTER, THE FIRST SUBMARINE CASUALTY OF THE WAR.