Mopping up operations continued until the end of the month. Returning to Southern Ca., on 16 July, the escort ship made way to Seattle on 26 July, and moored at the Naval Supply Depot four days later. A rain squall provided further cover for a turn to the south, and at 0742, the destroyers Johnston, Hoel, Heerman, and escort ship Samuel B. Roberts made close-in attacks on Japanese cruisers and battleships, forcing the enemy to separate and zigzag, while U.S. carrier aircraft flew continuous sorties. While Japanese aircraft seemed prevalent in the vicinity, none broke through the combat air patrol (CAP) of her carrier task unit while at sea. Butler, seeing explosions and fire engulf Sry, broke off his attack and targeted an enemy battleship (most likely a heavy cruiser). John C. Butler returned to Okinawa on 4 July 1945, and spent the remainder of the war in convoy escort, principally between Saipan (2129 August), Ulithi (1 September10 October), Manus (118 November), and Pearl Harbor (1922 November). The task units carriers conducted flight operations, and at 0635, John C. Butler secured from general quarters. At 0700 on 30 November, John C. Butler got underway for training, commencing dry torpedo runs and target vessel firing. John E. Pace, a survivor of both the attack on Pearl Harbor and sinking of Lexington (CV-2) at the Battle of the Coral Sea, received the Navy Cross for his role in the fight. Reporting for active duty at the Naval Reserve Aviation Base at Long Beach, Butler transferred to Naval Air Station (NAS), Pensacola, Fl., on 27 March. The crew celebrated the holidays on leave with their families while the ship remained in port. After spending the next two weeks at her homeport undergoing small repairs, John C. Butler stood out on 27 July for Vancouver, arriving two days later at 1538. He became a US Marine Corps Major General, the highest rank achievable at the time, and when he died, he was the most decorated Marine in US history. After a heroic attack by torpedo bombers of squadrons VT-8, VT-6, and VT-3 failed to strike any of the Japanese ships, Yorktowns dive-bombers, arriving nearly simultaneously with those from Enterprise, which attacked Akagi and Kaga, launched a strike on carrier Sry. With the outbreak of the Korean War in June 1950, John C. Butler was recommissioned at San Diego on 27 December 1950, Lt. Cmdr. A third kamikaze, already in flames, crashed close to the ship after clipping a radio antenna. Inaba Michimune, commanding) struck the carrier port amidships and flooded three of her boiler rooms, killing six crewmen . In December 1909, he commanded the 3d Battalion, 1st Regiment on the Isthmus of Panama. Butler received flight training at Pensacola from 4 April-29July 1941, and reported to the Naval Air Station, Miami, Fl., for further instruction (1 August). Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships, List of destroyers of the United States Navy, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=USS_Butler&oldid=1120545889, World War II destroyers of the United States, Gleaves-class destroyers of the United States Navy, Wikipedia articles incorporating text from the Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0. Butler launched in plane B-12, again with ARM3c Berg as his radio-gunner, in 16 VB-3 (Lt. Cmdr. After the crew returned from holiday leave, John C. Butler seldom left her homeport except to conduct short underway training periods from January-July 1957. Following a brief period of instruction at Washington, D.C., he served with the Marine Battalion, North Atlantic Squadron, until 11 February 1899, when he was ordered home and honorably discharged on 16 February 1899. The text on the front reads, "U.S.S. Lying about his age, he received a direct commission as a Second Lieutenant in the Marines. In short, I was a racketeer, a gangster for capitalism Looking back on it, I might have given Al Capone a few hints. John C. Butler sailed on 26 March with transports; and, as the troops stormed ashore on 1 April, she resumed her now-familiar screening duties with carrier groups. USS Langley (as AV-3) earned two battle stars on its Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Streamer: One for the Philippine Islands Operation, 8 December 1941 - 6 May 1942; and one for Netherlands East Indies Engagements, 23 January - 27 February 1942. Butner (AP-113) was launched by the Federal Shipbuilding & Drydock Co., Kearny, N.J., 19 September 1943 under Maritime Commission contract for the Army; sponsored by Mrs. John J. McCloy; acquired by the . Steaming to San Pedro, Calif., on 23 November 1945, she underwent inactivation overhaul before ordered placed out of commission on 26 June 1946, assigned to the San Diego Group of the Pacific Reserve Fleet. The escort ship underwent a routine overhaul from 1 October 19553 January 1956. Striking the craft with a 500-pound bomb on the port side, his plane received three hits from enemy fire. John C. Butler got underway on 4 October 1953, for Ensenada, Mexico. His separation from the Corps proved short as he was able to secure a first lieutenant's commission in April. She took part in the Amphibious Battle of Gela and subsequently served on escort duty throughout the remainder of the operation. Despite his petitions to be moved to the front, he was given a reserve role as he was considered brilliant but unreliable. When he returned to the US in 1929, he was promoted to Major General, becoming, at age 48, the youngest major general of the Marine Corps. Pace gave the order to open fire, and two of the suicide planes blew apart from ships gunfire before they had an opportunity to start diving on John C. Butler. Receiving an assignment to the aircraft carrier USSSaratoga, arriving in port at San Diego, Butler flew one of the 43 Douglas SBD Dauntless dive bombers attached to Saratoga's Scouting Squadron Three (VS-3) and Bombing Squadron Three (VB-3). Ens. The Japanese fleet was closing the Philippines in a last attempt to annihilate the invasion force, with heavy ships designated to break into Leyte Gulf from north and south, and a diversionary fleet of carriers to draw Admiral William F. Halsey's 3rd Fleet off to the North. John C. Butler departed Seeadler Harbor alongside Fanshaw Bay on 10 September 1944, reaching Morotai Island, at the western tip of New Guinea. The next day, Butler proceeded to Kerama Retto for temporary repairs. General H.W. USS Arthur was a bark acquired by the Union Navy during the American Civil War. She next made way for Seattle on 5 June before steaming back for her homeport, mooring there on 15 June. Once in New Orleans, he was appointed as military governor, and commanded the city in rather controversial ways. From 12 to 30 August she escorted Royal Navy escort carriers taking part in Operation Dragoon. Though the escort carriers lost one of their number and three escorts, their valiant fight had stopped the Japanese from attacking the transports in Leyte Gulf. In April 1899, 1stLt Butler was assigned to duty with the Marine Battalion at Manila, Philippine Islands. He received flight training at Pensacola from 4 April-29July 1941, and reported to the Naval Air Station, Miami for further instruction (1 August). After another short upkeep period, the escort ship received orders to report to Fleet Sonar School from 1629 September. The escort carriers of Taffy 3, hidden in heavy smoke laid down by John C. Butler and other escort ships, managed to launch all aircraft. Download Medium Size Download Full Size. The entry can be found here. She returned to San Pedro, Los Angeles on 23 November and decommissioned on 26 June 1946, joining the Pacific Reserve Fleet at San Diego, California. Ens. In October 1918, aged 37, Butler was promoted to the rank of Brigadier General. Lo survivors before accompanying Raymond to Seeadler Harbor, where wounded sailors received treatment. For his actions, Butler was awarded the first of his two Medals of Honor. Fearing the approach of a large warlord army toward Peking, he re-postured his men into a lightly armed but highly mobile force in anticipation of having to strike out to Peking and rescue any Americans trapped in the city. USS General H. W. Butner (AP-113), named for Henry W. Butner, was a troopship that served with the United States Navy in World War II and the Korean War. VB-6 aircraft attacked first, missing the ship with several bombs. The USS Butler, a destroyer, later converted to a high speed minesweeper, was named for MajGen Butler in 1942. The USS Butler, a destroyer, later converted to a high speed minesweeper, was named for MajGen Butler in 1942. She made way on 2326 July to Port Alberni, B.C., mooring at the Government Assembly Wharf from 26 July-1 August. Training in antisubmarine exercises, often alongside Goss (DE-444), she anchored off Treasure Island, before returning to her homeport. Receiving an assignment to carrier Saratoga (CV-3), arriving in port at San Diego, Butler flew one of the 43 Douglas SBD Dauntless dive bombers attached to Saratogas Scouting Squadron Three (VS-3) and Bombing Squadron Three (VB-3). There he ascertained the strength of the Mexican Army and returned with the necessary information for a US military invasion. On board were naval reservists going to sea, several for the first time, in order to experience and learn about their ratings. Lt. Cmdr. Taffy 1 included four escort carriers and seven escorts under Rear Adm. Thomas L. Sprague, operating to the southward, just off northern Mindanao Island. Paul Thurman Butler Collection (AFC/2001/001/58079), Veterans History Project, American Folklife Center, Library of Congress. While Enterprise and Hornet released their air groups at 0910 to find the Japanese carriers, Adm. Fletcher held Yorktowns back. The escort vessel sailed with Rear Admiral Ralph A. Ofstie's escort carrier group on 12 October to provide air cover for the massive movement of transports into Leyte Gulf. The slow escort carriers launched all planes to attack the Japanese cruisers and battleships, and John C. Butler and her sisters laid heavy smoke to confuse enemy batteries. Butner (AP-113) Howard's hand-written comments: One of our large troop carriers. General H. W. Butner was launched by the Federal Shipbuilding & Drydock Company of Kearny, New Jersey, 19 September 1943 under Maritime Commission contract for the Army; acquired by the Navy 5 December 1943; placed in ferry commission the same day for transfer to the Maryland Drydock Company of Baltimore, for conversion to a troop transport; and Both ships proceeded to conduct a box search, but discontinued after ordered to rejoin the formation. USS General H. W. Butner (AP-113) was a troop transport that served with the United States Navy in World War II and the Korean War. The ship returned to Okinawa with a convoy on 4 July, and spent the last month of the long war on convoy duty between that island and the Pacific advance bases. Butler and his fellow VB-3 pilots landed on board Enterprise to refuel and rearm. After the initial landings, the three carrier groups, soon to become famous by their radio code names, "Taffy 1", "Taffy 2", and "Taffy 3", took station east of the Philippines to lend close air support. Last edited on 16 December 2022, at 07:53, Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships, Describing shipborn radar units of the United States, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=USS_John_C._Butler&oldid=1127716586, This page was last edited on 16 December 2022, at 07:53. He enlisted in the United States Naval Reserve as a seaman second class on 19 February 1941 at Long Beach, California. On 14 August, she got underway for Fleet Sonar School, San Diego. The six escort carriers and seven escort ships under Rear Adm. Clifton A. F. Ziggy Sprague (no relation to Thomas) operated to the northward off the island of Samar. Remaining on the station for over a month, the crew of John C. Butler sprang into action on 20 May 1945. At 0647, the Officer of the Deck (OOD) sighted anti-aircraft fire on the horizon and reported to Lt. Cmdr. DD-636 General Specifications. From September-November, the escort ship conducted short training cruises off San Diego. Steaming back for her homeport, she returned at 0909 on 7 December, the fifteenth anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor. She was used by the Union Navy as a gunboat in support of the Union Navy blockade of Confederate waterways. USS John C. Butler (DE-339) was the lead ship of her class of destroyer escorts in the service with the United States Navy from 1944 to 1946. With his first taste of combat, Butler established himself as a capable leader. Reclassified DMS-29 on 15 November, her conversion was completed on 21 December, and she proceeded to Norfolk and joined Mine Squadron 20 (MineRon 20). Arriving at Esquimalt Naval Shipyard, Victoria, on 1 August, she next made way for Seattle, Wash., on 7 August at 0905. He returned to politics, and was elected governor of Massachusetts in 1882 after several unsuccessful campaigns. On 14 August, she left the immediate screen of the troop transports to give anti-submarine protection to escort carriers providing air coverage to the same convoy, reaching Tulagi, in the Solomon Islands, on 24 August. He was not yet 20 when the citizens of his native West Chester, Pennsylvania, presented him with a sword on his return from the Boxer Rebellion in China. Show your pride in battlefield preservation by shopping in our store. From late February-late March, she conducted operations in the San Diego area, before getting underway again for Ensenada on 29 March. After seeing them safely to Tulagi, the ship operated with escort carriers out of Manus Island on pre-invasion strikes. In 1915, the Haitians decided it was their turn to revolt. Taffy 3, including John C. Butler, received the Presidential Unit Citation (PUC) for its exemplary conduct during the Battle off Samar. John Clarence Butler was born on 2 February 1921 in Liberty, Arizona. She sailed from Marseilles 7 July, via the Panama Canal, for Ulithi and Eniwetok, finally arriving Okinawa 1 September. Later that month, the escort ship made way to Vancouver, British Columbia, on 25 May, mooring at Esquimalt before returning to Net Pier five days later. Butler attended the elite Haverford School and was set for a life of privilege and power. The destroyer escorts Raymond, Dennis, and John C. Butler kept up a continuous fire from 5-inch guns while dodging heavy-caliber fire until dangerously low on ammunition, returning to the carrier formation to provide smoke coverage. 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