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Size | Image Description | Contributed By And/Or Copyright |
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85k | John Philip Cromwell was born on 11 September 1901 in Henry, Illinois and appointed to the U.S. Naval Academy in 1920. He graduated in June 1924 and served initially in USS Maryland (BB46). In 1926, he attended submarine school and was assigned to USS S-24 (SS129) during 1927-29. He next had three year's diesel engineering instruction, followed by further tours of duty in submarines. Lieutenant Cromwell commanded USS S-20 (SS125) in 1936-37, then served on the staff of Commander Submarine Division 4. He was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant Commander in 1939 and spent two years at the Bureau of Engineering and Bureau of Ships. In May 1941, he became Engineer Officer for the Pacific Fleet submarine force. During 1942-43, he commanded Submarine Divisions 203, 44 and 43. Following promotion to Captain, he went to sea in USS Sculpin (SS191) as prospective commander of a mid-Pacific submarine wolf pack. While attacking a Japanese convoy on 19 November 1943, Sculpin was forced to the surface, fatally damaged in a gun battle and abandoned by her surviving crew members. Captain Cromwell, who knew secret details of the impending operation to capture the Gilbert Islands, deliberately remained on board as she sank. For his sacrificial heroism in preventing the enemy from obtaining this information, he was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor. USS Cromwell (DE1014) was the first ship named in his honor. (US Navy photo #NH51733 from the US Naval Historical Center) |
Navsource | |
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120k | undated | - | |
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119k | An undated postcard view of Cromwell. (Postcard #37918-C © Arnold Art Store, Newport, R.I.; shown at 150% of original size) Caption reads: Named for Captain John Philip Cromwell. When his World War II submarine was scuttled, to prevent capture he remained on board rather than risk capture and endanger security of invasion plans. U.S.S. Cromwell, commissioned in 1954, is a 1280 ton destroyer type ship with a crew of 170. She served in the eastern Med during the Lebanon crisis in 1958. |
Mike Smolinski | |
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70k | April 1961: Boston Harbor (Photo © Richard Leonhardt) | Richard Leonhardt | |
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202k | undated: Newport, R.I. - Postcard view of Pier 1. USS Julius A. Furer and USS Voge (DE1047) are alongside USS Yosemite (AD19). USS Dealey (DE1006), Cromwell, and USS Compton (DD705) are behind them nested alongside another tender. (Photo © The John Twomey Distributing Co., Newport, R.I.) | Mike Smolinski | |
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185k | late 1960's: Naples Harbor, Italy (this photo was given to me by a shipmate from that time period, Lcdr John Foissett) | F. J. McLaughlin Lcdr, USN (ret.) |
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| Memorabilia |
Matchbook Cover Courtesy of Mike Smolinski |
| 24 November 1954 - 1956 | Lcdr. Edward Joseph Cummings Jr. | |
| 1956 - 1958 | Lcdr. David Andre Webster (later Radm. | |
| 1958 - October 1959 | Lcdr. Albert L. Moore | |
| October 1959 - August 1961 | Lcdr. Herbert Herman Niehaus August | |
| 1961 - July 1963 | Lcdr. Roy Francis Hoffmann (later Radm.) | |
| July 1963 - 06 April 1965 | Cdr. Alvin Deon Branch | |
| 06 April 1965 - July 1966 | Cdr. Charles Scudder Bird | |
| July 1966 - 1967 | Lcdr. James A. Major | |
| 1967 - 1968 | Lcdr. Edward Courtland Snyder Jr. | |
| 1968 - 1970 | Lcdr. David M. Foss | |
| 1970 - 05 July 1972 | Lcdr. Peter J. Mermagen |
Contact information is compiled from various sources over a period of time and may, or may not, be correct. Every effort has been
made to list the newest contact. However, our entry is only as good as the latest information that's been sent to us. We list only
a contact for the ship if one has been sent to us. We do NOT have crew lists or rosters available. Please see the Frequently Asked
Questions section on Navsource's Main Page for that information.
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