Robert W. Uhlmann
Encyclopedia
Robert William Uhlmann (August 16, 1919 – December 7, 1941) was an officer of the United States Navy
who was killed during the Japanese Attack on Pearl Harbor
.
, and attended the College of Engineering, University of Michigan
, from 1937 until 1940. On September 1940, he enlisted in the United States Naval Reserve as an apprentice seaman and, during November and December, trained in . Following his appointment as a midshipman
in the Naval Reserve on March 17, 1941, he trained at the Midshipman School, Northwestern University
, Chicago, Illinois
, and on June 12, 1941 was commissioned ensign
. After additional training, he reported to Patrol Squadron 24 on August 1, 1941. This squadron, a part of Patrol Wing 2 stationed at Naval Air Station, Kaneohe Bay, was redesignated Patrol Squadron 12 (VP-12) on October 1941.
submarine
only a mile from the entrance of Pearl Harbor
, nine Japanese fighters circled low over the airfield at Kaneohe and then attacked, machine-gunning the control tower and leaving planes in flames in the bay and on the ramp. The men of VP-12 sprang into action without regard for personal safety, exposing themselves to the deadly fire of the enemy planes as they sought to save planes not yet destroyed and to fight off the raiders. The Japanese fighters strafed automobiles trying to reach the field and concentrated attention on men attempting to man guns in the grounded planes. Everyone on station joined the duty sections in combatting the surprise attackers.
While across the island in Pearl Harbor the Pacific Fleet fought for survival, Fleet Air Detachment, Naval Air Station, Kaneohe, waged its own battle against the Japanese attackers with only rifle
s and machine gun
s. A short time later, a second wave of enemy planes flew over, bombing vulnerable hangars and planes, and destroying the hangar where many members of Patrol Squadron 12 were obtaining replenishment ammunition for machine guns. Additional strafing attacks followed; and, before the morning was over, eight patrol bomber seaplane
s were destroyed, and all 35 planes which had been on the ground when the attack began were out of commission. Air station personnel shot down two Japanese planes and scored hits on the fuel tanks of seven others, but the material and human costs were high. Among the dead at the end of the battle was Ensign Uhlmann who had joined with VP-12 in the courageous attempt to repulse the enemy.
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 was killed during the Japanese Attack on 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...
.
Early life
Uhlmann was born on August 16, 1919 at Pittsburgh, PennsylvaniaPittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Pittsburgh is the second-largest city in the US Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Allegheny County. Regionally, it anchors the largest urban area of Appalachia and the Ohio River Valley, and nationally, it is the 22nd-largest urban area in the United States...
, and attended the College of Engineering, University of Michigan
University of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
, from 1937 until 1940. On September 1940, he enlisted in the United States Naval Reserve as an apprentice seaman and, during November and December, trained in . Following his appointment as 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...
in the Naval Reserve on March 17, 1941, he trained at the Midshipman School, Northwestern University
Northwestern University
Northwestern University is a private research university in Evanston and Chicago, Illinois, USA. Northwestern has eleven undergraduate, graduate, and professional schools offering 124 undergraduate degrees and 145 graduate and professional degrees....
, Chicago, Illinois
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
, and on June 12, 1941 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....
. After additional training, he reported to Patrol Squadron 24 on August 1, 1941. This squadron, a part of Patrol Wing 2 stationed at Naval Air Station, Kaneohe Bay, was redesignated Patrol Squadron 12 (VP-12) on October 1941.
Pearl Harbor attack
On the morning of December 7, 1941, as the incredulous commander of Patrol Wing 1 investigated reports that a plane of the dawn patrol had depth-charged a JapaneseImperial Japanese Navy
The Imperial Japanese Navy was the navy of the Empire of Japan from 1869 until 1947, when it was dissolved following Japan's constitutional renunciation of the use of force as a means of settling international disputes...
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...
only a mile from the entrance of Pearl Harbor
Pearl Harbor
Pearl Harbor, known to Hawaiians as Puuloa, is a lagoon harbor on the island of Oahu, Hawaii, west of Honolulu. Much of the harbor and surrounding lands is a United States Navy deep-water naval base. It is also the headquarters of the U.S. Pacific Fleet...
, nine Japanese fighters circled low over the airfield at Kaneohe and then attacked, machine-gunning the control tower and leaving planes in flames in the bay and on the ramp. The men of VP-12 sprang into action without regard for personal safety, exposing themselves to the deadly fire of the enemy planes as they sought to save planes not yet destroyed and to fight off the raiders. The Japanese fighters strafed automobiles trying to reach the field and concentrated attention on men attempting to man guns in the grounded planes. Everyone on station joined the duty sections in combatting the surprise attackers.
While across the island in Pearl Harbor the Pacific Fleet fought for survival, Fleet Air Detachment, Naval Air Station, Kaneohe, waged its own battle against the Japanese attackers with only rifle
Rifle
A rifle is a firearm designed to be fired from the shoulder, with a barrel that has a helical groove or pattern of grooves cut into the barrel walls. The raised areas of the rifling are called "lands," which make contact with the projectile , imparting spin around an axis corresponding to the...
s and machine gun
Machine gun
A machine gun is a fully automatic mounted or portable firearm, usually designed to fire rounds in quick succession from an ammunition belt or large-capacity magazine, typically at a rate of several hundred rounds per minute....
s. A short time later, a second wave of enemy planes flew over, bombing vulnerable hangars and planes, and destroying the hangar where many members of Patrol Squadron 12 were obtaining replenishment ammunition for machine guns. Additional strafing attacks followed; and, before the morning was over, eight patrol bomber 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...
s were destroyed, and all 35 planes which had been on the ground when the attack began were out of commission. Air station personnel shot down two Japanese planes and scored hits on the fuel tanks of seven others, but the material and human costs were high. Among the dead at the end of the battle was Ensign Uhlmann who had joined with VP-12 in the courageous attempt to repulse the enemy.