World War II Honoree

Eugene Bennett Fluckey

Branch of Service

U.S. Navy

Hometown

Washington, District Of Columbia

Honored By

Ralph Bozorth

AWARDED THE CONGRESSIONAL MEDAL OF HONOR. COMMANDER, U.S. NAVY. COMMANDED USS BARB ALONG COAST OF CHINA, DECEMBER 19, 1944 TO FEBRUARY 15, 1945. ENTERED SERVICE AT ILLINOIS. ALSO AWARDED NAVY CROSS WITH 3 GOLD STARS. CITED FOR CONSPICUOUS GALLANTRY AND INTREPIDITY AT THE RISK OF HIS LIFE ABOVE AND BEYOND THE CALL OF DUTY AS COMMANDING OFFICER OF THE USS BARB DURING HER 11TH WAR PATROL ALONG THE EAST COAST OF CHINA FROM DECEMBER 19, 1944 TO FEBRUARY 15, 1945. AFTER SINKING A LARGE ENEMY AMMUNITION SHIP AND DAMAGING ADDITIONAL TONNAGE DURING A RUNNING 2-HOUR NIGHT BATTLE ON JANUARY 8, 1945 COMMANDER FLUCKEY, IN AN EXCEPTIONAL FEAT OF BRILLIANT DEDUCTION AND BOLD TRACKING ON JANUARY 25TH, LOCATED A CONCENTRATION OF MORE THAN 30 ENEMY SHIPS IN THE LOWER REACHES OF NANKUAN CHIANG (MAMKWAN HARBOR). FULLY AWARE THAT A SAFE RETIREMENT WOULD NECESSITATE AN HOUR'S RUN AT FULL SPEED THROUGH THE UNCHARTED, MINED AND ROCK OBSTRUCTED WATERS, HE BRAVELY ORDERED A DARING PENETRATION OF THE HEAVY ENEMY SCREEN AND RIDING IN 5 FATHOMS OF WATER, HE LAUNCHED THE BARB'S LAST FORWARD TORPEDOES AT 3,000-YARD RANGE. QUICKLY BRINGING THE SHIP'S STERN TUBES TO BEAR, HE TURNED LOOSE 4 MORE TORPEDOES INTO THE ENEMY, OBTAINING 8 DIRECT HITS ON 6 OF THE MAIN TARGETS TO EXPLODE A LARGE AMMUNITION SHIP AND CAUSE INESTIMABLE DAMAGE BY THE RESULTANT FLYING SHELLS AND OTHER PYROTECHNICS. CLEARING THE TREACHEROUS AREA AT HIGH SPEED, HE BROUGHT THE BARB THROUGH TO SAFETY AND 4 DAYS LATER SANK A LARGE JAPANESE FREIGHTER TO COMPLETE A RECORD OF HEROIC COMBAT ACHIEVEMENT.