Having actually gone "Missing" on the above date, he was not officially declared by the military as being dead until November 16, 1943, 1 year and 1 day after he went missing as was the custom.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Nephew of Miss. K. J. Mulvanity.
Francis served as a Ensign, U.S.S. Walke (DD-416), U.S. Navy during World War II.
He resided in Hillsborough County, New Hampshire prior to the war.
The Walke was sunk in the Naval Battle of Guadalcanal when a "Long Lance" torpedo slammed into her starboard side at a point almost directly below mount 52. Almost simultaneously, a salvo of shells from the Japanese ships Nagara, Ayanami, and Uranami hurtled down upon the hapless destroyer. Soon the order was given to abandon ship and the Walke sank rapidly.
The Walke lost 82 of her crew including the ship's Commander Thomas E. Fraser.
Francis was declared "Missing In Action" in the sinking of the Walke.
He was awarded the Purple Heart.
Service # 0-165707
The U.S.S. Walke received three battle stars for her World War II service.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
In the Naval Battle of Guadalcanal, which was considered a United States strategic victory, the Navy lost 2 light cruisers, 7 destroyers, and 36 aircraft for a total of 1,732 killed in this four day battle.
U.S. Light Cruisers Lost:
U.S.S. Atlanta (CL-51)
U.S.S. Juneau (CL-52)
U.S. Destroyers Lost:
U.S.S. Barton (DD-599)
U.S.S. Benham (DD-397)
U.S.S. Cushing (DD-376)
U.S.S. Laffey (DD-459)
U.S.S. Monssen (DD-436)
U.S.S. Preston (DD-379)
U.S.S. Walke (DD-416)
Japanese losses included:
2 battleships
1 heavy cruiser
3 destroyers
11 transports
64 aircraft
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Bio by:
Russell S. "Russ" Pickett
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Having actually gone "Missing" on the above date, he was not officially declared by the military as being dead until November 16, 1943, 1 year and 1 day after he went missing as was the custom.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Nephew of Miss. K. J. Mulvanity.
Francis served as a Ensign, U.S.S. Walke (DD-416), U.S. Navy during World War II.
He resided in Hillsborough County, New Hampshire prior to the war.
The Walke was sunk in the Naval Battle of Guadalcanal when a "Long Lance" torpedo slammed into her starboard side at a point almost directly below mount 52. Almost simultaneously, a salvo of shells from the Japanese ships Nagara, Ayanami, and Uranami hurtled down upon the hapless destroyer. Soon the order was given to abandon ship and the Walke sank rapidly.
The Walke lost 82 of her crew including the ship's Commander Thomas E. Fraser.
Francis was declared "Missing In Action" in the sinking of the Walke.
He was awarded the Purple Heart.
Service # 0-165707
The U.S.S. Walke received three battle stars for her World War II service.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
In the Naval Battle of Guadalcanal, which was considered a United States strategic victory, the Navy lost 2 light cruisers, 7 destroyers, and 36 aircraft for a total of 1,732 killed in this four day battle.
U.S. Light Cruisers Lost:
U.S.S. Atlanta (CL-51)
U.S.S. Juneau (CL-52)
U.S. Destroyers Lost:
U.S.S. Barton (DD-599)
U.S.S. Benham (DD-397)
U.S.S. Cushing (DD-376)
U.S.S. Laffey (DD-459)
U.S.S. Monssen (DD-436)
U.S.S. Preston (DD-379)
U.S.S. Walke (DD-416)
Japanese losses included:
2 battleships
1 heavy cruiser
3 destroyers
11 transports
64 aircraft
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Bio by:
Russell S. "Russ" Pickett
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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