Today is my Dad’s birthday. He would have been 87 years old. When growing up Dad was always tall, strong, and invincible. Well, in a way he was invincible to others too. 

John Hawthorne Kirwin was a WWII Navy hero. Here’s what the President wrote when the prestigious Navy Cross was presented.

“The President of the United States takes pleasure in presenting the Navy Cross to John Hawthorne Kirwin, Lieutenant, Junior Grade, U.S. Navy (Reserve), for extraordinary heroism in operations against the enemy while serving as Pilot of a carrier-based Navy Torpedo Plane in Torpedo Squadron NINE (VT-9), embarked from the U.S.S. SHAMROCK BAY (CVE-84), in action on 7 April 1945, while deployed over Kyushu, Japan. His outstanding courage and determined skill were at all times inspiring and in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.”

Dad flew the Grumann Avenger, a legendary torpedo bomber. He and his mates were deployed from the U.S.S. Yorktown to go after the Yamato, the largest battleship in the world. The Yamato had been engaged by fighter pilots for several hours and they had caused a lot of damage.  

John Carter, TBM Avenger pilot, said, “Stetson’s four TBMs came in ahead of us and dropped their fish on her beam. As luck would have it, the big ship was turning to port, thereby exposing the full broadside expanse of her enormous hull to the converging torpedoes. I saw the first ones hit even before I had a chance to drop my own torpedo. Three explosions sent up geysers of water from amidships to bow, two of the torpedoes hitting so close together that they made a single blast.”

Dad was piloting one of those four TBMS. He had told me that the flak for these missions was intense and on some missions he flew so low, to get under the fire, that the waves slapped the belly of the plane. 

That battle marked the end of the Japanese Navy in the Pacific Theatre. 

Dad went on to live a quiet productive life as businessman, husband, father and community activist in Union City, Indiana. He never talked much about the Yamato nor about any of his other achievements. That was not that generation’s way. Below is one of his favorite pictures with my father-in-law, Kent Child (on the left) and me on a pheasant hunt. He was over 70 at the time and still the best shot in the group. 

 

At Dad’s funeral a gentleman approached, looked hard at me and said that he was Dad’s commander off the Yorktown. He said ” I was there with your father when we sank the Yamato.” His name was Herbert Hauck and he tore off a piece of paper and wrote his phone number down. I would later learn he was air group commander, Lieutenant Commander Herbert N. Hauck, a guy who is now in the history books. 

So two weeks ago, I’m having one of the best powder skiing days of the year and my cell rings. I never ever answer when I’m skiing powder. This time I did.  It was a man who wants to have a John Kirwin day in Union City, Indiana. He said, “Paul, your father never talked much about himself but he was a real World War II hero.” 

Yes, yes he was.