Richard E. Hawes
Encyclopedia
Richard Ellington Hawes (February 12, 1894 – December 30, 1968) was an officer in the United States Navy
who served in World War I and World War II.
, on February 12, 1894. He attended the University of Georgia
on a baseball scholarship before transferring to Mercer University
. There he won recognition in both baseball
and American football
. He earned a law degree along the way, but passed up the bar exam to coach and play professional baseball.
When America entered World War I in 1917, Hawes enlisted in the Navy as a Fireman Second Class. Fifteen months later he accepted a temporary appointment as an Ensign
, but reverted to Boatswain
(Warrant Officer
) in 1920.
, R.I.
in September 1925. For his part in that difficult and dangerous operation Boatswain Hawes received his first Navy Cross
. He also assisted in the salvaging of the submarine , which sank off Provincetown, Massachusetts
in December 1927.
On February 18, 1929, Hawes was commissioned an Ensign by a special act of the U.S. Congress in recognition of his services in salvaging the S-51 and S-4.
In January 1940 Lieutenant
Hawes assumed command of and was serving in that role when the United States entered World War II.
for repairs to her steering gear when Japanese warplanes attacked. Since Pearl Harbor
three days before, Hawes had main steam pressure up and the full crew aboard, ready to get underway at an instant. Lashed to the minesweeper
, which provided steering for both, Pigeon cleared the docks and headed for the relative safety of the bay to dodge the enemy bombs.
By this time Cavite had become a hellish inferno. After separating from Quail Hawes could see that the submarine was about to be engulfed by bombs and fire in her berth. Through heavy bombing and strafing, Lieutenant Hawes maneuvered the 187-foot Pigeon back to the flaming dock to haul the helpless submarine stern first from her berth. Another submarine and a minesweeper had just been sunk there by direct hits. The heat and flames were so intense that they blistered the ship's paint, singed off body hair, and melted the brim of Hawes' cap. But Pigeons crew managed to rig a line on the Seadragon and tow her to safety.
For this heroic action, Hawes received his second Navy Cross and Pigeon was awarded the Presidential Unit Citation
, the first warship to receive the award in World War II. Seadragon went on to distinguished service, earning eleven battle stars before the war ended.
Immediately after the attack Hawes found and mounted on his ship two 3-inch guns and twelve .50 caliber machine guns from the wrecked Navy Yard. By the end of December the new "gunboat" had received her second Presidential Unit Citation for shooting down several enemy planes and bombarding enemy troops. She was the only surface warship to win two Presidential Unit Citations in World War II.
racks installed so he could prosecute Japanese submarines. When he put Anthedon into commission, 92% of his crew were inductees and had never been to sea, but he sailed directly from commissioning to the Pacific war and within two hours of his arrival was servicing submarines. He received the Bronze Star
for "undaunted courage and professional skill" for his command of that ship.
As he left the Western Pacific theater in January 1945, the Commander, Submarines, Philippine Sea Frontier sent Anthedon a message of thanks and good wishes, describing Commander Hawes and his men as "ever ready, ever fearless."
Hawes was promoted to Captain on March 25, 1945.
.
Rear Admiral Hawes died at his home in Thomson
, Georgia
, on December 30, 1968.
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
who served in World War I and World War II.
Early life, through World War I
Hawes was born in Thomson, GeorgiaThomson, Georgia
Thomson, incorporated February 15, 1854, is a city in McDuffie County, Georgia, United States. The population was 6,828 at the 2000 census. The city is the county seat of McDuffie County. Thomson's nickname is "The Camellia City of the South", in honor of the thousands of camellia plants...
, on February 12, 1894. He attended the University of Georgia
University of Georgia
The University of Georgia is a public research university located in Athens, Georgia, United States. Founded in 1785, it is the oldest and largest of the state's institutions of higher learning and is one of multiple schools to claim the title of the oldest public university in the United States...
on a baseball scholarship before transferring to Mercer University
Mercer University
Mercer University is an independent, private, coeducational university with a Baptist heritage located in the U.S. state of Georgia. Mercer is the only university of its size in the United States that offers programs in eleven diversified fields of study: liberal arts, business, education, music,...
. There he won recognition in both baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
and American football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
. He earned a law degree along the way, but passed up the bar exam to coach and play professional baseball.
When America entered World War I in 1917, Hawes enlisted in the Navy as a Fireman Second Class. Fifteen months later he accepted a temporary appointment as an Ensign
Ensign (rank)
Ensign is a junior rank of a commissioned officer in the armed forces of some countries, normally in the infantry or navy. As the junior officer in an infantry regiment was traditionally the carrier of the ensign flag, the rank itself acquired the name....
, but reverted to Boatswain
Boatswain
A boatswain , bo's'n, bos'n, or bosun is an unlicensed member of the deck department of a merchant ship. The boatswain supervises the other unlicensed members of the ship's deck department, and typically is not a watchstander, except on vessels with small crews...
(Warrant Officer
Warrant Officer
A warrant officer is an officer in a military organization who is designated an officer by a warrant, as distinguished from a commissioned officer who is designated an officer by a commission, or from non-commissioned officer who is designated an officer by virtue of seniority.The rank was first...
) in 1920.
Interwar service
In March 1926 Hawes joined as Executive Officer. While aboard Falcon he played a key role in the salvage of off Block IslandBlock Island
Block Island is part of the U.S. state of Rhode Island and is located in the Atlantic Ocean approximately south of the coast of Rhode Island, east of Montauk Point on Long Island, and is separated from the Rhode Island mainland by Block Island Sound. The United States Census Bureau defines Block...
, R.I.
Rhode Island
The state of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, more commonly referred to as Rhode Island , is a state in the New England region of the United States. It is the smallest U.S. state by area...
in September 1925. For his part in that difficult and dangerous operation Boatswain Hawes received his first Navy Cross
Navy Cross
The Navy Cross is the highest decoration that may be bestowed by the Department of the Navy and the second highest decoration given for valor. It is normally only awarded to members of the United States Navy, United States Marine Corps and United States Coast Guard, but can be awarded to all...
. He also assisted in the salvaging of the submarine , which sank off Provincetown, Massachusetts
Provincetown, Massachusetts
Provincetown is a New England town located at the extreme tip of Cape Cod in Barnstable County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 3,431 at the 2000 census, with an estimated 2007 population of 3,174...
in December 1927.
On February 18, 1929, Hawes was commissioned an Ensign by a special act of the U.S. Congress in recognition of his services in salvaging the S-51 and S-4.
In January 1940 Lieutenant
Lieutenant
A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank...
Hawes assumed command of and was serving in that role when the United States entered World War II.
Japanese attack on Cavite Navy Yard, the Philippines, December 10, 1941
On December 10, 1941 the Pigeon was docked at the Cavite Navy Yard on Manila BayManila Bay
Manila Bay is a natural harbor which serves the Port of Manila , in the Philippines.The bay is considered to be one of the best natural harbors in Southeast Asia and one of the finest in the world...
for repairs to her steering gear when Japanese warplanes attacked. Since Pearl Harbor
Attack on Pearl Harbor
The attack on Pearl Harbor was a surprise military strike conducted by the Imperial Japanese Navy against the United States naval base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, on the morning of December 7, 1941...
three days before, Hawes had main steam pressure up and the full crew aboard, ready to get underway at an instant. Lashed to the minesweeper
Minesweeper (ship)
A minesweeper is a small naval warship designed to counter the threat posed by naval mines. Minesweepers generally detect then neutralize mines in advance of other naval operations.-History:...
, which provided steering for both, Pigeon cleared the docks and headed for the relative safety of the bay to dodge the enemy bombs.
By this time Cavite had become a hellish inferno. After separating from Quail Hawes could see that the submarine was about to be engulfed by bombs and fire in her berth. Through heavy bombing and strafing, Lieutenant Hawes maneuvered the 187-foot Pigeon back to the flaming dock to haul the helpless submarine stern first from her berth. Another submarine and a minesweeper had just been sunk there by direct hits. The heat and flames were so intense that they blistered the ship's paint, singed off body hair, and melted the brim of Hawes' cap. But Pigeons crew managed to rig a line on the Seadragon and tow her to safety.
For this heroic action, Hawes received his second Navy Cross and Pigeon was awarded the Presidential Unit Citation
Presidential Unit Citation (US)
The Presidential Unit Citation, originally called the Distinguished Unit Citation, is awarded to units of the Armed Forces of the United States and allies for extraordinary heroism in action against an armed enemy on or after 7 December 1941...
, the first warship to receive the award in World War II. Seadragon went on to distinguished service, earning eleven battle stars before the war ended.
Immediately after the attack Hawes found and mounted on his ship two 3-inch guns and twelve .50 caliber machine guns from the wrecked Navy Yard. By the end of December the new "gunboat" had received her second Presidential Unit Citation for shooting down several enemy planes and bombarding enemy troops. She was the only surface warship to win two Presidential Unit Citations in World War II.
Later service
Except for the brief periods when he was in transit or putting and into commission, Hawes spent virtually all of World War II at sea in the Pacific in command of his three ships. Like Hawes himself, his ships always had a reputation for efficiency and readiness. When he put Chanticleer into commission, he had depth-chargeDepth charge
A depth charge is an anti-submarine warfare weapon intended to destroy or cripple a target submarine by the shock of exploding near it. Most use explosives and a fuze set to go off at a preselected depth in the ocean. Depth charges can be dropped by either surface ships, patrol aircraft, or from...
racks installed so he could prosecute Japanese submarines. When he put Anthedon into commission, 92% of his crew were inductees and had never been to sea, but he sailed directly from commissioning to the Pacific war and within two hours of his arrival was servicing submarines. He received the Bronze Star
Bronze Star Medal
The Bronze Star Medal is a United States Armed Forces individual military decoration that may be awarded for bravery, acts of merit, or meritorious service. As a medal it is awarded for merit, and with the "V" for valor device it is awarded for heroism. It is the fourth-highest combat award of the...
for "undaunted courage and professional skill" for his command of that ship.
As he left the Western Pacific theater in January 1945, the Commander, Submarines, Philippine Sea Frontier sent Anthedon a message of thanks and good wishes, describing Commander Hawes and his men as "ever ready, ever fearless."
Hawes was promoted to Captain on March 25, 1945.
Retirement and later years
On December 1, 1952 he was transferred to the retired list and promoted to Rear AdmiralRear admiral (United States)
Rear admiral is a naval commissioned officer rank above that of a commodore and captain, and below that of a vice admiral. The uniformed services of the United States are unique in having two grades of rear admirals.- Rear admiral :...
.
Rear Admiral Hawes died at his home in Thomson
Thomson, Georgia
Thomson, incorporated February 15, 1854, is a city in McDuffie County, Georgia, United States. The population was 6,828 at the 2000 census. The city is the county seat of McDuffie County. Thomson's nickname is "The Camellia City of the South", in honor of the thousands of camellia plants...
, Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
, on December 30, 1968.