Frank Robinson Walker (July 11, 1899 – December 25, 1976) was an officer in the

United States Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. It is the largest and most powerful navy in the world, with the estimated tonnage ...

during

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

, most notably during the Solomon Islands campaign between 1942 and 1943. Walker became acquainted with Doris Adele Carpenter through her brother-in-law Russell Groesbeck Sturges who was a Naval Academy classmate of his. Doris was the daughter of Cyrus Clay Carpenter II, a prominent California attorney. Doris and Frank were married on December 13, 1925. The couple had one child Franklin Robinson Walker, Jr. who was born in San Diego.

Biography

Born in

Florence, Alabama Florence is a city in, and the county seat of, Lauderdale County, Alabama, United States, in the state's northwestern corner. It is situated along the Tennessee River and is home to the University of North Alabama, the oldest college in the st ...

, Walker entered the

United States Naval Academy The United States Naval Academy (US Naval Academy, USNA, or Navy) is a federal service academy in Annapolis, Maryland. It was established on 10 October 1845 during the tenure of George Bancroft as Secretary of the Navy. The Naval Academy ...

, graduating in 1922. Serving in various positions throughout the 1920s and 1930s, Walker distinguished himself during the

attack on Pearl Harbor The attack on Pearl HarborAlso known as the Battle of Pearl Harbor was a surprise military strike by the Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service upon the United States against the naval base at Pearl Harbor in Honolulu, Territory of Hawaii, j ...

when, commanding the destroyer , he was one of the few captains to escape the harbor during the raid. In early 1942, Walker was assigned command of Destroyer Division 8 in the Southwest Pacific area, later leading screening and reconnaissance operation shortly before the landings at

Guadalcanal Guadalcanal (; indigenous name: ''Isatabu'') is the principal island in Guadalcanal Province of Solomon Islands, located in the south-western Pacific, northeast of Australia. It is the largest island in the Solomon Islands by area, and the seco ...

and

Tulagi Tulagi, less commonly known as Tulaghi, is a small island——in Solomon Islands, just off the south coast of Ngella Sule. The town of the same name on the island (pop. 1,750) was the capital of the British Solomon Islands Protectorate from 18 ...

on August 7, 1942. Walker would take part in the Battle of Savo Island during the night of August 8–9, where Japanese naval forces sank one Australian and three American

cruiser A cruiser is a type of warship. Modern cruisers are generally the largest ships in a fleet after aircraft carriers and amphibious assault ships, and can usually perform several roles. The term "cruiser", which has been in use for several hu ...

s suffering minimal casualties. While commanding Destroyer Squadron 4 during the Solomon Islands campaign, Walker failed to prevent a Japanese naval force consisting of nine

destroyer In naval terminology, a destroyer is a fast, manoeuvrable, long-endurance warship intended to escort larger vessels in a fleet, convoy or battle group and defend them against powerful short range attackers. They were originally developed in ...

s and twelve various other ships from evacuating the 600-man garrison during the Battle of Vella Lavella on October 6–7, 1943. Appointed commander of

Roosevelt Base and Small Craft Training Center Naval Operating Base Terminal Island, (NOB Terminal Island) was United States Navy base founded on 25 September 1941 to support the World War II efforts in the Pacific War. Naval Operating Base Terminal Island was founded by combining Naval Faci ...

at San Pedro (now part of

Los Angeles, California Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world' ...

) the following year. Walker was given command of the attack transport and departed San Diego, 1 January 1945. ''La Grange'' participated in the largest amphibious assault in the Pacific—the invasion of Okinawa. On 13 August, while still at anchor at Buckner Bay, ''La Grange'' came under attack by five Kamikaze planes—one of the last such attacks of the war. Gunners were able to destroy all but one, which struck the superstructure carrying a 500-pound bomb. It exploded in the sick bay, killing all wounded. Casualties were 21 dead and 89 wounded. Six more died later of their wounds. In 1946, Walker was given command of the light cruiser , until appointed to the Ships' Organization Board, and later the Navy Department's Navy Regulation Board the following year. Walker would eventually leave military service in 1952 and lived in retirement until his death in 1976.

References

* ''Shipmate'' obituary notice (December 1976). * U.S. Naval Historical Center Biographical File, 1947. 1899 births 1976 deaths People from Florence, Alabama United States Navy personnel of World War II United States Naval Academy alumni United States Navy admirals Recipients of the Navy Cross (United States) {{US-navy-bio-stub