Telling the Stories of Courage and Controversies onboard USS Franklin (CV-13)
I Write About World War II History in the Pacific Theater of Operations (PTO), Leadership, and Other Topics
On 19 March 1945, USS Franklin, an Essex-class carrier, withstood a devasting attack 60 miles off Japan’s coast that killed 807 men. The ship’s crew, and those of other ships that came to her aid, performed many heroic acts. As a result, the crew remains to this day the most decorated in US Navy history. Two Medals of Honor were among the 382 decorations awarded.
But the story doesn’t stop there. In the chaos, orders were misinterpreted or never heard, enraging the captain. He would attempt to court-martial seven officers and ordered hundreds more banned from the ship.
I am the author of the forthcoming book, Heroes By the Hundreds: The Story of USS Franklin (CV-13). My book will examine the day’s events as well as the leadership lessons we can learn from her crew. Follow my progress by signing up for my mailing list below and by reading my blog posts.