World War II Honoree

John Daniel Crowley

Branch of Service

U.S. Navy

Hometown

Severna Park, Maryland

Honored By

U.S. Submarine Veteran

He survived the loss of 79 Officers and men on board USS FLIER (SS-250) on 13 August 1944 off the east coast of Balabac Island 7° 58' 43.21 N, 117° 15' 23.79 E. Decorations: Navy Cross, Legion of Merit. He was the Commanding Officer of USS FLIER when it left Fremantle, Western Australia on 2 August, 1944 to conduct her second war patrol. Her area was east of Saigon, French Indo-China, and she was to pass through Lombok Strait, Makassar Strait, the Celebes Sea, Sibutu Passage and the Sulu Sea in proceeding to her station. By evening of 13 August, she had come through the Sulu Sea and was transiting Balalbac Strait, south of Palawan, P.I. on the surface when, at 2200, disaster struck. Suddenly a terrific explosion, estimated to have been forward on the starboard side, shook the ship. He was thrown to the after part of the bridge, where he regained his senses a moment later. FLIER struck a naval mine. She sank in about a minute, but 15 officers and men were able to clamber out. Eight of them reached the beach of Byan Island after 17 hours in the water. He was one of the eight survivors. Philippine guerrillas guided them to a coast watcher, who arranged for them to be picked up by submarine, and on the night of 30–31 August, they were taken on board by USS REDFIN (SS-272). He went on to serve as the Commanding Officer of USS IREX (SS-482) where he served out the remainder of the war.