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Charles Horatio McMorris was born on 31 August 1890 at Wetumpka, Alabama, and was appointed midshipman in 1908 and commissioned ensign in
June 1912. On 11 to 12 October 1942, as commanding officer of San Francisco, he took part in the Battle of Cape Esperance, which deflated the Japanese
belief in their night fighting superiority. During the Battle, he "...fought his ship valiantly, maneuvering with the expertness of able seaman and striking at the
enemy with determined and effective gunfire despite the difficulties of night combat. As captain of the flagship, he rendered valuable service to the Task Force [TF 64]
Commander and contributed materially to the success of our forces." He was awarded the Navy Cross for the above cited actions. In December 1942, he assumed command of
Cruiser Destroyer Force 8, operating in the northern Pacific. On 26 March 1943, in the Battle of the Komandorski Islands, he used that force to prevent Japanese reinforcement
of garrisons on Kiska and Attu. For his able handling of the force in the victory, he received the Distinguished Service Medal. Later, as Chief of Staff of the Commander in
Chief, U.S. Pacific Fleet and Pacific Ocean Areas, he was awarded a Gold Star in lieu of a second Distinguished Service Medal for supervising "...the preparation and execution
of strategic and tactical plans for Naval Operations...in the Gilberts, Marshalls, Marianas, Western Caroline Islands, Iwo Jima, and Okinawa..." Retiring as a vice admiral on
1 September 1952, he died 11 February 1954 at Valparaiso, Chile.
(For a more complete biography of Adm. McMorris, Click Here)
USS McMorris (DE 1036) (1960-1974) was the first ship named in his honor. |
Mike Smolinski
Clifton, N.J.
Navsource DE/FF/LCS
Archive Manager |
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26 May 1959: Westwego, La. - The second attempted christening of the future McMorris (DE 1036). The photo caption of this press photo read: A gaily
decorated champagne bottle misses the bow of the destroyer escort U. S. S. McMorris as she starts down the ways at Avondale Marine Ways, Inc., Tuesday afternoon. But the bottle
smashed itself against the vessel as it entered the Mississippi River. Swinging the bottle is Mrs. Charles H. McMorris, widow of the admiral for whom the ship was named. |
S. Dale Hargrave
Newport News, Va. |
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undated ship portrait
(Photo © Morper Ship Pictures) |
Nick Tiberio
Shelton, Conn. |
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Photo taken from USS Ponchatoula (AO 148) in the Tonkin Gulf during a 1966 - 1967 cruise. |
Barry Litchfield
USS Ponchatoula
1966 - 1967 |
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September 1967 |
- |
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10 March 1972: the Pacific Ocean - McMorris off the Oahu Coast. Note the "Spooky" electronics arrays fitted to this class of DE.
(U.S. Navy Photo #NH 82940 from the Naval History and Heritage Command) |
Mike Green
Port Angeles, Wash. |
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10 July 1972: South China Sea - McMorris taken from USS Ashtabula (AO 51) after completing an underway replenishment.
(Photo # 721217 by G. R. Sirkis) |
Glenn R. Sirkis
MMFN, A Div.
USS Ashtabula (AO 51) |
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1973: Sydney Harbor |
Steve Crate (EM2) |
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18 and 25 September 1973: Auckland, N.Z. - Two views of McMorris on a port visit to Auckland.
(Both photos from the collection of Chris Howell) |
Chris Howell
Southland Ship Stores Ltd
Port of Bluff, New Zealand |
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