RICHARD K. MASON, JR., LT, USN

Richard Mason, Jr. '40

Date of birth: September 23, 1916

Date of death: November 8, 1944

Age: 28

Lucky Bag

From the 1940 Lucky Bag:

RICHARD KEEBLE MASON, JR.

Camden, Arkansas

Arky

Arkansas lost a good lawyer when "Arky" gave up his law course to become a naval officer. Before his naval career was a week old, he knew the "reg." book completely, and ever since his sagacity in interpreting our own "laws" has rivaled that of a Supreme Court justice. Small, dynamic, his every action is characterized by a thoroughness and intentness of purpose that is certain to bring results. He can always be depended upon to do his best, no matter what the task, and that same quality will carry him far in the Navy. It's been a rather hectic but thoroughly enjoyable life with you, "Arky;" here's wishing you the best of luck.

Boat Club 2, 1; Track Squad 4; 2 Stripes.

RICHARD KEEBLE MASON, JR.

Camden, Arkansas

Arky

Arkansas lost a good lawyer when "Arky" gave up his law course to become a naval officer. Before his naval career was a week old, he knew the "reg." book completely, and ever since his sagacity in interpreting our own "laws" has rivaled that of a Supreme Court justice. Small, dynamic, his every action is characterized by a thoroughness and intentness of purpose that is certain to bring results. He can always be depended upon to do his best, no matter what the task, and that same quality will carry him far in the Navy. It's been a rather hectic but thoroughly enjoyable life with you, "Arky;" here's wishing you the best of luck.

Boat Club 2, 1; Track Squad 4; 2 Stripes.

Loss

Richard was lost when USS Growler (SS 215) was sunk by Japanese surface vessels on November 8, 1944 in the South China Sea.

Other Information

From researcher Kathy Franz:

Richard’s father, Richard K. Mason, Sr., was an attorney and an Arkansas state senator. His mother was Lena Henderson. He had a sister Harriet, and brothers Clifford and William. His brother Clifford Pleasant Mason (’41) was a Lt. Commander in March 1947 when Clifford's son — Richard Keeble Mason — was born. Clifford retired as a Commander and is buried in Arlington National Cemetery.

Richard attended Magnolia A&M (now Souther Arkansas University) before reporting to the Naval Academy on 15 June 1936.

Richard married Beverly Partridge Agan on December 12, 1942 in Brooklyn, New York. His best man at the wedding was LT Harold Gorenson, who was his classmate and shipmate on USS Pennsylvania.

His wife was listed as next of kin in the Navy Casualty Report. His memorial is at the Manila American Cemetery and Memorial.

Photographs

From the Lucky Bag
From the Tyler Morning Telegraph on September 20, 1939.

Silver Star

From Hall of Valor:

The President of the United States of America takes pride in presenting the Silver Star (Posthumously) to Lieutenant Richard Keeble Mason, Jr. (NSN: 0-85184), United States Navy, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action as Assistant Approach Officer of the U.S.S. GROWLER (SS_215), during the TENTH War Patrol of that Submarine in enemy controlled waters from 11 August 1944 to 26 September 1944. His cool leadership in coordinating the fire control data during the Growler's attacks which resulted in the sinking of three enemy destroyers, two merchant ships and in the damaging of two more merchant ships, showed great courage and ability. His conduct throughout was in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.
General Orders: Commander 7th Fleet: Serial 0585 (February 8, 1944)
Action Date: August 11 - September 26, 1944

Career

After graduating Richard served as an ensign aboard the USS Pennsylvania. He reported to Pennsylvania on 2 July 1940. He was still assigned to Pennsylvania on December 7, 1941, when the ship was in dry dock at Pearl Harbor. The ship's logs show Richard was a duty officer on December 8, 1941. He served on Pennsylvania until about August 1942. With the war and hastened promotions, Richard was promoted to the temporary rank of Lt(jg) on May 14, 1942 and LT on October 1, 1942. He was later assigned to the USS Growler (SS-215) as the Executive Officer, participating in Growler's fifth through eleventh war patrols.

Full Biography

From Stories Behind The Stars via fold3:

Richard Keeble Mason, Jr., (SN O-085184) was born on 23 September 1916 in Camden, Arkansas. His parents were Richard K. Mason (1882-1973) and Lena Henderson (1886-1961). His father was a lawyer and member of the Arkansas State Senate. He had one sister, Harriet, and two brothers, Clifford and William. Richard grew up in Camden, Arkansas and attended Magnolia A&M (now Southern Arkansas University) before entering the US Naval Academy on 15 June 1936. He graduated from the US Naval Academy in June 1940, and was commissioned as an Ensign. [Note: Richard’s brother Clifford P. Mason (1919-2005) also attended the Naval Academy in the Class of 1942, retired as a Commander, and is buried in Arlington National Cemetery.]
ENS Mason’s initial assignment was the USS Pennsylvania (BB-38), which had been Commissioned in 1916. [Normally, submariners were required to serve two years on surface ships before taking duty on a submarine.] Records show that he reported to the USS Pennsylvania on 2 July 1940. When Japan attacked Pearl Harbor on 7 December 1941, Pennsylvania, flagship of the United States Fleet, was in drydock at the Pearl Harbor Navy Yard and was damaged. Richard was the duty officer on the afternoon of 8 December 1941 according to the ship’s logs. Her damage was repaired over the next few months, and she operated along the U.S. west coast and off Hawaii until October 1942. He was temporarily promoted to Lieutenant Junior Grade on 14 May 1942 and Lieutenant on 1 October 1942. He was later assigned to the USS Growler (SS-215) and became the Executive Officer.
LT Mason married Beverly Partridge Agan (1923-1995) in Brooklyn, New York, on 12 December 1942. His best man was LT Harold Gorenson, who was a Naval Academy classmate and shipmate on the USS Pennsylvania.
The USS Growler was a Gato-class fleet submarine built in Groton Connecticut by the Electric Boat Company. It was commissioned on 20 March 1942. After completing shakedown trials, Growler was soon underway for Pacific waters, arriving at Pearl Harbor on 31 May 1942.
It is not clear when he was initially assigned to USS Growler, but Richard first shows up in the ship’s logs in early March 1943. LT Mason arrived on the Growler as it was mourning the loss of its Captain, CDR Howard Gilmore, who was lost on 7 February 1943, and was undergoing repairs in Australia from a collision with a Japanese vessel. LCDR Arnold F. Schade was the new Commanding Officer. LT Mason participated in Growler’s fifth through tenth war patrols. During Growler’s tenth war patrol, LT Mason was awarded the Silver Star. The citation reads:
The President of the United States of America takes pride in presenting the Silver Star (Posthumously) to Lieutenant Richard Keeble Mason, Jr. (NSN: 0-85184), United States Navy, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action as Assistant Approach Officer of the U.S.S. GROWLER (SS-215), during the TENTH War Patrol of that Submarine in enemy controlled waters from 11 August 1944 to 26 September 1944. His cool leadership in coordinating the fire control data during the Growler's attacks which resulted in the sinking of three enemy destroyers, two merchant ships and in the damaging of two more merchant ships, showed great courage and ability. His conduct throughout was in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.
Growler departed Freemantle, Australia on 20 October 1944 on her eleventh and final war patrol. The Growler was a member of a wolfpack that included the USS Hake (SS-256) and USS Hardhead (SS-356). On the early morning of 8 November 1944, Growler detected an enemy convoy on its radar in the South China Sea near the Philippines. Growler closed in for an attack while Hake and Hardhead flanked the convoy. The Commanding Officer, CDR Thomas Benjamin Oakley, Jr., ordered the wolfpack to attack, but that was the last communication ever heard from Growler. A short time later, Hake noted in her war diary that she heard two explosions of “undetermined character,” and almost simultaneously, the convoy zig-zagged away from Growler’s position. Hardhead heard what sounded like a torpedo explosion followed by three depth charges on the opposite side of the convoy. Hake and Hardhead continued to attack the convoy, sinking the 5,300-ton tanker Manei Maru. Hake endured 16 hours of enemy attacks with some 150 depth charges exploding around her during the battle. After the engagement was complete, Hake and Hardhead attempted to contact Growler continuously for three days, with no success. The likely culprits of Growler’s demise were later identified as Japanese destroyer Shigure and escort vessel Chiburi, or another Japanese vessel in the convoy. The possibility also exists, however unlikely, that one of Growler’s own torpedoes made a premature or circular run.
On 1 February 1945, Navy Department Communique No. 572 stated, “Growler is overdue from patrol and presumed lost, cause unknown” and the next-of-kin of her officers and crew were notified. All hands, 86 crewmembers, were lost. Over the course of World War II, Growler sank 15 enemy vessels for a total of 74,900 tons and damaged seven other vessels for 34,100 tons on her 11 war patrols. There is a memorial for the crew of the Growler at the Manila American Cemetery and Memorial in the Philippines, which is in Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City, Metro Manila, within the boundaries of the former Fort William McKinley.
LT Mason received the Silver Star, Purple Heart, American Defense Service Medal, American Campaign Medal, Asiatic/Pacific Campaign Medal, Combat Action Ribbon, WWII Victory Medal, and Philippine Liberation Medal.
LT Mason’s next of kin listed in the Navy Casualty Book is his wife, Mrs. Beverly Agan Mason of Brooklyn, New York.

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.