[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 172 (Tuesday, December 21, 2010)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2227]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   HONORING THOSE WHO SERVED ON THE USS FRANKLIN DURING WORLD WAR II

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. JOHN B. LARSON

                             of connecticut

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, December 21, 2010

  Mr. LARSON of Connecticut. Madam Speaker, I rise today to pay homage 
to my father and the men and women who he served with on the USS 
Franklin. The ship that wouldn't die, also known as ``Big Ben,'' is one 
of the most decorated ships in naval history. I often think of how my 
dad, then just 19 years of age, 45 miles off the coast of Japan, dealt 
with the series of events that unfolded on the Essex-class carrier 
Franklin. Like so many of his generation, he said little about the 
battle and the loss of life that took place during the crew's effort to 
keep the Franklin afloat. Al Amos, one of my dad's friends from 
Connecticut, was also a survivor and recently his daughter sent me a 
book, ``Inferno: The Epic Life and Death Struggle of the USS Franklin 
in World War II,'' which chronicled the heroic efforts on board the 
Franklin on March 19, 1945. In memory of that event, I flew a flag over 
the United States Capitol to honor Al, my dad, all the surviving crew 
members, and those who have since passed. History will forever record 
these deeds and the valor displayed. As the son of Raymond E. Larson, I 
wanted to pay this small tribute in recognition of the heroic efforts 
that defined the men and women who have served our country and make us 
uniquely American. The following is a brief summary.
  On March 19, 1945, the Essex-class battle carrier, the USS Franklin, 
had maneuvered less than 50 miles from the coast of Japan. It was 
closer than any American ship had been to Japan during the war. The 
crew had been battle-tested since the summer of 1944 and launched 
numerous attacks on the enemy in the Pacific from Iwo Jima to the Bonin 
Islands. It had survived multiple attacks by the enemy from bombers, 
torpedo assaults, and kamikaze missions. A direct hit from a bomber on 
October 3rd killed 3 sailors and wounded 22 and a suicide bomber struck 
the Franklin on October 30th, killing 56 and wounding 60 on board. 
Following a grueling tour of duty the previous year, the Franklin had 
been repaired and was stationed near the Japanese mainland in 1945 
where it was launching attacks on the mainland island of Honshu and the 
Kobe Harbor.
  On March 19, a Japanese bomber dropped from the clouds and struck the 
Franklin with two armor-piercing bombs in a devastating hit that 
penetrated the deck, destroyed the ship's communication system, and 
caused it to become engulfed in flames. Just off the Japanese coast, 
the Franklin was dead in the water. There were countless stories of 
heroics among the 704 survivors who saved the lives of many more who 
would have otherwise perished. Of the many heroes that day, the ship's 
chaplain, LCDR Joseph T. O'Callahan, led rescue efforts through twisted 
metal, burning debris, and suffocating smoke while administering last 
rites and comforting the wounded.
  LT Donald Gray discovered 300 men trapped in a mess compartment and 
led repeated efforts to evacuate them and rescue them from certain 
peril. Both men received the Medal of Honor for their bravery. In 
total, 724 sailors were killed in the attack and 265 were wounded. 
Through the blistering assault from the enemy, the USS Franklin was the 
most heavily damaged ship to survive the war and managed to make it 
back to port.
  Many of the survivors went on to lead remarkable lives. Spencer Le 
Van Kimball went on to become a Rhodes Scholar and the youngest Dean of 
the University of Utah Law School at the age of 35. Alphonse Goodberlet 
was a pilot who was wounded while serving on the USS Franklin and went 
on to have a distinguished career in the Navy, rising to the rank of 
Commander after 22 years of service. Alvin Gallen, who served as a 
gunner on the Franklin, was drafted to play baseball for the Cleveland 
Indians and played in their farm system before leaving the game to have 
a long career in commercial building. These brave young men from 
various walks of life came together to patriotically serve their 
country and hundreds paid the ultimate sacrifice. Sixty-five years 
later, the ordeal that these sailors went through is a reminder that 
America has faced enormous challenges before and has been able to 
overcome them. Although it is hard to imagine a more difficult 
situation than the assault the USS Franklin faced, that battered ship 
made it back to port and the survivors went on to be part of the 
greatest generation. We owe them a tremendous debt of gratitude and 
will never forget the sacrifice they made for this country.

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