Landing Signal Officer On USS Franklin
By the time he reported aboard USS Franklin in early March 1945, C. Edgar “Iron Mike” Mikronis was already a combat veteran. He served aboard USS Ranger in 1942, flying F4F Wildcats during Operation Torch, the invasion of North Africa. Also onboard Ranger was Father Joseph O’Callahan. Shot down while attacking a heavily defended French airfield, he became a POW until the French forces surrendered.*
Landing Signal Officer On USS Bataan
Several months ago, I came across his memoir, Their Life In My Hands, published in 2001. Initially, I didn’t expect much out of it as his book only spent ten pages on his time aboard Franklin. But I enjoyed his story, especially when reading about his love for his wife, Winnie.
After he returned to the States, he was trained as a Landing Signal officer (LSO). His next sea assignment was as the LSO on USS Bataan. He participated in the invasion of Hollandia, a raid on Truk, and the First Battle of the Philippine Sea.
On USS Franklin
In early March 1945, he transferred from Bataan to Franklin at Pearl Harbor, again as LSO.
Explosions from the Japanese attack blew him off the flight deck on 19 March 1945. Suffering from hypothermia, he was rescued hours later by a destroyer, USS Marshall. He returned to Franklin at Ulithi on 24 March with about 100 others. In his memoir, this is how he describes his return to the ship:
…I boarded her by climbing up a rope ladder hanging from the hangar deck. As I threw my leg up on the deck, who should be standing there but Father O’Callahan. Looking at me he exclaimed, “Mikronis, this is the second time I’ve had to report you mssing and here again you have made a liar out of me. I’m never going to ship out with you again.” He grabbed me and put his arms around me and hugged me tightly again saying, “God bless you.”
Mikronis would stay with the ship until it reached the Brooklyn Navy Yard. He wrote of assisting Father Joe in putting on skits to entertain the men when they weren’t working.
Iron Mike passed away in 2006 and was laid to rest in Arlington National Cemetary. His story has added depth to my research.
*Like most veterans, he was very modest. It wasn’t until Mikronis neared the end of his book that he mentioned in passing that he had received the Silver Star for his actions in North Africa. His citation reads:
Bureau of Naval Personnel Information Bulletin No. 318 (September 1943)
The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Lieutenant, Junior Grade Christos E. Mikronis, United States Navy, for gallantry in action during the occupation of French Morocco, 8 to 11 November 1942. Vigorously attacking hostile machine gun emplacements and aircraft on the ground, Lieutenant, Junior Grade, Mikronis inflicted heavy damage to weapons, and planes, during an attack on the Cazes Airdrome. When his engine was knocked out by a hostile shell, he succeeded in landing his plane, lapsing into unconsciousness as his plane touched the ground. His gallant actions and dedicated devotion to duty, without regard for his own life, were in keeping with the highest traditions of military service and reflect great credit upon himself and the United States Naval Service.
He taught me how important it is for an LSO to build relationships with the pilots, as they must entrust their lives to him when landing. As one who had attacked a heavily defended airfield, I do not doubt he had their respect.
Did you arrive here via a search engine? I am the author of the forthcoming book Heroes By The Hundreds: The Story of the USS Franklin (CV-13). In addition to writing about the bravery of the crews that saved her, I will discuss the lessons we can learn in leadership and decision-making and the changes the US Navy made because of those lessons.
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-Glenn
