And An Ensign Shall Lead Them

[Subdeacon Joe]

https://www.military.com/off-duty/2019/12/02/o-1-took-command-pearl-harbor-and-took-fight-japanese.html?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=Facebook&fbclid=IwAR2p1UrCULqrop_jSkKjpCNbsShjOzkmgkOIN07JPNjuSzk_3tr4sG44BgM#Echobox=1606757015

 

Destroyers, in general, don't get as much love as they deserve for their contribution to World War II. The USS Aylwin is not different, even though her crew managed to do what few others could, which was to take the fight to the sucker-punching Japanese Navy and naval air forces during and after its attack on Pearl Harbor. Despite having only half the necessary crew and being commanded by an Ensign, the Aylwin was out on patrols immediately.

The Aylwin was moored at Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941, with other ships from her Pacific squadron. Like most ships, roughly half of its crew were out on liberty or leave when the Japanese arrived in Hawaii. She had only one boiler going, strong enough to power only a few of the ship's systems. That's when the Utah was hit by a torpedo.

Even with only half her crew and being under the command of Ensign Stanley B. Caplan – that's an O-1 for you non-Navy folks – the Aylwin was returning fire within three minutes of the Japanese attacks. A few minutes after that, her remaining boilers were lit. And a few minutes after that, Aylwin was making her way into the channel and into the open sea. This destroyer wasn't going to be a sitting duck if she could help it.

 

 

As she left the harbor, Aylwin maintained a deadly, continuous rate of fire that would have dissuaded even the most daring of pilots from pressing their attack on the destroyer. Pearl Harbor, at that moment however, was a target-rich environment for both sides. The skies were filled with Japanese planes, and the grounds and harbor area were littered with military targets, planes, ships, and more. Zero after Zero came after the U.S. ship but were chased away as Ensign Caplan and his men fired everything they had at their pursuers. The machine gunners on the decks of the Aylwin claimed to have downed at least three enemy fighters.

Caplan and company began an immediate combat patrol, looking for enemy submarines in the area, as were her standing orders in case of such an attack. An unknown explosion and an attempt to depth charge an enemy submarine were the most notable events of the next few days. For 36 hours, Ensign Caplan knew what it meant to be the captain. The ship and the rest of its crew joined the task force around the USS Lexington and headed to Wake Island by Dec. 12.

 

The Aylwin would survive the war mostly intact, but with 13 battle stars for her contributions to the fighting at Midway, Attu, and Okinawa, just to name a few. 

 

https://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/USN/ships/logs/DD/dd355-Pearl.html

 

 

	U.S.S. AYLWIN
DD355/A16 Serial 01		At Sea, January 4, 1942.

 

From:	The Commanding Officer.
To:	The Commander-in-Chief, U.S. Pacific Fleet.
Subject:	Pearl Harbor Action of December 7, 1941 -- Report of
References:	(a) CDBF mailgram 130143 of December 1941. (b) Articles 712, 762, 874 (6), and 2029 of Navy Regulation.

 

1. On the day of the subject action this vessel was berthed with Destroyer Division TWO at buoy X-14, with an anchor chain out to the forward buoy and a stern wire to the after buoy. The direction of the s hip's head was approximately 010 degrees (t)., the order of ships in the nest from right to left was the Monaghan, Dale, Farragut and Aylwin.

    

2. The attack commenced at 0755 with the Utah berthed at F-11, being torpedoed by planes. the torpedo planes were immediately followed by dive bombers who came in from the direction of Barber's Point at an altitude of about 6000 feet. Some of them dropped bombs on the Curtiss while the remainder flew over Ford Island circled about 180 degrees and then bombed the battleships. in coming out of their dive they went over Ford Island, some turning rather sharply and passing astern and on the port side of this vessel. This vessel opened fire at 0758 with main battery and machine guns and was probably most effective on the dive bombers a they came out of their dive over Ford Island.

    

3. At 0800 preparations were made for getting underway. Fires were lighted under boilers number 1 and 2 and cut in on the main steam line in 15 minutes. At 0828 received orders from the Commander, Destroyers Battle Force to get underway. At 0845 the Monaghan was underway followed by the Dale and the Farragut. The Monaghan rammed a submarine about 500 yards off the starboard quarter of the Curtiss. At 0850 a bomb exploded about 75 yards off the starboard bow. This vessel left anchor chain and stern wire at the buoys and was underway at 0858. Continuous fire was kept up while proceeding out of the channel. The machine guns and main battery assisted in destroying three planes.

    

4. An enemy plane was seen to crash in the vicinity of Beckoning Point, and one fell in flames n the Curtiss. SUTOROWSKI, Edward, CFC (PA), USN., saw one crash near Ford Island astern berths X-25 and X-35. Ensign W.K. REORDAN, USNR., fire control officer, saw another crash on Ford Island near berths F-2 and F-3. The observations of Ensign W.K. REORDAN, and SUTOROWSKI were made when this vessel was at buoy X-14.

    

5. The conduct of the personnel was magnificent. Because of missing men, the engineers with COCHRANE, Claude H., CMM (AA), USN., in charge stood their watches without any reliefs until 0700, Monday when the Damage Control Party was sent below to help them.

    

6. Ensign S. CAPLAN, USNR., senior officer aboard was in command. Ensign H.C. ANDERSON, USNR., is responsible for much of this vessel's successful operation. He assisted in all important matters and demonstrated remarkable ability as a ship handler. With experience of only seven months at sea he was able to take the ship out under the severest conditions. The conduct of Ensign S. CAPLAN, USNR., who had been at sea a total of eight months, in taking command for 33 hours during war operations of the severest type is considered outstanding.

    

7. Lieutenant Commander R.H. RODGERS, U.S. Navy, regularly in command arrived at Pearl harbor at about 0900, secured a motor launch and with the other officers of the Aylwin proceeded to sea, making contact with the Aylwin about 1000 off the entrance buoys. The Commander, Destroyer Squadron ONE refused to allow the Aylwin to slow. The Aylwin stood out to sea and these officers went on board the Chew and assisted in off shore activities until the following day when return to the Aylwin was accomplished.

    

8. It is recommended that Ensign S. CAPLAN and Ensign H.C. ANDERSON, USNR., receive special commendation.

[signed]
R.H. RODGERS.

Copy to:

• SecNav
  CDD2
  CDS1
  CDBF

[Joke 'um]

The Captain, LCDR Rodgers, deserves special commendation as well.  To have trained, qualified and instilled such levels of initiative and confidence in two such junior officers, in only 7 and 8 months, is really the outstanding part of the story.  His training and development of his officers and crew during peace time made all the difference.  BZ

[Trailrider #896]

Wonder what happened to Ens. Caplan and Ens. Anderson?  Both of them should have been immediately promoted to j.g. and awarded a silver star and/or a DSM.

[Abilene Slim SASS 81783]

https://www.history.navy.mil/research/library/research-guides/modern-biographical-files-ndl/modern-bios-c/caplan-stanley.html

[Sedalia Dave]

6 minutes ago, Abilene Slim SASS 81783 said:

https://www.history.navy.mil/research/library/research-guides/modern-biographical-files-ndl/modern-bios-c/caplan-stanley.html

 

I couldn't find anything on Ensign Anderson.

[Abilene Slim SASS 81783]

On Caplan, I found a bit more by looking up the ships he served on after the Aylwin. Although there is no date of death in the link above, I’m thinking he didn’t survive the war. He was in command of an old destroyer when it was sunk toward the end of the war. 
 

I was a bit surprised he only got a commendation for his Pearl Harbor heroics. However, I’ll bet his CO was less than happy about taking his ship out without his permission and wouldn’t approve any higher award. In a hide-bound service like the Navy, those things can happen. 

[Trailrider #896]

Last thing I could find was that he was in command of a minesweeper during the Philippine invasion.  There was an obituary about a Stephen L. Caplan in 2012, but no indication if it was the same individual.  I wouldn't be surprised if his CO on the Aylwin didn't approve of any recommendation for a higher award for the same reason Midshipman Hyman Rickover was "silenced" all four years at the Naval Academy, and others of the same religion had recommendations for high valor awards had the paperwork never filled out or "lost".