Captain

Marquette native honored for efforts during WWII

by JO2 Kristen D. Loeding, Naval Reserve Readiness Command Region 16, Minneapolis, MN 

MARQUETTE, MI – There are many ways Americans remember and honor our country’s service members who fought bravely and courageously to keep our country free. In the small, sleepy Michigan town of Marquette, initiatives began in 1998 to recognize the efforts of one of their hometown heroes.
Learn More Below about our Superior Hero or visit one of the many sites documenting the battle.
Taffy 3 – Courage Beyond Measure

In the annals of US Naval history, there are a number of instances that demonstrate the courage and determination of a committed group of dedicated officers and men

The one that stands out most in many people’s opinions is the battle which occurred on October 25th 1994. On this day, a small group of scrappy warriors took on a force many times its size and contributed to one of the greatest naval victories of all time.



By October of 1944, the Japanese were becoming more and more desperate to slow down or stop the advancing juggernaut that the US Navy had become in the Pacific. From the ashes of Pearl Harbor on December 7th, a resurgent United States used its massive industrial capability to produce a fleet second to none in the world. The men of Pennsylvania, Kansas, California, and the other forty eight states were indoctrinated into a life as a bluejacket and sent to support the rising tide of ships, submarines and planes. Admiral Nimitz had a large pool of resources to draw from in order to support the steady drive to liberate the Philippines and the pathway to Tokyo.

Meanwhile, the Darter and Dace faced a new problem. In the aftermath of the battle, the Darter went aground. Heroic efforts on the parts of both crews failed to release her from her prison and a decision was made to scuttle her.  

After picking up the crew, the Dace waited nearby for the expected explosions from the charges meant to destroy Darter. The charges failed and a decision was made to return and use the deck guns to finish the job. While on the surface, radar spotted an incoming plane. All hands were ordered below and Dace barely escaped the explosions that followed. The plane, seeing an escaping submarine, chose to attack the remaining boat. The attack finished what Dace had started.

The McClintock Annex focuses on the extraordinary story of the submarines USS DARTER and USS DACE and their role in the Battle of Leyte Gulf, October 23-26 1944. Leyte Gulf, Philippine Island, was the largest sea battle in history and the pivotal point in the defeat of the Japanese Empire. The Annex is named for Captain David McClintock, USN, Retired, a Marquette native and commander of the DARTER during the fierce battle. Key exhibits in the Annex include: •A large three-dimension diorama depicting the battle and the roles of the DARTER and DACE •A working World War II submarine periscope •A host of World War II submarine memorabilia 

The central force was attacked by American airpower and sustained a number of hits. Their response was to turn back on their original approach. Halsey’s scouts had found the Northern force and he made a decision that will stand as a textbook case of strategic thinking for generations to come. Feeling that the center force was beaten and knowing that the southern force was being chewed up by his own old battleships and auxiliary attack units, he decided to keep his fast battleships and carriers together as a group and destroy the northern fleet. The decision earned his maneuver the nickname of “The Battle of Bull’s Run”