Tribute

Lt. James Crotty

Lt. Thomas James Eugene Crotty, USCG

This tribute to Lt. Crotty was condensed from an article written by William H. Thiesen, Ph.D., Atlantic Area Historian, USCG.  Courtesy of the MacArthur Memorial Library, Norfolk, Virginia.

Lt. Thomas James Eugene Crotty

Lt. ‘Jimmy’ Crotty graduated from the United States Coast Guard Academy in 1934 and for 6 years he served on board cutters, including the Tampa during its famous rescue of passengers from the burning liner Morro Castle.  In April 1941, Jimmy received training at the Navy’s Mine Warfare School and Mine Recovery Unit.  He then received orders for the Philippine Islands in October.

On 10 December, the American Navy Yard at Cavite was bombed by the Japanese.  Crotty supervised the demolition of strategic facilities to prevent them from falling into enemy hands as ground troops made their way to Corregidor.  This included the ammunition magazine and the fleet submarine, USS Sea Lion, which had been damaged during the air attacks.

USS Quail

During February and March 1942, Crotty served as executive officer of the Navy minesweeper USS Quail which shot down enemy aircraft and swept the minefields so US subs could deliver supplies and evacuate personnel.  They also provided shore bombardment against Japanese beach landings.

Crews on board Navy vessels cannibalized deck guns and moved them onto the island to mount a final stand against the encircling enemy forces.  Crotty served to the bitter end.  Eye witnesses reported seeing him commanding a force of Marine and Army personnel manning the 75-mm beach guns until Japanese bombardment put the guns out of commission.

Marines fire a 75-mm gun, 1942

With Corregidor’s capitulation on 6 May, Lt. Crotty became the first Coast Guard POW since the War of 1812.  His fellow prisoners at Cabanatuan knew him for his love of sports as well as his sense of humor and optimism.  One person later recounted: “The one striking thing I remember was his continued optimism and cheerfulness under the most adverse circumstances.  He was outstanding at a time when such an attitude was so necessary for general welfare.”

Lt. Crotty

Crotty received little recognition for his heroic efforts during those desperate days due in part to the destruction of records and the death of so many eye witnesses.  To this day, no one knows the precise day he died, from the diphtheria epidemic that killed 40 prisoners a day, or the exact location of his final resting place.

Crotty’s shadow-box

In the words of one of his shipmates, intelligence officer, Lt.Cmdr. Denys W. Knoll:
“Lieutenant Crotty impressed us all with his fine qualities of naval leadership which were combined with a very pleasant personality and a willingness to assist everyone to the limit of his ability. He continued to remain very cheerful and retained a high morale until my departure from Fort Mills the evening of 3 May. Lt. Crotty is worthy of commendation for the energetic and industrious manner in which he performed all his tasks. He continued to be an outstanding example of an officer and a gentleman to all hands and was a source of encouragement to many who did not posses his high qualities of courage and perseverance that he displayed.”

Lt.Cmdr. John Morrel also, along with 17 others escaped 2,000 miles to Darwin Australia in a 36′ motor launch and wrote the book, “South From Corregidor.”

Click onto images to enlarge.

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Military Humor –  now they’re into ‘planking’

military planking

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Farewell Salutes – 

James Caporale – CT & FL; US Navy (Ret. 20 years)

Gert Dalby – Santa Ynez, CA; Danish Military

William Foster – Goshen, IN; USMC

Richard Hottelet – Brooklyn, NY; WWII journalist, last of the “Edward R. Murrow Boys,” ETO, POW

Norman Lucas – Knox, ID; USMC, WWII, PTO, Company C/1/24th Div.

Douglas MacLean – Calgary, CAN; RC Navy, WWII, HMCS Oakville

Donald Moore – Grand Rapids, MI; US Army Air Corp, WWII, PTO, Med/457 Artillery

Betty Quilan – Oklahoma City, OK; Military Intelligence, WWII

Marion Stults – Tucson, AZ , US Army, 511th/Signal

Jack Walsh – Portland , ME; US Navy, WWII, PTO, USS Perry & Shenandoah

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