World War II Honoree

Howard Walter Gilmore

Branch of Service

U.S. Navy

Hometown

Selma, Alabama

Honored By

Ralph Bozorth

HE WAS POSTHUMOUSLY AWARDED THE CONGRESSIONAL MEDAL OF HONOR. COMMANDER, U.S. NAVY. APPOINTED FROM LOUISIANA. RECEIVED NAVY CROSS WITH ONE GOLD STAR. CITATION FOR DISTINGUISHED GALLANTRY AND VALOR ABOVE AND BEYOND THE CALL OF DUTY AS COMMANDING OFFICER OF THE USS GROWLER SS-215 DURING HER FOURTH WAR PATROL IN THE SOUTHWEST PACIFIC, JANUARY 10, 1943 TO FEBRUARY 7, 1943. BOLDLY STRIKING AT THE ENEMY IN SPITE OF CONTINUOUS HOSTILE AIR AND ANTISUBMARINE PATROLS, HE SANK ONE JAPANESE FREIGHTER AND DAMAGED ANOTHER BY TORPEDO FIRE, SUCCESSFULLY EVADING SEVERE DEPTH CHARGES FOLLOWING EACH ATTACK. IN THE DARKNESS OF NIGHT FEBRUARY 7, 1943, AN ENEMY GUNBOAT CLOSED RANGE AND PREPARED TO RAM THE GROWLER SS-215. HE DARINGLY MANEUVERED TO AVOID THE CRASH AND RAMMED THE ATTACKER INSTEAD, RIPPING INTO HER PORT SIDE AT 11 KNOTS AND BURSTING WIDE HER PLATES. IN THE TERRIFIC FIRE OF THE SINKING GUNBOAT'S HEAVY MACHINE GUNS, HE CALMLY GAVE THE ORDER TO CLEAR THE BRIDGE, AND REFUSING SAFETY FOR HIMSELF, REMAINED ON DECK WHILE HIS MEN PRECEDED HIM BELOW. STRUCK DOWN BY THE FUSILLADE OF BULLETS AND HAVING DONE HIS UTMOST AGAINST THE ENEMY, IN HIS FINAL LIVING MOMENTS, HE GAVE HIS LAST ORDER TO THE OFFICER OF THE DECK, 'TAKE HER DOWN.' THE GROWLER DIVED; SERIOUSLY DAMAGED BUT UNDER CONTROL, SHE WAS BROUGHT SAFELY TO PORT BY HER WELL-TRAINED CREW INSPIRED BY THE COURAGEOUS FIGHTING SPIRIT OF THEIR DEAD CAPTAIN.