Willis Lent
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| Willis A. Lent | |
|---|---|
| circa 1904—August 28, 1959 | |
| Nickname | "Pilly" |
| Place of birth | West Roxbury, Massachusetts |
| Place of death | New London, Connecticut |
| Service/branch | United States Navy |
| Years of service | 1925-1955 |
| Rank | Rear Admiral |
| Commands held | USS Triton (SS-201) USS Grenadier (SS-210) |
| Battles/wars | Second World War |
| Awards | Legion of Merit Navy Cross with one Gold Star (star for second award)[1] |
| Other work | Electric Boar Division General Dynamics Corporation |
Willis A. "Pilly" Lent (ca. 1904 – August 28, 1959) was a rear admiral in the United States Navy. Serving as commanding officer of the Tambor class submarine USS Triton[2] during the Second World War, Lent made the first torpedo attack against the Japanese of the war as a lieutenant commander. He also served as the commanding officer of the USS Grenadier (SS-210) and sunk "thousands of tons" of enemy shipping[3] 27,000 tons on one patrol.[4] After the war in 1955, having been decorated with both the Legion of Merit and two Navy Crosses Lent retired and was promoted to rear admiral. He later worked with the Electric Boat Division of the General Dynamics Corporation.[3]
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[edit] Early life
Lent was born in West Roxbury, Massachusetts,[4] and graduated from the US Naval Academy in 1925.[3] On 15 August 1940 he assumed command of the USS Triton as it was commissioned into service.[2]
[edit] First patrol with the Triton
Upon the outbreak of World War II, he was assigned to Submarine Division 62,[5] Triton made a training cruise to Midway from 30 August to 15 September, then participated in local and fleet operations in the Hawaiian area. On 19 November, the submarine headed west to conduct a practice war patrol and arrived off Wake Island on 26 November. On 8 December, she saw columns of smoke rising over the island but assumed it was caused by construction work being done ashore. That night, when she surfaced to charge her batteries, she was informed by radio that Wake and Pearl Harbor had been bombed and was ordered to stay out of range of Wake's guns. The next morning, Triton observed the Japanese bombing the island. On the night of 10 December, she was surfaced, charging her batteries, when flashes of light from Wake revealed a destroyer or light cruiser on a parallel course. The submarine was silhouetted against the moon, and the enemy ship turned towards her. Triton went deep and began evasive action.
When the Japanese ship slowed astern, the submarine came to 120 feet (40 m) and fired four stern torpedoes – the first American torpedoes shot during World War II – on sonar bearings.[6] She heard a dull explosion 58 seconds later and believed one had hit the target, then went to 175 feet (50 m) and cleared the area. (No sinking was recorded, and she was not credited with one.)[7] After their initial repulse on 11 December, the Japanese returned with two aircraft carrier, Hiryū and Sōryū; Triton was not informed,[8] and made no attacks on them. Neither did she make any effort to evacuate the 350 Marines.[8] On 21 December, the submarine was ordered to return to Hawaii, and she arrived back at Pearl Harbor on 31 December.
[edit] Battle of Midway
Lent took part in the June 3 – 6, 1942 Battle of Midway as commander of the Tambor class submarine USS Grenadier in the submarine patrol line off the Midway Islands.[9]
[edit] Notes
- ^ Wartimepress.com: Awards, Commendations and Promotions - Willis A. Lent, USN
- ^ a b USS Triton at Dictionary of American fighting ships
- ^ a b c Willis Lent at the Arlington National Cemetery, retrieved March 2, 2008
- ^ a b Holbrook 2007, p. 109
- ^ Blair 1975, p. 83
- ^ Blair 1975, pp. 120–1
- ^ Blair 1975, pp. 120, 901
- ^ a b Blair 1975, p. 123
- ^ Order of Battle - Midway
[edit] References
- Blair, Clay, Jr. (1975), Silent Victory, Philadelphia: Lippincott.
- Holbrook, S. H. (2007), None More Courageious - American War Heroes of Today, Read Books, ISBN 1406741191.
