EDWARD ACKERMAN, LCDR, USN

Edward Ackerman '39

Date of birth: September 3, 1915

Date of death: March 20, 1945

Age: 29

Lucky Bag

From the 1939 Lucky Bag:

EDWARD ACKERMAN

Cincinnati, Ohio

Gus

A Cincinnati "Deutscher" who went Navy after having had a taste of the Army—in a Three C camp. Claims he needed the vitamin D. Greatest accomplishment is spoiling good stories by staring at the teller with a frozen face and demanding, "well, go on," after he has finished. Methodical temperament—scratches of the days on his desk calendar. Number one man in batt—alphabetically. Thinks life is unfair because he is always section leader, but consoles himself with being first in the pay line. Hobbies limited to boats, tennis, some bowling and regular "body beautiful" workouts. Wants to learn to play the oboe. Thinks looks unimportant in women, drags anything from a 3.6 to a 4.0. Adheres to the unvarying rule, "All dames is drifty."

2 Stripes.

EDWARD ACKERMAN

Cincinnati, Ohio

Gus

A Cincinnati "Deutscher" who went Navy after having had a taste of the Army—in a Three C camp. Claims he needed the vitamin D. Greatest accomplishment is spoiling good stories by staring at the teller with a frozen face and demanding, "well, go on," after he has finished. Methodical temperament—scratches of the days on his desk calendar. Number one man in batt—alphabetically. Thinks life is unfair because he is always section leader, but consoles himself with being first in the pay line. Hobbies limited to boats, tennis, some bowling and regular "body beautiful" workouts. Wants to learn to play the oboe. Thinks looks unimportant in women, drags anything from a 3.6 to a 4.0. Adheres to the unvarying rule, "All dames is drifty."

2 Stripes.

Loss

Edward was lost when USS Kete (SS 369) was sunk by an unknown cause, sometime around March 20, 1945, near the Ryukyu Islands. He was commanding officer.

Other Information

From researcher Kathy Franz:

Edward graduated from Walnut Hills High School in 1933. He married Marjorie Flach on July 28, 1941, at the bride’s home in Cincinnati.
His father William owned a paint store, mother Marie, sister Mary.

His wife was listed as next of kin. He is listed among those memorialized at the Honolulu Memorial.

Photographs

From the Lucky Bag
From The Cincinnati Enquirer on July 29, 1941
From The Cincinnati Enquirer on May 4, 1944

Career

From the now-broken link http://www.fleetorganization.com/subcommandersclassyear3.html:

Duty USS Mississippi (BB-41) 1 Jul 1939 - 1 Oct 1939

Duty USS Overton (DD-239) 1939 - 1 Nov 1940

Under Instruction Submarine School New London Dec 1941

Duty including Diving Officer USS Grayback (SS-208) 1942 - 1943

Executive Officer USS Grayback (SS-208) 30 Sep 1943 - 31 Dec 1943

Executive Officer USS Kete (SS-369) Jul 1944 - Jan 1945

Captain USS Kete (SS-369) 20 Feb 1945 - 20 Mar 1945

Ensign 1 Jun 1939

Lieutenant (j.g.) 1 Jun 1942

Lieutenant (T) 15 Jun 1942

Lieutenant Commander (T) 15 Mar 1944

Final Patrol

From U-Boat:

1 Mar 1945: USS Kete (Lt.Cdr. Edward Ackerman) departed from Guam for her 2nd war patrol, and was ordered to patrol of the Ryukyu Islands.
10 Mar 1945: USS Kete (Lt.Cdr. E. Ackerman) torpedoed and sank the Japanese troop transport Keizan Maru (2116 GRT) and the Japanese army cargo ships Sanka Maru (2495 GRT) and Dokan Maru (2270 GRT) about 100 nautical miles north-west of Amami o Shima in position 29°48'N, 128°02'E.
14 Mar 1945: USS Kete (Lt.Cdr. E. Ackerman) reports that she had fired four torpedoes but missed a Japanese cable laying vessel. She also reports that she has only three torpedoes left.
Kete was ordered to depart from her patrol area on March 20th.
19 Mar 1945: USS Kete (Lt.Cdr. Edward Ackerman) acknowledged the receipt of these orders to leave her patrol area on the next day.
20 Mar 1945: USS Kete (Lt.Cdr. Edward Ackerman) sent a special weather report. This is the last ever heard from her.

Silver Star

From Hall of Valor:

The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Lieutenant Edward Ackerman (NSN: 0-82383), United States Navy, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action. During the first SEVEN War Patrols of the U.S.S. GRAYBACK (SS-208), Lieutenant Ackerman, as Diving Officer, calmly and skillfully maintained depth control of his ship during torpedo attacks and during trying conditions of no less than 15 enemy depth-charge counterattacks. On one occasion, when a main ballast tank malfunctioned, he took corrective action to prevent loss of trim and serious damage or loss of his ship. His assistance to his Commanding Officer contributed to the successful attacks on seven enemy ships, including a destroyer, during a single war patrol. His actions throughout were in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.
General Orders: Commander 7th Fleet: Serial 0547 (March 11, 1944)
Action Date: February 15, 1942 - Mary 30, 1943
Service: Navy
Rank: Lieutenant
Company: Diving Officer
Division: U.S.S. Grayback (SS-208)

From Hall of Valor:

The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting a Gold Star in lieu of a Second Award of the Silver Star to Lieutenant Edward Ackerman (NSN: 0-82383), United States Navy, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action in the performance of his duties as Assistant Approach Officer of the U.S.S. GRAYBACK (SS-208), during the NINTH War Patrol of that Submarine from 2 December 1943 to 4 January 1944, in enemy controlled waters. His excellent judgment and thorough knowledge of attack problems assisted his Commanding Officer materially in conducting successful gun and torpedo attacks against escorted enemy shipping which resulted in the sinking of six enemy ships and an armed trawler for a total of 23,995 tons, and damaging two additional enemy ships totaling 11,021 tons. His inspiring leadership and efficiency greatly assisted his ship in conducting successful evasive tactics during enemy countermeasures. His conduct throughout was an inspiration to the officers and men in his ship and were in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.
General Orders: Commander in Chief Pacific: Serial 06666 (November 17, 1944)
Action Date: December 2, 1943 - January 4, 1944
Service: Navy
Rank: Lieutenant
Company: Assistant Approach Officer
Division: U.S.S. Grayback (SS-208)

From Hall of Valor:

The President of the United States of America takes pride in presenting a Gold Star in lieu of a Second Award of the Silver Star (Posthumously) to Lieutenant Commander Edward Ackerman (NSN: 0-82383), United States Navy, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action in the line of his profession as Commanding Officer of the U.S.S. KETE (SS-369), during the SECOND War Patrol of that Submarine in the Nansei Shoto Area. On 11 March 1945, this fighting Commanding Officer took his submarine out to meet the enemy. Despite severe enemy countermeasures he daringly launched torpedo attacks which resulted in the sinking of three enemy vessels, totaling 12,000 tons. While continuing this smashing offensive against the enemy, overwhelming enemy counterattacks were encountered which cause the loss of this outstanding submarine. His conduct throughout was an inspiration to all submarine personnel, and was in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.
General Orders: Commander in Chief Pacific: Serial 032115 (August 22, 1945)
Action Date: March 11, 1945
Service: Navy
Rank: Lieutenant Commander
Company: Commanding Officer
Division: U.S.S. Kete (SS-369)

Navy Directories & Officer Registers

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.