John D. Bulkeley

Infobox Military Person
name= John D. Bulkeley
born= birth date|1911|8|19
died= death date and age|1996|4|6|1911|8|19
placeofbirth= New York City, New York
placeofdeath=
placeofburial= Arlington National Cemetery


caption= Vice Admiral John D. Bulkeley
nickname="Sea Wolf"Arlington National Cemetery profile.]
allegiance= United States of America
branch=United States Navy
serviceyears=1933-1988
rank= Vice Admiral
commands=
unit=
battles= World War II
*Battle of the Philippines
*Battle of NormandyKorean War
awards= Medal of Honor Navy Cross Distinguished Service Cross (2) Navy Distinguished Service Medal Silver Star (2) Legion of Merit Purple Heart (2) Croix de Guerre (France)
laterwork=
Vice Admiral John Duncan Bulkeley (19 August 1911–6 April 1996) was a United States Navy officer who received the Medal of Honor for actions in the Pacific Theater during World War II. He was also the PT boat skipper who evacuated General MacArthur from Corregidor in the Philippines. The Navy named an "Arleigh Burke"-class guided missile destroyer after him: USS "Bulkeley" (DDG-84), commissioned in 2001.

Early life and career

Bulkeley was born in New York City and grew up on a farm in Hackettstown, New Jersey. Unable to gain an appointment to Annapolis from his home state of New Jersey, he gained an appointment from the state of Texas."Vice Admiral John D. Bulkeley, USN", INSURV.] Due to budget constraints, only half of the 1933 Academy class received a commission upon graduation. John Bulkeley, noted early on for his intense interest in engineering, joined the Army Air Corps. Like the flying machines of the day, he landed hard more than once and, after a year, gave up flying for the deck of a cruiser, the USS "Indianapolis", as a commissioned officer in the Navy.

Bulkeley charted an interesting course in his early years and was recognized early on by the Navy's leadership. As a new ensign in the mid-1930s, he took the initiative to remove the Japanese ambassador's briefcase from a stateroom aboard a Washington-bound steamer, delivering it to Naval Intelligence a short swim later. This bold feat, the first of many in his life, did not earn him any medals, but it did get him a swift one-way ticket out of the country and a new assignment as Chief Engineer of a coal-burning gunboat, the USS "Sacramento" (PG-19), also known in those parts as "The Galloping Ghost of the China Coast". There he met Alice Wood, a young, attractive English girl, at a dinner party aboard HMS "Diana". In China, they witnessed the invasion of Swatow and Shanghai by Japanese troops and the bombing of USS "Panay" (PR-5), the first US Navy ship sunk in World War II.

World War II

At the dawn of World War II, Bulkeley was a lieutenant in command of Motor Torpedo Boat Squadron Three, a Philippine-based detachment of six motor torpedo boats. He hit his stride as a daring, resourceful and courageous leader, determined to fight to the last against enemy forces attacking the Philippine Islands. He picked up General of the Army Douglas MacArthur, his family, and his immediate staff, who had been ordered to flee the Philippines, and took them aboard convert|77|ft|m|sing=on motor torpedo boats through over convert|600|mi|km of open ocean. On arriving at Mindanao, MacArthur said, "You have taken me out of the jaws of death. I shall never forget it." Bulkeley earned many of his impressive array of decorations while in command of that squadron and a subsequent one.

In 1944, he went halfway around the world for the Normandy invasion. Bulkeley led torpedo boats and minesweepers in clearing the lanes to Utah Beach, Swarns, " Vice Adm. John D. Bulkeley, 84, Hero of D-Day and Philippines", "New York Times", 1996.] keeping German E-boats from attacking the landing ships along the Mason Line, and picking up wounded sailors from the sinking minesweeper USS "Tide", destroyer escort USS "Rich", and destroyer USS "Corry". As invasion operations wound down, he got command of his first large ship, the destroyer USS "Endicott". One month after D-Day, he came to the aid of two British gunboats under attack by two German corvettes. Charging in with only one gun working, he engaged both enemy vessels at point-blank range, sending both to the bottom. When asked, he explained, "What else could I do? You engage, you fight, you win. That is the reputation of our Navy, then and in the future."

1950s

During the Korean War, Bulkeley commanded Destroyer Division 132. After the war, he was Chief of Staff for Cruiser Division Five.cite web|accessdate=2007-10-19
url=http://www.navysna.org/awards/Hall%20of%20Fame%20Write%20Ups/Bulkeley.htm
title=Vice Admiral John D. Bulkeley, 1941-1996
work=Surface Navy Association Hall of Fame
date=February 27, 2004]

1960s

In the early 1960s, Bulkeley commanded Clarksville Base, Tennessee, then a tri-service command under the aegis of the Defense Atomic Support Agency. Having lost none of his wartime daring, Bulkeley was known to test the alertness of the Marines guarding the base by donning a ninja suit, blackening his face and endeavoring to penetrate the classified area after dark without detection. This was a dangerous endeavor, as the Marines carried loaded weapons. Ever popular with his men, who both respected and admired him, Bulkeley could be seen driving around the base in his fire-engine red Triumph TR-3 sports car with a large silver PT boat as a hood ornament.

Promoted to Rear Admiral by President John F. Kennedy, who commanded PT-109 during World War II, Bulkeley was dispatched to command the disputed Guantanamo Bay Naval Base in Cuba,Swarns, "Vice Adm. John D. Bulkeley, 84, Hero of D-Day and Philippines", "New York Times", 1996.] where he met Cuba's threat to sever water supplies in response to the Bay of Pigs invasion and other assaults by ordering the installation of desalinization equipment to make the base self-sufficient.

Last years

Bulkeley retired from active duty in 1967. However, he was recalled to serve as the commander of the Navy's Board of Inspection and Survey (INSURV) which does inspections and surveys of ships prior to their commissioning and deployment. Bulkeley retired from the Navy in 1988, after 55 years of service.cite web|accessdate=2007-10-19
url=http://www.defenselink.mil/Releases/Release.aspx?ReleaseID=825
title=Vice Admiral John D. Bulkeley, USN (Ret) "An outstanding leader of men and a galant and intrepid seaman"
date=April 6, 1996
work=DefenseLINK
publisher=U.S. Department of Defense] Swarns, "New York Times", 1996.]

On 6 April 1996, Bulkeley died at his home in Silver Spring, Maryland at age 84.Swarns, "New York Times", 1996.] Admiral Bulkeley was buried with full military honors at Arlington National Cemetery.Arlington National Cemetery profile.]

Awards and decorations

Decorations include: the Medal of Honor, the Navy Cross, the Army Distinguished Service Cross with one Oak Leaf Cluster, a Navy Distinguished Service Medal, two Silver Stars, the Legion of Merit with Combat V, the Purple Heart twice over, the Philippine Distinguished Conduct Star, the French Croix de Guerre.Arlington National Cemetery profile.]

Medal of Honor citation

Bulkeley's Medal of Honor citation reads::For extraordinary heroism, distinguished service, and conspicuous gallantry above and beyond the call of duty as commander of Motor Torpedo Boat Squadron 3, in Philippine waters during the period 7 December 1941 to 10 April 1942. The remarkable achievement of LCDR Bulkeley's command in damaging or destroying a notable number of Japanese enemy planes, surface combatant and merchant ships, and in dispersing landing parties and land-based enemy forces during the 4 months and 8 days of operation without benefit of repairs, overhaul, or maintenance facilities for his squadron, is believed to be without precedent in this type of warfare. His dynamic forcefulness and daring in offensive action, his brilliantly planned and skillfully executed attacks, supplemented by a unique resourcefulness and ingenuity, characterize him as an outstanding leader of men and a gallant and intrepid seaman. These qualities coupled with a complete disregard for his own personal safety reflect great credit upon him and the Naval Service.cite web|accessdate=2004-09-11
url=http://www.army.mil/cmh/html/moh/wwII-a-f.html
title=Medal of Honor recipients, WWII, A–F
publisher=U.S. Army]

Bulkeley in the movies

Robert Montgomery played squadron commander Brickley, based on Bulkeley, in the 1945 movie "They Were Expendable," Arlington National Cemetery website.] John Ford, assisted by Montgomery, directed. The cast also includes John Wayne, Ward Bond, and Donna Reed.

ee also

*List of Medal of Honor recipients
*List of Medal of Honor recipients for World War II

Notes

References

*cite web
accessdate=2004-09-11
url=http://www.spawar.navy.mil/fleet/insurv/htmlbios/bulkeley.htm
title=Vice Admiral John D. Bulkeley, USN
publisher=INSURV, United States Navy

*cite news
accessdate=2007-10-19
url=http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9F0CE2DF1039F93BA35757C0A960958260
title= Vice Adm. John D. Bulkeley, 84, Hero of D-Day and Philippines
author=Swarns, Rachel L.
work=New York Times |date=April 8, 1996

*cite web
accessdate=2004-09-11
url=http://www.army.mil/cmh/html/moh/wwII-a-f.html
title=Medal of Honor recipients, WWII, A–F
publisher=U.S. Army

*cite web
accessdate=2005-06-27
url=http://www.arlingtoncemetery.net/jdbulkel.htm
title=John Duncan Bulkeley, Vice Admiral, United States Navy
publisher=Arlington National Cemetery website

*cite web
accessdate=2007-10-19
url=http://www.defenselink.mil/Releases/Release.aspx?ReleaseID=825
title=Vice Admiral John D. Bulkeley, USN (Ret) "An outstanding leader of men and a galant and intrepid seaman"
date=April 6, 1996
work=DefenseLINK
publisher=U.S. Department of Defense

*cite web
accessdate=2007-10-19
url=http://www.navysna.org/awards/Hall%20of%20Fame%20Write%20Ups/Bulkeley.htm
title=Vice Admiral John D. Bulkeley, 1941-1996
work=Surface Navy Association Hall of Fame
date=February 27, 2004

External links

* [http://www.eisenhower.archives.gov/listofholdingshtml/finding_aids_b.html Papers of John D. Bulkeley, Dwight D. Eisenhower Presidential Library]
*findagrave|6129929 Retrieved on 2007-11-28

Persondata
NAME= Bulkeley, John D.
ALTERNATIVE NAMES=
SHORT DESCRIPTION= United States Navy Medal of Honor recipient
DATE OF BIRTH=
PLACE OF BIRTH=
DATE OF DEATH=
PLACE OF DEATH=