World War II Honoree

Theodore Edson Chandler

Branch of Service

U.S. Navy

Hometown

Washington, District Of Columbia

Honored By

John Peterson

ON 8 DECEMBER 1944, HE WAS SHIFTED TO COMMAND OF CRUDIV 4 AND FLEW HIS FLAG ABOVE LOUISVILLE CA-28. DURING THE VOYAGE FROM LEYTE TO LINGAYEN FOR THE INVASION OF LUZON, HIS CRUISERS CAME UNDER HEAVY JAPANESE AIR ATTACKS. LATE IN THE AFTERNOON OF 5 JANUARY 1945, A GROUP OF SUICIDE PLANES SWOOPED IN ON THE FORCE THEN ABOUT 100 MILES FROM MANILA BAY. ONE OF THE FOUR SUCCESSFUL KAMIKAZES CRASHED INTO THE FLAGSHIP AT HER NUMBER 2 TURRET, BUT SHE CONTINUED IN HER MISSION. THE NEXT DAY, HOWEVER, THE CRUISER SUFFERED MORE SEVERELY DURING A REPEAT PERFORMANCE. AT 17:30, ANOTHER SUICIDE PLANE PLUNGED INTO THE CRUISER'S STARBOARD SIDE AT THE BRIDGE. EVEN THOUGH HORRIBLY BURNED HE HELPED DEPLOY FIRE HOSES TO STOP THE FLAMES AND THEN WAITED HIS TURN FOR FIRST AID. HE DIED THE NEXT DAY IN SPITE OF THE EFFORTS OF THE MEDICAL DEPARTMENT. IN OCTOBER 1945, THE DESTROYER USS THEODORE E. CHANDLER DD-717 WAS NAMED IN HIS HONOR.