HARLAN R. DICKSON, LCDR, USN

Harlan Dickson '36

Date of birth: September 16, 1914

Date of death: February 5, 1944

Age: 29

Lucky Bag

From the 1936 Lucky Bag:

Harlan Rockey Dickson

Washington, D.C.

"Dick"

After spending his early years roaming the world, Dick finally decided to follow the profession of his forefathers, that of a seafaring fighter. Dick's battle with the academics has placed him among the intelligentsia of the upper ten percent. His academic efforts have never been of prime importance, however; his chief interests have been in getting enough sleep, fresh air, exercise, and the girl of his dreams. Dick has a deep-seated hatred of all that is artificial or unjust. His spirit rebels against oppression or unfairness in any form; give him a free hand, and the world will be Utopia within a week. A sunny disposition and a willingness to do a favor or forget a grievance make Dixie an admirable companion and real friend.

Fencing 4; Track 4; Boxing 3, 2, 1; Class Football 2, 1; G.P.O.

Harlan Rockey Dickson

Washington, D.C.

"Dick"

After spending his early years roaming the world, Dick finally decided to follow the profession of his forefathers, that of a seafaring fighter. Dick's battle with the academics has placed him among the intelligentsia of the upper ten percent. His academic efforts have never been of prime importance, however; his chief interests have been in getting enough sleep, fresh air, exercise, and the girl of his dreams. Dick has a deep-seated hatred of all that is artificial or unjust. His spirit rebels against oppression or unfairness in any form; give him a free hand, and the world will be Utopia within a week. A sunny disposition and a willingness to do a favor or forget a grievance make Dixie an admirable companion and real friend.

Fencing 4; Track 4; Boxing 3, 2, 1; Class Football 2, 1; G.P.O.

Loss

Hardlan was lost on February 5, 1944 when his aircraft crashed in California.

Other Information

From researcher Kathy Franz: "Harlan attended school in Bluffton, Ohio. He was appointed to the Naval Academy by Congressman John L. Cable. His mother Mildred married Col. Rene Studler on May 18, 1918. His grandmother was Emma Studler."

From the Lima News on February 10, 1944:

Dickson as squadron commander was listed as one of the youngest lieutenant commanders in the Navy air forces. The recipient of two Navy crosses, he won one for blasting two carriers in the Coral sea, and the other for locating the enemy carrier that sent out the planes that fatally bombed the Yorktown in the battle of the Midway and for directing planes to the enemy ship subsequently sunk. He also assisted in sinking three other Japanese ships at Midway, and participated in the early raids on the Marshall and Gilbert islands and on Guadalcanal and Tulagi.
On the occasion of the awarding of the Navy crosses, Adm. W. K. Harrill cited him for “heroic and distinguished service as pilot of an airplane in a bombing squadron in a dive bombing attack against Japanese forces in Tulagi harbor on May 4, 1942, an attack on an enemy carrier in the Coral sea on May 8, 1943, and also for courage in pressing dive bombing attacks against the Japanese invasion fleet in the battle of Midway.”

From Find A Grave:

Ensign Dickson was designated Naval Aviator #8038 in 1941. Graduated US Naval Academy, Class of 1936. During the first six months of the Pacific war, while flying with Bombing Squadron Five (VB-5) from USS Yorktown (CV-5), he distinguished himself during the Raid on Tulagi and the Battle of Coral Sea in early May 1942 and the Battle of Midway in June. He subsequently served with four other scouting and bombing squadrons and took command of Bombing Squadron Eighteen (VB-18) in September 1943.

Richard Leonard, a naval aviation researcher, confirmed in an email on December 29, 2017 that Harlan was commanding officer of Bombing Squadron (VB) 18 and was at NAAS Watsonville, California, at the time of his death.

He is buried in Arlington National Cemetery.

Photographs

Lieutenant Commander John L. Nielsen, USN (left) and Lieutenant Commander Harlan R. Dickson., USN. At the Navy Department, Washington, DC, circa July 1943. Both men served in Bombing Squadron Five (VB-5) on USS Yorktown (CV-5) during the early months of the Pacific War.

Navy Cross

From Hall of Valor:

The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Navy Cross to Lieutenant Commander Harlan Rockey Dickson, United States Navy, for extraordinary heroism in operations against the enemy while serving as Pilot of a carrier-based Navy Scouting Plane in Scouting Squadron FIVE (VS-5), attached to the U.S.S. YORKTOWN (CV-5), in action against enemy Japanese forces at Tulagi Harbor on 4 May 1942, and in the Battle of the Coral Sea on 7 and 8 May 1942. These attacks, vigorously and persistently pressed home in the face of heavy anti-aircraft fire, and on 8 May opposed also by enemy fighters, resulted in the sinking or damaging of at least eight enemy Japanese vessels at Tulagi and the sinking of one carrier and the sinking or severe damaging of another in the Coral Sea. Lieutenant Commander Dickson's conscientious devotion to duty and gallant self-command against formidable odds were in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.
Action Date: May 4, 7 & 8, 1942
Service: Navy
Rank: Lieutenant Commander
Company: Scouting Squadron 5 (VS-5)
Division: U.S.S. Yorktown (CV-5)

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 Navy Cross to Lieutenant Harlan Rockey Dickson, United States Navy, for extraordinary heroism in operations against the enemy while serving as Pilot of a carrier-based Navy Scouting Plane of Scouting Squadron FIVE (VS-5), attached to the U.S.S. YORKTOWN (CV-5), during the "Air Battle of Midway," against enemy Japanese forces on 4 - 6 June 1942. Defying extreme danger from concentrated anti-aircraft fire and fierce fighter opposition, Lieutenant Dickson, with utter disregard for his own personal safety, participated in persistent and vigorous attacks against the Japanese invasion fleet. His gallant intrepidity and loyal devotion to the accomplishment of a vastly important objective contributed in large measure to the success achieved by our forces and were in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.
Action Date: June 4 - 6, 1942
Service: Navy
Rank: Lieutenant
Company: Scouting Squadron 5 (VS-5)
Division: U.S.S. Yorktown (CV-5)

He was presented at least one of these awards at the Alameda Naval Air Station, per Oakland Tribune on October 28, 1942.

Namesake

USS Harlan R. Dickson (DD 708) is named for Harlan; the ship was sponsored by his mother, Mildred.

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.