Henry W. Tucker
Encyclopedia
Henry W. Tucker was a United States Navy
sailor
who received the Navy Cross
for his actions during World War II
.
, Alabama
. He enlisted in the United States Naval Reserve on 24 June 1941 and, after being trained as a pharmacist
s mate, reported to the oiler USS Neosho (AO-23)
on 15 January 1942.
On 7 May 1942, in the opening phase of the Battle of the Coral Sea
, Neosho and her escorting destroyer
, USS Sims (DD-409)
, were attacked by three waves of Japan
ese carrier
planes after the Japanese mistook Neosho for an aircraft carrier
and Sims for an escorting cruiser
. Sims was sunk and Neosho so severely damaged that her commanding officer
ordered all hands to prepare to abandon ship.
Many of Neoshos crew, believing in error that "abandon ship" orders had actually been given, went over the side at once. As the men struggled through the water trying to reach the few undamaged life rafts, Tucker swam among them, treating the burned and wounded. Disregarding his own safety, he helped many of his shipmates to safety on the life rafts while refusing a place himself, at the cost of his life.
For his gallant and devoted service to his wounded comrades, Tucker was awarded the Navy Cross posthumously.
USS Henry W. Tucker (DE-377)
was named for Pharmacists Mate Third Class Tucker during World War II. When the destroyer escorts construction was cancelled in 1944 prior to completion, the name was transferred to the destroyer
USS Henry W. Tucker (DD-875)
, which was in commission
from 1945 to 1973.
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...
sailor
Sailor
A sailor, mariner, or seaman is a person who navigates water-borne vessels or assists in their operation, maintenance, or service. The term can apply to professional mariners, military personnel, and recreational sailors as well as a plethora of other uses...
who received the 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...
for his actions 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...
.
Naval career
Henry Warren Tucker was born on 5 October 1919 in BirminghamBirmingham, Alabama
Birmingham is the largest city in Alabama. The city is the county seat of Jefferson County. According to the 2010 United States Census, Birmingham had a population of 212,237. The Birmingham-Hoover Metropolitan Area, in estimate by the U.S...
, Alabama
Alabama
Alabama is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Tennessee to the north, Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gulf of Mexico to the south, and Mississippi to the west. Alabama ranks 30th in total land area and ranks second in the size of its inland...
. He enlisted in the United States Naval Reserve on 24 June 1941 and, after being trained as a pharmacist
Pharmacist
Pharmacists are allied health professionals who practice in pharmacy, the field of health sciences focusing on safe and effective medication use...
s mate, reported to the oiler USS Neosho (AO-23)
USS Neosho (AO-23)
USS Neosho was a Cimarron-class fleet oiler serving with the United States Navy, the second ship to be named for the Neosho River in Kansas and Oklahoma....
on 15 January 1942.
On 7 May 1942, in the opening phase of the Battle of the Coral Sea
Battle of the Coral Sea
The Battle of the Coral Sea, fought from 4–8 May 1942, was a major naval battle in the Pacific Theater of World War II between the Imperial Japanese Navy and Allied naval and air forces from the United States and Australia. The battle was the first fleet action in which aircraft carriers engaged...
, Neosho and her escorting 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...
, USS Sims (DD-409)
USS Sims (DD-409)
USS Sims was the lead ship of her class of destroyers in the United States Navy during World War II. She was the first ship to be named for William Sims, an Admiral who pushed for the modernization of the Navy....
, were attacked by three waves of Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese 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...
planes after the Japanese mistook Neosho for an 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...
and Sims for an escorting cruiser
Cruiser
A cruiser is a type of warship. The term has been in use for several hundreds of years, and has had different meanings throughout this period...
. Sims was sunk and Neosho so severely damaged that her commanding officer
Commanding officer
The commanding officer is the officer in command of a military unit. Typically, the commanding officer has ultimate authority over the unit, and is usually given wide latitude to run the unit as he sees fit, within the bounds of military law...
ordered all hands to prepare to abandon ship.
Many of Neoshos crew, believing in error that "abandon ship" orders had actually been given, went over the side at once. As the men struggled through the water trying to reach the few undamaged life rafts, Tucker swam among them, treating the burned and wounded. Disregarding his own safety, he helped many of his shipmates to safety on the life rafts while refusing a place himself, at the cost of his life.
For his gallant and devoted service to his wounded comrades, Tucker was awarded the Navy Cross posthumously.
Commemoration
The U.S. Navy destroyer escortDestroyer escort
A destroyer escort is the classification for a smaller, lightly armed warship designed to be used to escort convoys of merchant marine ships, primarily of the United States Merchant Marine in World War II. It is employed primarily for anti-submarine warfare, but also provides some protection...
USS Henry W. Tucker (DE-377)
USS Henry W. Tucker (DE-377)
The first USS Henry W. Tucker was a proposed United States Navy that was never completed.Henry W. Tucker was laid down at Consolidated Steel Corporation at Orange, Texas, during World War II. However, her construction was cancelled on 6 June 1944.The name Henry W. Tucker was reassigned to...
was named for Pharmacists Mate Third Class Tucker during World War II. When the destroyer escorts construction was cancelled in 1944 prior to completion, the name was transferred to the 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...
USS Henry W. Tucker (DD-875)
USS Henry W. Tucker (DD-875)
The second USS Henry W. Tucker was a Gearing-class destroyer of the United States Navy. She was named for Pharmacist’s Mate Third Class Henry W. Tucker who was killed in action during the Battle of the Coral Sea on 7 May 1942 and posthumously awarded the Navy Cross.-History:Henry W...
, which was in commission
Ship commissioning
Ship commissioning is the act or ceremony of placing a ship in active service, and may be regarded as a particular application of the general concepts and practices of project commissioning. The term is most commonly applied to the placing of a warship in active duty with its country's military...
from 1945 to 1973.