GEORGE K. MACKENZIE, JR., LCDR, USN

George Mackenzie, Jr. '31

Date of birth: May 30, 1910

Date of death: March 15, 1943

Age: 32

Lucky Bag

From the 1931 Lucky Bag:

George Kenneth MacKenzie, Jr.

Brooklyn, New York

"Mac" "Ken"

Mac came to the Naval Academy from Erasmus Hall High School in Brooklyn, where he was fitted for a brilliant career in the Service. The same qualifications have been the means of his success in the many activities in which he has taken part.

The activities in which Ken has participated have been both athletic and literary. The athletic department of the Log has received the fruits of his best endeavors and has been improved by his ideas. Before entering the Service he had never kicked a soccer ball but he learned Plebe year and played every game that season. Track, however, is his best sport, and as leading sprinter he has made many points for the Navy team.

Mac undertakes things with such enthusiasm and works so persistently that he invariably succeeds. He is always cheerful and ready to break into a smile, with the result that he is very popular. His upright carriage and dignified bearing command the respect and admiration of those with whom he comes in contact. He is a splendid companion, a sterling friend.

Log Staff 4, 3, Board 2, Editor-in-Chief 1; Lucky Bag Staff; Track 4, 3, 2, 1; "N" Star Track, Captain 1, 100-Yard Academy Record; Soccer 4, 3, 2, 1; "NA" "N"; Class Supper Committee; Three Stripes, Regimental Adjutant

Mac was Captain of the Track Team and achieved the 100-Yard Academy Record. Mac was Editor of the Log.

George Kenneth MacKenzie, Jr.

Brooklyn, New York

"Mac" "Ken"

Mac came to the Naval Academy from Erasmus Hall High School in Brooklyn, where he was fitted for a brilliant career in the Service. The same qualifications have been the means of his success in the many activities in which he has taken part.

The activities in which Ken has participated have been both athletic and literary. The athletic department of the Log has received the fruits of his best endeavors and has been improved by his ideas. Before entering the Service he had never kicked a soccer ball but he learned Plebe year and played every game that season. Track, however, is his best sport, and as leading sprinter he has made many points for the Navy team.

Mac undertakes things with such enthusiasm and works so persistently that he invariably succeeds. He is always cheerful and ready to break into a smile, with the result that he is very popular. His upright carriage and dignified bearing command the respect and admiration of those with whom he comes in contact. He is a splendid companion, a sterling friend.

Log Staff 4, 3, Board 2, Editor-in-Chief 1; Lucky Bag Staff; Track 4, 3, 2, 1; "N" Star Track, Captain 1, 100-Yard Academy Record; Soccer 4, 3, 2, 1; "NA" "N"; Class Supper Committee; Three Stripes, Regimental Adjutant

Mac was Captain of the Track Team and achieved the 100-Yard Academy Record. Mac was Editor of the Log.

Loss

George was lost when USS Triton (SS 201) was sunk by Japanese destroyers on March 15, 1943. He was the boat's commanding officer.

Other Information

From the Brooklyn Daily Eagle, New York, July 22, 1943:

Track star, soccer player, and editor of The Log at Annapolis, Commander MacKenzie was known as an all-around athlete and good fellow. A graduate of Erasmus Hall High School, where he received his three block E’s for track, he joined the navy “to see the world.”
MacKenzie received his appointment to the Naval Academy from Representative Andrew L. Somers in 1927 and in his first year was awarded his major numerals, the highest award a plebe can acquire.
In this first year he saw part of the world he set out to cover in a cruise along the eastern coast of the United States and in his third year was sent to the northern part of Europe where he developed an enthusiasm for skiing and “German beer.”

From The Brooklyn Daily Eagle, New York, July 23, 1943:

Lt. Comm. George Kenneth MacKenzie, Jr., Brooklyn-born commander of the U. S. submarine Triton, listed yesterday as lost, is to have his memory perpetuated by his classmates at Erasmus Hall High School, where he starred in athletics before going to Annapolis.
The plan is to donate an annual MacKenzie trophy to the senior who is “most efficient in sports, of stalwart and dependable character and a good student.” It will be similar to that which memorializes the name of Johnny McClue, another noted athlete of Erasmus, who was killed in World War I.
Erasmus has another reason for honoring Commander MacKenzie as his mother had been a teacher at the high school.
Was Eagle Correspondent
While he was a student at Erasmus, Commander MacKenzie acted as a sports correspondent for the Eagle and, according to Scholastic Editor James J. Murphy would have made a fine reporter if he had not decided upon a career in the navy.
The tall, handsome youth won three block E’s for his ability as a track star at Erasmus and continued his success in that field at Annapolis, where he won his N in track and soccer. He also was editor of the Log. In 1932 he was a member of the navy Olympic track squad.
After graduating in 1931 from Annapolis, he was assigned to the U.S.S. Raleigh and subsequently went to the submarine school at New London. Completing his course in January, 1934, he served in the submarines Bonita and Plunger until February, 1936.
Gave Sub Escape Instruction
In 1936 he was detailed for instruction in the deep-sea diving school and following that duty was instructor at the submarine escape training tank at New London.
He was made commander of the U.S.S. Falcon in 1941 and after taking an advanced course in the submarine officer’s school joined a submarine squadron of the Pacific. He was placed in command of the Triton last February.
Received Four Navy Awards
Commander MacKenzie was awarded the Navy Cross, the American Defense Medal, Fleet Clasp and the Asiatic-Pacific Area Campaign Medal.
He formerly lived at 1899 New York Ave., but moved to New London some years ago. Mrs. MacKenzie is the former Josephine Moore of this borough. The couple have two children, George K. MacKenzie 3d and Donna MacKenzie. The naval hero’s father George K. MacKenzie, Sr., is associated with the East Orange Hotel, Orange, N. J.

From researcher Kathy Franz:

George ran the 50-yard dash handicap at the Millrose A. A. games at Madison Square Garden on February 6, 1932. In April, 1952, he was a sprinter and member of the Navy Olympic candidates from the Battle Force and Scouting Fleet, quartered at Annapolis for further coaching and training. At the time, he was assigned to the U.S.S. Raleigh.
George married Josephine Ursula Moore on June 8, 1933, in the rectory of St. Charles Borromeo Church in Brooklyn. She also was a graduate of Erasmus Hall. His brother Stewart was best man.
His father was George Kenneth MacKenzie, an accountant and insurance salesman, mother Clara, brother Stewart, and sister Jean.

From Wikipedia:

MacKenzie attended the Basic Enlisted Submarine School and Deep Sea Diving School and the advanced course in the Submarine Officers' School in addition to serving in Raleigh (CL-7), Bonita (SS-165), and Plunger (SS-179) and commanding Falcon (ASR-2) and Triton (SS-201).

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

Duty Submarine Escape Training Tank Submarine Base New London 1 Jul 1939 - 1 Nov 1940

Captain USS Falcon (ASR-2) 1 Oct 1941 - 31 May 1942

Executive Officer USS Gato (SS-212)

Captain USS Triton (SS-201) 14 Feb 1943 - 15 Mar 1943

He was promoted to Lieutenant on 21 Sep 1938 and to Lieutenant Commander (T) on 15 Jun 1942.

His wife was listed as next of kin; he was also survived by his daughter.

Photographs

From the Daily News on September 20, 1943

Navy Cross

From Hall of Valor:

The President of the United States of America takes pride in presenting the Navy Cross (Posthumously) to Lieutenant Commander George Kenneth MacKenzie, Jr. (NSN: 0-70326), United States Navy, for extraordinary heroism and distinguished service in the line of his profession as Commanding Officer of the U.S.S. TRITON (SS-201), during the SIXTH War Patrol of that submarine in enemy controlled waters during February 1943. With daring and skillful seamanship, Lieutenant Commander MacKenzie maneuvered his ship into effective striking position and attacked an enemy convoy, sinking several ships of the convoy and damaging others. Lieutenant Commander MacKenzie's inspiring leadership and the excellent performance of duty of his command were in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.
Action Date: Feb-43
Service: Navy
Rank: Lieutenant Commander
Company: Commanding Officer
Division: U.S.S. Triton (SS-201)

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.