World War II Honoree

Richard Semple Pick

Branch of Service

U.S. Navy

Hometown

Centralia, Illinois

Honored By

U.S. Submarine Veteran

He was killed with the loss of 79 Officers and men on board USS HARDER (SS-257) on 24 August 1944 off the west coast of Luzon at coordinates 15° 50'N, 119° 43'E Decorations: Purple Heart. Additionally USS HARDER received the Presidential Unit Citation for her first five patrols. Commander S.D. Dealey guided his eminently successful fighting ship, USS HARDER, out of the harbor at Fremantle, Australia on 5 August 1944 to begin the sixth war patrol of that vessel. In company with HAKE, HARDER conducted training exercises en route to Darwin. These two submarines topped off with fuel at Darwin, and on 13 August, together with HADDO, left for their assigned area west of Luzon, They were to patrol as a coordinated attack or wolfpack group, with Commander Dealey in charge. On 24 August At 0728, HAKE heard 15 rapid depth charges, none close. Two sets of screws were heard and each continued pinging on either quarter of HAKE as she evaded to the westward. By 0955 all was quiet. HARDER never was heard from again.