World War II Honoree

John Phillip Cromwell

Branch of Service

U.S. Navy

Hometown

Henry, Illinois

Honored By

U.S. Submarine Veterans, Inc.

CAPTAIN, U.S. NAVY ONBOARD USS SCULPIN (SS 191). KILLED IN ACTION ON 19 NOVEMBER 1943 IN THE CAROLINE ISLANDS. DECORATIONS: MEDAL OF HONOR, LEGION OF MERIT, PURPLE HEART. USS SCULPIN LEFT PEARL HARBOR ON 5 NOVEMBER 1943. DURING THE PATROL, COMMANDER JOHN P. CROMWELL WAS PROMOTED TO CAPTAIN. WHILE ABOARD SCULPIN HE WAS TO TAKE CHARGE OF A COORDINATED ATTACK GROUP CONSISTING OF SCULPIN, SEARAVEN, AND EITHER APOGON OR SPEARFISH. AFTER TOPPING OFF WITH FUEL, SCULPIN LEFT JOHNSTON ISLAND ON 7 NOVEMBER 1943 TO CONDUCT HER NINTH WAR PATROL IN AN AREA IN THE CAROLINE ISLANDS. SCULPIN MADE RADAR CONTACT WITH A LARGE, HIGH-SPEED CONVOY ON THE NIGHT OF THE 18TH. IN THE SURFACE AND SUBMERGED BATTLE WITH A JAPANESE DESTROYER THAT FOLLOWED ON 19 NOVEMBER 1943 SCULPIN SUFFERED HEAVY DAMAGE THE ORDER WAS GIVEN TO ABANDON SHIP. BEFORE OPENING THE VENTS, THE CAPTAIN WAS INFORMED. HE POSSESSED VITAL INFORMATION CONCERNING THE FORTHCOMING ASSAULT ON THE GILBERT ISLANDS AND SUBSEQUENT OPERATIONS. FEARING HE MIGHT REVEAL THESE PLANS UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF TORTURE OR DRUGS, HE REFUSED TO LEAVE THE STRICKEN SUBMARINE GIVING HIS LIFE TO ESCAPE CAPTURE. WHEN USS SCULPIN WENT UNDER, 12 MEN WENT DOWN WITH THE BOAT. HE WAS POSTHUMOUSLY AWARDED THE MEDAL OF HONOR FOR HIS ACT OF HEROISM AND DEVOTION TO COUNTRY. FORTY-TWO MEN WERE RESCUED OF WHICH 22 WOULD DIE AS PRISONERS OF WAR. A TOTAL OF 62 MEN DIED.