AUSTIN C. BEHAN, CDR, USN
Austin Behan '25
Lucky Bag
From the 1925 Lucky Bag:
Austin Carty Behan
Newport, Rhode Island
"Chisty" "Baron"
"CHISTY" isn't the garden variety of star man with a size eight hat and a twelve collar. In fact, he isn't a star man at all and neither is he one of our leading athletes; but this last is not because he isn't an ardent fan of all sports. When it comes to "going out" he has no superiors and few equals. Lacrosse, football, wrestling, and handball have all had his interest and it seems that the gentler sport is the favorite.
His title is the most impressive thing about the "Baron" and in most ways he lives up to it. He has more crust, determination, and a more impossible line than Baron Munchausen. Borrowing anything and everything, discussing the Irish question, and recounting his adventures are typical.
A consistent blind dragger, and never been bricked (or rather that's his story) and not an overly successful fusser; but that record is something to be proud of. His ideas and point of view have at times caused friction with the powers that be but these same qualities will help him through life.
"A man with four stripes will have brains enough to see that I am right."
Austin Carty Behan
Newport, Rhode Island
"Chisty" "Baron"
"CHISTY" isn't the garden variety of star man with a size eight hat and a twelve collar. In fact, he isn't a star man at all and neither is he one of our leading athletes; but this last is not because he isn't an ardent fan of all sports. When it comes to "going out" he has no superiors and few equals. Lacrosse, football, wrestling, and handball have all had his interest and it seems that the gentler sport is the favorite.
His title is the most impressive thing about the "Baron" and in most ways he lives up to it. He has more crust, determination, and a more impossible line than Baron Munchausen. Borrowing anything and everything, discussing the Irish question, and recounting his adventures are typical.
A consistent blind dragger, and never been bricked (or rather that's his story) and not an overly successful fusser; but that record is something to be proud of. His ideas and point of view have at times caused friction with the powers that be but these same qualities will help him through life.
"A man with four stripes will have brains enough to see that I am right."
Loss
Austin was lost on February 17, 1945, when USS Pensacola (CA 24) was damaged by shore battery fire from Iwo Jima. He was the ship's executive officer. Two other officers and fourteen men were also killed.
Other Information
From researcher Kathy Franz:
In April 1914, Austin sang in the Sisters of St. Joseph’s Church musical recital in Newport.
He married Janice Baxter Taylor on September 19, 1931, at the home of her brother-in-law and sister, Commander and Mrs. P. E. Speicher (’08) in Manoa, Hawaii.
During the Pearl Harbor attack, Austin was ashore as was the commanding officer of the USS Henley. Lt. Francis Edward Fleck, Jr., commanded the Henley to safety. Austin, his wife, and daughters Nancy and Patricia were all reported safe after the attack.
In February 1943, Austin sailed from Pearl Harbor to San Francisco. His home address was in San Mateo, California.
According to the Redwood City Tribune, California, March 3, 1945: “Exclusive of a total of 45 days’ leave, he had been on active sea duty for five years during which time he had been shipwrecked, survived a sinking ship, and brought home a limping ship.”
His father Michael was born in Ireland 1868. In 1905 he ran a livery stable, and later, he was a chauffeur for a private family and then for the naval hospital. His mother Annie and family gave $20 in memory of Austin to the St. Mary’s parish fundraiser in May, 1946. His sister was Mary, and his brothers were James, Joseph, Thomas, William, Vincent and George. Their sister Annie Theresa died five days after she was born in February 1910 and was buried in St Columba’s Cemetery.
His wife was listed as next of kin; Austin was also survived by two daughters.
According to a memorial pamphlet, he was buried at sea at 24° 41' 25" N, 141° 23' 39" E on February 17, 1945. (Pamphlet from the grandson of Benjamin Durr, a shipmate of Austin's.)
Photographs
Silver Star
From Hall of Valor:
The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Lieutenant Commander Austin Carty Behan (NSN: 0-59498), United States Navy, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in the line of his profession as First Lieutenant of the U.S.S. PENSACOLA (CA-24), during the operation of that vessel subsequent to the torpedo hit received on the night of 30 November - 1 December 1942, against enemy forces off Tassafaronga, Guadalcanal. With the safety of the ship definitely endangered by the fires raging in the vicinity of the mainmast, Lieutenant Commander Behan, with utter disregard for his own safety and his life hazarded because of exploding 8.5-inch and 20-mm. ammunition, distinguished himself by his skill, knowledge, and intrepidity in fighting the fires, bringing them under control, and finally extinguishing them, thereby aiding materially in saving the ship. 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.
Service: Navy
Division: U.S.S. Pensacola (CA-24)
The "Register of Commissioned and Warrant Officers of the United States Navy and Marine Corps" was published annually from 1815 through at least the 1970s; it provided rank, command or station, and occasionally billet until the beginning of World War II when command/station was no longer included. Scanned copies were reviewed and data entered from the mid-1840s through 1922, when more-frequent Navy Directories were available.
The Navy Directory was a publication that provided information on the command, billet, and rank of every active and retired naval officer. Single editions have been found online from January 1915 and March 1918, and then from three to six editions per year from 1923 through 1940; the final edition is from April 1941.
The entries in both series of documents are sometimes cryptic and confusing. They are often inconsistent, even within an edition, with the name of commands; this is especially true for aviation squadrons in the 1920s and early 1930s.
Alumni listed at the same command may or may not have had significant interactions; they could have shared a stateroom or workspace, stood many hours of watch together… or, especially at the larger commands, they might not have known each other at all. The information provides the opportunity to draw connections that are otherwise invisible, though, and gives a fuller view of the professional experiences of these alumni in Memorial Hall.
July 1925
October 1925
January 1926
October 1926
January 1927
April 1927
October 1927
January 1928
April 1928
July 1928
October 1928
January 1929
April 1929
July 1929
October 1929
January 1930
January 1931
April 1931
July 1931
October 1931
January 1932
April 1932
October 1932
LCDR Charles Cecil '16
LT Robert Smith '20
LT Paul Register '21
LT Francis Bridget '21
LT George Brooke '21
LT William Hobby, Jr. '23
LTjg Neville McDowell '24
January 1933
LCDR Charles Cecil '16
LT Robert Smith '20
LT Paul Register '21
LT Francis Bridget '21
LT George Brooke '21
LT William Hobby, Jr. '23
LTjg Neville McDowell '24
April 1933
LCDR Charles Cecil '16
LT Robert Smith '20
LT Paul Register '21
LT Francis Bridget '21
LT George Brooke '21
LT William Hobby, Jr. '23
LTjg Neville McDowell '24
LTjg Hubert Hayter '24
July 1933
LCDR Lyman Swenson '16
LCDR Charles Cecil '16
LT Robert Smith '20
LT Paul Register '21
LT George Brooke '21
LT Howard Healy '22
1LT Charles Kail '23
LT Hallsted Hopping '24
LTjg Lawrence McPeake '24
LTjg James Smith, Jr. '25
October 1933
LCDR Lyman Swenson '16
LCDR Charles Cecil '16
LT Robert Smith '20
LT Paul Register '21
LT George Brooke '21
LT Howard Healy '22
1LT Charles Kail '23
LT Hallsted Hopping '24
LTjg Lawrence McPeake '24
LTjg William Graham, Jr. '25
LTjg Andrew Harris '25
April 1934
LCDR Lyman Swenson '16
LCDR Charles Cecil '16
LT Robert Smith '20
LT Paul Register '21
LT William Gray '21
LT George Brooke '21
LT Howard Healy '22
1LT Charles Kail '23
LT Hallsted Hopping '24
LT Lawrence McPeake '24
LTjg William Graham, Jr. '25
July 1934
October 1934
January 1935
April 1935
October 1935
January 1936
April 1936
July 1936
September 1937
January 1938
July 1938
January 1939
October 1939
June 1940
November 1940
April 1941
The "category" links below lead to lists of related Honorees; use them to explore further the service and sacrifice of alumni in Memorial Hall.
