SAMUEL (nmi) AUSTIN Jr., who had no middle name contrary to the Jr suffix, was born in Brown Township, Springfield, Linn, Iowa on 16 Oct 1916 to his parents, Samuel Markus Austin, Sr and Emma Louise Lang who were married in Brule county, South Dakota on on 24 Dec 1910. Samuel Jr had five siblings; Bernadine, Mary Julalia, George William, Loretta Mae, and Pearl Austin. He completed one year at Marion High School.

Samuel enlisted for six years in the US Navy as an Apprentice Seaman (AS), (NSN:321-45-06), on 30 July 1940 in Des Moines, IA. His monthly pay was $21.00. He completed recruit training at the Naval Training Station, Great Lakes and reported to the USS Helena (CL-50) for duty on 12 Oct 1940 as an AS. He was promoted to Sea2c on 30 Nov 1940 and then to Sea1c on 01 May 1941. He was aboard the Helena when she was attacked on 07 Dec 1941 at Pearl Harbor. He was promoted to Gunner’s mate 3c on 01 Jul 1942 while the Helena was at the Mare Island Navy Yard undergoing repairs from the attack on Pearl Harbor. He was promoted to Gunner’s Mate 2c on 01 Jan 1943. He was reported missing in action on 6 July 1943. He was presumed dead on 10 Aug 1945.

USS Helena (CL-50) was a St. Louis-Class light cruiser assigned to the Pacific fleet in WWII. On 07 Dec 1941 she was moored at 1010 Dock Navy Yard, Pearl Harbor. She sustained one torpedo hit during the Japanese attack, but remained afloat. It was later found that she had numerous stress fractures to her hull that would require her to return to California and the Mare Island Naval Shipyard. Her repairs were completed by the end of Jun 1942. She returned to the southwest Pacific area where she participated in the Guadalcanal Campaign.

While she was at Mare Island Helena had an advanced radar system installed that significantly increased the proficiency of her gun crews. In Oct 1942 Helena was engaged in a night action known as the Battle of Cape Esperance. She was credited with helping to sink the Japanese heavy cruiser Furutaka and destroyer Fubuki. The following month she participated in the Naval Battle of Guadalcanal on 13 Nov 1942 where she was only one of two US warships to come away from the fight unscathed. In early 1943 she conducted gun fire support missions against Lunga, Koli and Kokumbona Points on Guadalcanal Island. After an overhaul in Sydney, Australia in March 1943 she returned to Espiritu Santo. On the night of 5 July 1943 Helena moved into the Kula Gulf.

The Battle of Kula Gulf began and ended quickly for Helena. She was hit by 3 torpedoes. About 22 minutes after being struck Helena sank. Almost 750 crewman were saved. Unfortunately, GM2 Austin was one of the 168 who went down with the ship. He was reported missing in action on 6 July 1943. He was presumed dead on 10 Aug 1945.

He was posthumously awarded the Purple Heart, the Navy Unit Commendation Ribbon, American Campaign Medal, American Defense Service Medal, Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal with 7 Battle Stars, and World War II Victory Medal.

The Helena was the first ship in the US Navy to be awarded the Navy Unit Commendation (NUC).

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//s// Harry S. Truman

President of the United States

of America

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Helena was the first ship in the US Navy to be awarded the Navy Unit Commendation (NUC).

USS Helena (CL-50) Navy Unit Commendation citation reads:

"For outstanding heroism in action against enemy Japanese forces afloat in the Solomon Islands - New Georgia Areas. Gallantly carrying the fight to the enemy, the USS HELENA opened the night Battle of Cape Esperance on 11-12 October 1942 boldly sending her fire into the force of enemy warships, sinking a hostile destroyer and holding to a minimum the damage to our destroyers in the rear of the Task Force. She engaged at close quarters a superior force of hostile combatant ships in the Battle of Guadalcanal on the night of 12-13 November 1942, rallying our own forces after the Flag Ship had been disabled and contributing to the enemy's defeat. In her final engagement in the pre-dawn battle of 5-6 July 1943, the HELENA valiantly sailed down the restricted and submarine-infested waters of Kula Gulf under the terrific torpedo and gun fire of the enemy to bombard Kolombangara and New Georgia while covering the landing of our troops at Rice Anchorage, and twenty-four hours later, her blazing guns aided in the destruction of a vastly superior enemy naval force before she was fatally struck by Japanese torpedoes. Her brave record of combat achievement is evidence of the HELENA'S intrepidity and the heroic fighting spirit of her officers and men."

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Compiler’s note: Samuel’s middle name was not used in any navy records nor was Junior ever used. According to his Iowa WWII Bonus Case File for Beneficiaries, Samuel’s middle name was not used. The application said “nmi” or no middle initial. Also on this application was listed the specific township in which Samuel was born.

[Bio#475 compiled on 14 Apr 2018 and revised on 25 Feb 2025 by Gerry Lawton]

Find a Grave Memorial ID: 56758710

Military Hall of Honor ID# 123557

Fold3, Ancestry.com