Rear Admiral William Herman Brockman Jr. (November 18, 1904 – February 1, 1979) served 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 opposing ...

Biography

Brockman was born at

Baltimore, Maryland Baltimore ( , locally: or ) is the List of municipalities in Maryland, most populous city in the U.S. state of Maryland, fourth most populous city in the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic, and List of United States cities by popula ...

. Enlisting in the Naval Reserve in 1922, he was appointed to the U.S. Naval Academy a year later and graduated in 1927. Creed Burlingame, Eugene Lindsey, and John Thatch were some of his classmates. He specialized in submarines from 1929 onward and commanded the submarine rescue ship in 1938-39. Lieutenant Commander Brockman was commanding officer of during the June 1942

Battle of Midway The Battle of Midway was a major naval battle in the Pacific Theater of World War II that took place on 4–7 June 1942, six months after Japan's attack on Pearl Harbor and one month after the Battle of the Coral Sea. The U.S. Navy under ...

and in subsequent operations, earning the

Navy Cross The Navy Cross is the United States Navy and United States Marine Corps' second-highest military decoration awarded for sailors and marines who distinguish themselves for extraordinary heroism in combat with an armed enemy force. The medal is eq ...

with two gold stars for himself and the Presidential Unit Citation for his ship during this period. After a year with the Submarine Force, Atlantic Fleet, Brockman was a submarine division commander from September 1944 to December 1945, receiving promotion to the rank of captain in March 1945. He commanded until February 1946, then served in

Seventh Fleet The Seventh Fleet is a numbered fleet of the United States Navy. It is headquartered at U.S. Fleet Activities Yokosuka, in Yokosuka, Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan. It is part of the United States Pacific Fleet. At present, it is the largest of ...

and Navy headquarters staff positions until retiring in November 1947. Promoted to rear admiral upon retirement, Brockman was active in business for many years thereafter. Brockman died at Boca Raton, Florida, aged 74. Admiral Brockman was a recipient of the

with two gold stars, Silver Star, Navy Presidential Unit Citation, Second

Nicaraguan Campaign Medal The Nicaraguan Campaign Medal is a campaign medal of the United States Navy which was authorized by Presidential Order of Woodrow Wilson on September 22, 1913. A later medal, the Second Nicaraguan Campaign Medal was authorized by an act of the U ...

American Defense Service Medal The American Defense Service Medal was a military award of the United States Armed Forces, established by , by President Franklin D. Roosevelt, on June 28, 1941. The medal was intended to recognize those military service members who had served ...

, Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal, and

World War II Victory Medal The World War II Victory Medal is a service medal of the United States military which was established by an Act of Congress on 6 July 1945 (Public Law 135, 79th Congress) and promulgated by Section V, War Department Bulletin 12, 1945. The Wo ...

Navy Cross Citation

The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Navy Cross to Lieutenant Commander William Herman Brockman, Jr. (NSN: 0-61342), United States Navy, for extraordinary heroism and distinguished service in the line of his profession as Commanding Officer of the U.S.S. NAUTILUS (SS-168), in the Battle of Midway. On 4 June 1942, Lieutenant Commander Brockman aggressively developed a contact with major enemy forces and doggedly pushed home a torpedo attack on a screened aircraft carrier against determined and repeated enemy counter measures by gunfire barrage, depth charging and bombing from the air. The attack culminated successfully and Lieutenant Commander Brockman is credited with closing and sinking of a 10,000 ton enemy aircraft carrier. His skill, determination, courage and fortitude were in keeping with the highest traditions of the Naval Service.

In Popular Culture

Brockman, credited as the commander of the ''Nautilus'', appeared in Camel cigarette advertising in 1955.1955 Camel ad in The Saturday Evening Post, at graphic-design.tjs-labs.com
/ref> Brockman was portrayed by

James Carpinello James Anthony Carpinello (born August 13, 1975) is an American actor who came to national attention with his appearances in Tori Spelling's VH1 sitcom ''So Notorious''. He also portrayed Stacee Jaxx in the Broadway production of the musical ''R ...

in the 2019 film '' Midway''.

References

Attribution

{{DEFAULTSORT:Brockman, William Herman Jr. 1904 births 1979 deaths United States Navy personnel of World War II Military personnel from Baltimore People from Boca Raton, Florida Recipients of the Navy Cross (United States) United States Naval Academy alumni United States Navy rear admirals United States submarine commanders Burials at Arlington National Cemetery