Hunter Marshall III
Encyclopedia
Hunter Marshall III was a United States Navy
officer killed in action
during World War II
who received the Silver Star
posthumously for his actions.
, North Carolina
, on October 6, 1917. He enlisted in the United States Naval Reserve on July 12, 1941. Called to active duty
in September 1941, Marshall was appointed midshipman and attended Midshipman's School at New York City
. He later attended Naval Armed Guard School and in April 1942 reported to United States Army Transport USAT Merrimack and took command of her Naval Armed Guard detachment.
Carrying military supplies to the Panama Canal Zone
, Merrimack was torpedo
ed by the German
submarine
U-68 in the Caribbean Sea
south of the Yucatan Channel
on June 9, 1942. Despite the danger of further attacks, Ensign Marshall led his Armed Guard gun crews in furious resistance to the submarine until the forward part of the sinking Merrimack was actually awash. Marshall was one of the last to leave the ship and was lost. He was listed as presumed dead on June 10, 1943.
USS Hunter Marshall (DE-602) was named for Ensign Marshall. She was converted during construction into the high-speed transport USS Hunter Marshall (APD-112)
, and was in commission
as such from 1945 to 1946.
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...
officer killed in action
Killed in action
Killed in action is a casualty classification generally used by militaries to describe the deaths of their own forces at the hands of hostile forces. The United States Department of Defense, for example, says that those declared KIA need not have fired their weapons but have been killed due to...
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...
who received the Silver Star
Silver Star
The Silver Star is the third-highest combat military decoration that can be awarded to a member of any branch of the United States armed forces for valor in the face of the enemy....
posthumously for his actions.
Biography
Hunter Marshall III was born in CharlotteCharlotte, North Carolina
Charlotte is the largest city in the U.S. state of North Carolina and the seat of Mecklenburg County. In 2010, Charlotte's population according to the US Census Bureau was 731,424, making it the 17th largest city in the United States based on population. The Charlotte metropolitan area had a 2009...
, North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
, on October 6, 1917. He enlisted in the United States Naval Reserve on July 12, 1941. Called to active duty
Active duty
Active duty refers to a full-time occupation as part of a military force, as opposed to reserve duty.-Pakistan:The Pakistan Armed Forces are one of the largest active service forces in the world with almost 610,000 full time personnel due to the complex and volatile nature of Pakistan's...
in September 1941, Marshall was appointed midshipman and attended Midshipman's School at New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. He later attended Naval Armed Guard School and in April 1942 reported to United States Army Transport USAT Merrimack and took command of her Naval Armed Guard detachment.
Carrying military supplies to the Panama 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...
, Merrimack was torpedo
Torpedo
The modern torpedo is a self-propelled missile weapon with an explosive warhead, launched above or below the water surface, propelled underwater towards a target, and designed to detonate either on contact with it or in proximity to it.The term torpedo was originally employed for...
ed by the German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
submarine
Submarine
A submarine is a watercraft capable of independent operation below the surface of the water. It differs from a submersible, which has more limited underwater capability...
U-68 in the Caribbean Sea
Caribbean Sea
The Caribbean Sea is a sea of the Atlantic Ocean located in the tropics of the Western hemisphere. It is bounded by Mexico and Central America to the west and southwest, to the north by the Greater Antilles, and to the east by the Lesser Antilles....
south of the Yucatan Channel
Yucatán Channel
The Yucatán Channel is a strait between Mexico and Cuba. It connects the Yucatán Basin of the Caribbean Sea with the Gulf of Mexico. The strait is across between Cape Catoche in Mexico and Cape San Antonio, Cuba and reaches a maximum depth of .-References:...
on June 9, 1942. Despite the danger of further attacks, Ensign Marshall led his Armed Guard gun crews in furious resistance to the submarine until the forward part of the sinking Merrimack was actually awash. Marshall was one of the last to leave the ship and was lost. He was listed as presumed dead on June 10, 1943.
Awards
Because of his loyal and determined fighting spirit, Marshall was awarded the Silver Star posthumously for his gallantry.Namesake
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 Hunter Marshall (DE-602) was named for Ensign Marshall. She was converted during construction into the high-speed transport USS Hunter Marshall (APD-112)
USS Hunter Marshall (APD-112)
USS Hunter Marshall , ex-DE-602, was a United States Navy high-speed transport in commission from 1945 to 1946.-Construction and commissioning:...
, and 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...
as such from 1945 to 1946.