Donald M. Carpenter
Encyclopedia
Donald Marshall Carpenter (March 6, 1894 – April 4, 1940) was an early naval aviator
Naval Aviator
A United States Naval Aviator is a qualified pilot in the United States Navy, Marine Corps or Coast Guard.-Naming Conventions:Most Naval Aviators are Unrestricted Line Officers; however, a small number of Limited Duty Officers and Chief Warrant Officers are also trained as Naval Aviators.Until 1981...

 in the United States Navy
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...

 flying from the and . These were the first two aircraft carriers of the U.S. Navy. He graduated from the U. S. Naval Academy in the Class of 1916 representing Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...

. He is the namesake of the .

Family

His father was Dan E. Carpenter (1866–1938) and his mother was Stella M. McVicar (abt 1873-?). His ancestry includes William Carpenter, the immigrant, who was born about 1605 in England. See: Rehoboth Carpenter family
Rehoboth Carpenter Family
The Rehoboth Carpenter family is an American family that helped settle the town of Rehoboth, Massachusetts in 1644.The first immigrant and founder of this line was William Carpenter The Rehoboth Carpenter family is an American family that helped settle the town of Rehoboth, Massachusetts in...

.

"Doc" married Clara Dorr Moreno (1903–2000) of Pensacola
Pensacola
Pensacola is a city in the western part of the U.S. state of Florida.Pensacola may also refer to:* Pensacola people, a group of Native Americans* A number of places in the Florida:** Pensacola Bay** Pensacola Regional Airport...

, Escambia County
Escambia County, Florida
Escambia County is the westernmost county in the U.S. state of Florida. The 2010 population was 297,619. The U.S. Census Bureau 2005 estimate for the county is 296,772. Its county seat is Pensacola.- History :...

, Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...

 and they had two children; Donald Marshall Carpenter and Dan Moreno Carpenter.

Biography

Carpenter, born in Hopbottom township, Lackawanna County
Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania
As of the census of 2000, there were 213,295 people, 86,218 households, and 55,783 families residing in the county. The population density was 465 people per square mile . There were 95,362 housing units at an average density of 208 per square mile...

, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...

, on March 6, 1894, attended grade schools in Scranton
Scranton, Pennsylvania
Scranton is a city in the northeastern part of Pennsylvania, United States. It is the county seat of Lackawanna County and the largest principal city in the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre metropolitan area. Scranton had a population of 76,089 in 2010, according to the U.S...

 and high school in the Pittsburgh are industrial town of McKeesport
McKeesport, Pennsylvania
McKeesport is a city in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, in the United States; it is located at the confluence of the Monongahela and Youghiogheny rivers and is part of the Pittsburgh Metro Area. The population was 19,731 at the 2010 census...

. He was appointed a Midshipman
Midshipman
A midshipman is an officer cadet, or a commissioned officer of the lowest rank, in the Royal Navy, United States Navy, and many Commonwealth navies. Commonwealth countries which use the rank include Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, India, Pakistan, Singapore, Sri Lanka and Kenya...

 from the 30th District of Pennsylvania on July 11, 1912. Graduating from the United States Naval Academy
United States Naval Academy
The United States Naval Academy is a four-year coeducational federal service academy located in Annapolis, Maryland, United States...

, Annapolis, Maryland
Annapolis, Maryland
Annapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Maryland, as well as the county seat of Anne Arundel County. It had a population of 38,394 at the 2010 census and is situated on the Chesapeake Bay at the mouth of the Severn River, south of Baltimore and about east of Washington, D.C. Annapolis is...

, on June 2, 1916, “Doc” Carpenter reported to his first ship, Wyoming
USS Wyoming (BB-32)
USS Wyoming , the lead ship of her class of battleship, was the third ship of the United States Navy named Wyoming, although it was only the second named in honor of the 44th state....

 (Battleship
Battleship
A battleship is a large armored warship with a main battery consisting of heavy caliber guns. Battleships were larger, better armed and armored than cruisers and destroyers. As the largest armed ships in a fleet, battleships were used to attain command of the sea and represented the apex of a...

 No. 32) on June 17. He was commissioned 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....

 on July 5, 1916.

Early career

During his World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...

 service in Wyoming, Carpenter received temporary promotions to Lieutenant (junior grade) (Lt.JG) (October 3, 1917) and 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...

 (February 6, 1918); permanent promotions to those ranks followed, on March 12, 1920 and March 31, 1921, respectively. Detached from Wyoming on May 16, 1921, Carpenter reported to Mare Island Navy Yard, Vallejo, California
Vallejo, California
Vallejo is the largest city in Solano County, California, United States. The population was 115,942 at the 2010 census. It is located in the San Francisco Bay Area on the northeastern shore of San Pablo Bay...

, five days later, and over the ensuing months, helped fit out the new battleship California
USS California (BB-44)
USS California , a Tennessee-class battleship, was the fifth ship of the United States Navy named in honor of the 31st state. Beginning as the flagship of the Pacific Fleet, she served in the Pacific her entire career. She was sunk in the attack on Pearl Harbor at her moorings in Battleship Row,...

 (BB-44).

Detached from California on May 8, 1922, Carpenter was slated to join Nevada
USS Nevada (BB-36)
USS Nevada , the second United States Navy ship to be named after the 36th state, was the lead ship of the two Nevada-class battleships; her sister ship was...

 (BB-36) before her departure for the Atlantic coast, but received authorization to proceed to Pensacola, Florida
Pensacola, Florida
Pensacola is the westernmost city in the Florida Panhandle and the county seat of Escambia County, Florida, United States of America. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 56,255 and as of 2009, the estimated population was 53,752...

, via commercial transportation, at his own expense, “for temporary duty under instruction in heavier-than-air craft.” Opting for flight training over continued service in battleships, Carpenter, authorized a month’s delay in transit, reported to Naval Air Station Pensacola
Naval Air Station Pensacola
Naval Air Station Pensacola or NAS Pensacola , "The Cradle of Naval Aviation", is a United States Navy base located next to Warrington, Florida, a community southwest of the Pensacola city limits...

 on June 19, 1922.

Upon completion of flight training, Carpenter was detached from NAS Pensacola on April 3, 1923; he also married Clara Moreno the same day (a union that ultimately produced two sons). He reported for duty with Aircraft Squadrons, Battle Fleet, on April 27, 1923, and remained with that aeronautical organization until assigned temporary duty with Aircraft Squadrons, Scouting Fleet; he served with that unit until May 20, 1925.

Commissioned Lieutenant Commander
Lieutenant Commander
Lieutenant Commander is a commissioned officer rank in many navies. The rank is superior to a lieutenant and subordinate to a commander...

 (LTCMDR) on February 5, 1927 while at Pensacola, Carpenter joined Stoddert
USS Stoddert (DD-302)
USS Stoddert was a Clemson-class destroyer in the United States Navy following World War I. It was named for Benjamin Stoddert.-History:...

 (DD-302) on June 23, 1928 upon that destroyer
Destroyer
In naval terminology, a destroyer is a fast and maneuverable yet long-endurance warship intended to escort larger vessels in a fleet, convoy or battle group and defend them against smaller, powerful, short-range attackers. Destroyers, originally called torpedo-boat destroyers in 1892, evolved from...

’s return from operations with the Battle Fleet in Hawaiian waters, and served as her executive officer until September 20, 1929.

Naval Aviation

Ordered to Langley
USS Langley (CV-1)
USS Langley was the United States Navy's first aircraft carrier, converted in 1920 from the collier USS Jupiter , and also the U.S. Navy's first electrically propelled ship...

 (CV-1), he reported for duty the following day, and served in that aircraft carrier
Aircraft carrier
An aircraft carrier is a warship designed with a primary mission of deploying and recovering aircraft, acting as a seagoing airbase. Aircraft carriers thus allow a naval force to project air power worldwide without having to depend on local bases for staging aircraft operations...

 until June 30, 1930.

Assuming command on June 30, 1930 of Scouting Squadron 3B (VS-3B), Aircraft Squadrons, Battle Fleet, which operated in the air group assigned to the aircraft carrier Lexington
USS Lexington (CV-2)
USS Lexington , nicknamed the "Gray Lady" or "Lady Lex," was an early aircraft carrier of the United States Navy. She was the lead ship of the , though her sister ship was commissioned a month earlier...

 (CV-2), he remained in that billet through his squadron’s being assigned to Carrier Divisions, U.S. Fleet, on October 25, 1930. Leaving VS-3B on April 25, 1931, Carpenter became executive officer (XO) of Fleet Air Base, Coco Solo, Canal Zone
Panama Canal Zone
The Panama Canal Zone was a unorganized U.S. territory located within the Republic of Panama, consisting of the Panama Canal and an area generally extending 5 miles on each side of the centerline, but excluding Panama City and Colón, which otherwise would have been partly within the limits of...

, on May 26, 1931, a billet he filled for almost two years, until relieved on July 19, 1933 to assume the post of operations officer for Aircraft Squadrons, Coco Solo.

During the late summer of 1933, Carpenter commanded the ferry flight of the first division of Patrol Squadron 5F (VP-5F) from NAS Norfolk, Virginia to FAB Coco Solo. Carpenter flew 5-P-2, one of six Consolidated
Consolidated Aircraft
The Consolidated Aircraft Corporation was founded in 1923 by Reuben H. Fleet, the result of the Gallaudet Aircraft Company's liquidation and Fleet's purchase of designs from the Dayton-Wright Company as the subsidiary was being closed by its parent corporation, General Motors. Consolidated became...

 P2Y-1 flying boat
Flying boat
A flying boat is a fixed-winged seaplane with a hull, allowing it to land on water. It differs from a float plane as it uses a purpose-designed fuselage which can float, granting the aircraft buoyancy. Flying boats may be stabilized by under-wing floats or by wing-like projections from the fuselage...

s that departed Norfolk mid-way through the first dog watch
Dog watch
Dog watch, in marine or naval terminology, is a watch, a period of work duty or a work shift, between 1600 and 2000 . This period is split into two, with the first dog watch from 1600 to 1800 and the second dog watch from 1800 to 2000...

 on September 7, 1933 (accompanied personally during the initial stages of the flight by Rear Admiral
Rear 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 :...

 Ernest J. King, Chief of the Bureau of Aeronautics
Bureau of Aeronautics
The Bureau of Aeronautics was the U.S. Navy's material-support organization for Naval Aviation from 1921 to 1959. The bureau had "cognizance" for the design, procurement, and support of Naval aircraft and related systems...

, in a Vought
Vought
Vought is the name of several related aerospace firms. These have included, in the past, Lewis and Vought Corporation, Chance Vought, Vought Sikorsky, LTV Aerospace , Vought Aircraft Companies, and the current Vought Aircraft Industries. The first incarnation of Vought was established by Chance M...

 SU-1
Su-1
Su-1 or SU-1 may refer to:*Sukhoi Su-1, prototype fighter*Stevens SU-1, glider...

) and reached its destination, a little over halfway through the second dog watch the next day, having covered the 1,788 nautical miles (3,311 km) in a total elapsed time of 25 hours and 29 minutes. In the longest non-stop formation seaplane
Seaplane
A seaplane is a fixed-wing aircraft capable of taking off and landing on water. Seaplanes that can also take off and land on airfields are a subclass called amphibian aircraft...

 flight in history, the six flying boats battled headwinds for almost the entire aerial voyage, at one point encountering a heavy squall with velocity approaching 50 knots (90 km/h).

Late career

Detached from FAB Coco Solo on May 15, 1934, Carpenter reported on board seaplane tender
Seaplane tender
A seaplane tender is a ship that provides facilities for operating seaplanes. These ships were the first aircraft carriers and appeared just before the First World War.-History:...

 Wright
USS Wright (AV-1)
USS Wright was a one-of-a-kind auxiliary ship in the United States Navy, named for aviation pioneer Orville Wright.-Construction and commissioning:...

 (AV-1) three days later, and became her navigator on May 30, 1934. He carried out those duties until hospitalized at the San Diego Naval Hospital, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...

, on November 20, 1934. Released the following spring, he served at NAS San Diego from April 11 to September 3, 1935 before he became Inspector of Naval Aircraft, San Diego, on the latter date. Detached on July 10, 1936 to the Training Division within the San Diego Naval Station, he was relieved of all active duty and placed on the retired list on October 1, 1936. Carpenter died of lobar pneumonia
Lobar pneumonia
Lobar pneumonia is a form of pneumonia that affects a large and continuous area of the lobe of a lung.It is one of the two anatomic classifications of pneumonia .- Symptoms :...

 at the San Diego Naval Hospital on April 4, 1940.

"Sincere Respect"

On June 18, 1945, Mrs. Edward S. Shaw, sister of Carpenter’s widow Clara, wrote to Admiral King, then Commander in Chief, U.S. Fleet (who had commanded Lexington when Carpenter had commanded VS-3B) suggesting that a ship be named for the late leader of VP-5F’s historic flight in 1933, citing the “sincere respect” her brother-in-law had felt for King. “I sincerely hope you will not consider me presumptuous,” she wrote, “but if you could lend your approval to such an honor for ‘Doc’ as we all knew him, I would appreciate it very much.”

“Please do this if you can,” King wrote to the Chief of Naval Personnel
Chief of Naval Personnel
The Chief of Naval Personnel is responsible for overall manpower readiness for the United States Navy. The CNP also serves as Deputy Chief of Naval Operations and is one of four Deputy Chiefs of Naval Operations, with the identification of N1/NT...

, who recommended the name assignment on July 10, 1945; consequently, on July 14, 1945, Secretary of the Navy
United States Secretary of the Navy
The Secretary of the Navy of the United States of America is the head of the Department of the Navy, a component organization of the Department of Defense...

 James Forrestal
James Forrestal
James Vincent Forrestal was the last Cabinet-level United States Secretary of the Navy and the first United States Secretary of Defense....

 assigned the name Carpenter to DD-825
USS Carpenter (DD-825)
USS Carpenter was a of the United States Navy, named for Lieutenant Commander Donald M. Carpenter .Carpenter was laid down on 30 July 1945 at Consolidated Steel Corporation, Orange, Texas; launched on 28 September 1945, and sponsored by Mrs. Donald M. Carpenter, widow of the ship's namesake...

. In writing to Secretary Forrestal upon being informed of the naming of the ship, Carpenter’s widow wrote on August 9, 1945 of her “deep appreciation of the honor bestowed on my two sons and me in the naming of this ship for my late husband and I hope her record will be one of which to be proud…”

USS Carpenter

During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...

 to honor his service to his Country, a U.S. Navy destroyer was named for him. The was built by Consolidated Steel Corporation of Orange, Texas. She was also known as DDK 825 and DDE 825. She had a role in the 1980 movie Raise the Titanic.

The keel was laid on July 30, 1945 and she was launched on Dec 28, 1945. Due to cutbacks after the war she was not completed until December 15, 1949 in Newport News, Virginia with a commission date of December 15, 1949.

The served well and honorably through several variations until on February 20, 1981, at age 36, she was decommissioned and later stricken from the roles of the U.S. Navy.

The country of Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...

 requested and leased her for the Turkish Navy where she was renamed the Anitepe as D-347 on February 20, 1981. She was later purchased out right by Turkey. After her second career, she was retired in November 1997 completing over 52 years of service but was broken up for scrap in 1999.

External links

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