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First Name: Lawrence

Last Name: McPeake

Birthplace: Somerville, Middlesex, MA, US

Gender: Male



Branch: Navy (present)

Rating:

Home of Record: Boston, MA
Middle Name: John



Date of Birth: 21 February 1902

Date of Death: 15 December 1945 (Presumed)

MIA Date: 01 March 1942

Rank or Rate: Lieutenant Commander

Years Served:
LAWRENCE JOHN MCPEAKE
'Spike'

   
Graduate, U.S. Naval Academy, Class of 1924

Engagements:
•  World War II (1941 - 1945)

Biography:

Lawrence John McPeake

Lieutenant Commander, United States Navy

Silver Star and Purple Heart Medals

Lawrence was born in Somerville, Middlesex, MA on 21 Feb 1902 to Dr John Richard and Helen Mary Griffin McPeake, both natives of Massachusetts who married in Somerville, Middlesex, MA on 02 May 1901. Lawrence was the eldest of seven siblings; Eleanor C. Wightman, John (died as infant), Mary (died as infant), Richard Hayes (WWII service), Paul Vincent (WWII service) and Helen Mary Burroughs. Dr. McPeake was a physician who graduated from the Boston Dental School, College of Physicians and Surgeons and attended the Post Graduate College of NY. He practiced medicine in the Boston area for many years.

Lawrence received his high school diploma from Hyde Park High School at Newton, MA with 89 other graduates at commencement exercises in the Everett Square Theatre on Thursday, 26 Jun 1919. He entered Boston College with the freshman class in Sep 1919. Early in 1920, he took the competitive examination to select candidates for appointment to the United States Military Academy at West Point and the United States Naval Academy at Annapolis.

On 30 Jan 1920, Senator David Walsh of Massachusetts nominated Lawrence J. McPeake as a first alternate for the US Naval Academy. In May, McPeake received an appointment to the Naval Academy from Senator Walsh as a first alternate. McPeake then had to take the entrance exam for the Naval Academy and pass it before he could become a member of the 1920 entering class. He was notified on 22 May 1920 that he had passed the exam and was to report as a midshipman. On 10 Aug 1920, Lawrence J. McPeake entered the US Naval Academy (His brother, Richard, graduated from the Naval Academy in 1930).

Known as Spike, Lawrence was not interested in athletics, but did well in academics. His classmates said this about him in the Lucky Bag yearbook of 1924;

"WELL, fellows, Boston is the hub of the universe, the center of the world's art and culture, the home of great statesmen, and the cradle of American Democracy". Thereupon, this tall Irishman lapses into a self-satisfied reverie on dear old Boston, much to the relief of his roommates.

Fresh from Boston College, ‘Mac’ entered his naval career with a determination to take advantage of his cultural education and be savvy amongst his less fortunate classmates. To some extent he has been successful.

Just before Youngster aims, ‘Spivis’ decided that a trip to the romantic West Indies had no charms for him. Thereupon, he journeyed to our little hospital and spent the summer enjoying the life of a convalescent. He should be complimented upon his good judgment. From an athletic standpoint, ‘Spike’ has never convinced the coaches that he is the man to save the day. Always ready for a good time, ‘Mac’ is a good gloom chaser. "Say, fellows, have you any skags?"

McPeake graduated standing 292nd out of 522 graduates. He received his diploma; accept the appointment and took the oath of officer as an Ensign of the Line, US Navy, on 04 Jun 1924. After a short leave to visit family and friends, Ensign McPeake reported for duty to the battleship, USS Utah (BB-31), on 30 Jun 1924 for his required sea-duty tour after graduation. His tour on Utah ended in Jan 1926 when he transferred to the Naval Torpedo Station in Newport, RI for temporary duty under instruction for a course on torpedoes. That assignment was followed by short tours of duty on board the Clemson Class Destroyers, USS Converse (DD-291), and USS Childs (DD-241). On 23 July 1926, Ens. McPeake returned to the Utah for duty.

On 05 Jun 1927, Ens. McPeake was promoted to Lieutenant (Junior Grade). McPeake followed that tour with one on board the Submarine Tender, USS Bushnell (AS-2) then back to the Utah with the aviation unit, VO-58. On 01 Jan 1929, Ltjg McPeake reported for duty under instruction to the Naval Air Station, Pensacola. He was to begin flight training on 07 Jan in a class composed of 27 line officers, 4 medical officers and 12 second Lts, Marine Corps. However, McPeake did not complete the training. Ltjg McPeake detached NAS Pensacola prior to 20 Feb 1929 (newspaper reported) with orders to report for duty to the light cruiser, USS Cleveland (CL-21).

On 29 Oct 1929, Ltjg McPeake married Gertrude Marie “Mollie” Mahoney in Medford, Middlesex, MA. Medford is a town not far outside of Boston. On 01 Nov 1929, Cleveland was decommissioned at Boston, MA. Ltjg McPeake’s next assignment was as a division officer/watch stander on board the newly commissioned (6 Feb 1930) heavy cruiser, USS Pensacola (CA-24). She was the lead ship of the Pensacola class heavy cruisers. She would earn 13 battle stars in the Pacific during WWII. During this tour, Ltjg McPeake became a father with the birth of his first daughter, Rosaline, in Boston on 10 Apr 1931.

On 20 Jun 1931, Ltjg McPeake received orders to report for duty to the US Naval Academy in Annapolis, MD. He was a student officer at the Naval Post Graduate School. While at the Academy, Ltjg McPeake became a father for the second time with the birth of daughter, Eleanor Gertrude, on 22 Dec 1932 in Annapolis. He was promoted to Lieutenant on 01 July 1933. McPeake’s next assignment began on 01 Jun 1934 on board the destroyer tender, USS Whitney (AD-4) as the communications officer.

His next two assignments were on board the destroyers USS Tillman (DD-135) then as Executive Officer of the USS Leary (DD-158). On 24 Jan 1937, a third daughter, Grace Marguerite, was born to Lt and Mrs McPeake in Baltimore, MD. She was to be their last child.

In July 1937, Lt McPeake was assigned as a Naval Science instructor with Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps (NROTC) unit at Harvard University in Boston. After two years with the NROTC unit, Lt McPeake received orders to report to Asiatic Station and the fleet replenishment ship, USS Pecos (AO-6) for duty as her Executive Officer. He reported on board on 24 Sep 1939. In 1940, bellicose Japanese adventures in China forced Asiatic Fleet CINC, Admiral Thomas C. Hart to withdraw all blue-water ships from Shanghai to Manila. The US – Japan political situation continued to grow more tense by the day and the Japanese Army and Navy continued to push the red line between war and peace.

During 1941, Pecos supported fleet operations mainly in the Philippine operating area as international tensions between the Japanese and the United States inexorably moved toward open conflict. Admiral Hart determined then it was time to send all of the families of his sailors home. There was push-back from the resentful spouses who initially declined to leave their husbands. It was only a threat to indefinitely restrict their spouses to their ships without leave that finally convinced the families; it was time to comply with orders and return to the continental United States CONUS). Admiral Hart's directive probably saved many family members from internment by the Japanese or worse. For many of the married sailors, it was the last time they would ever see their families.

Then, in July 1941, as Japanese aggression intensified with their move south into lower Indo-China, Admiral Hart warned his officers that he had no doubt that war would come although he didn't know how or when it would start. Hart trained his destroyer/cruiser crews hard keeping them on a war-footing for extended periods and away from Cavite naval base as much as possible exercising his "defensive deployment."

In late Nov 1941, Adm Hart dispersed his forces, including Pecos, as a precaution given the imminence of war. In the predawn hours of 8 Dec 1941 (7 Dec east of the International Date Line) Pecos, who happened to be in Manila Bay, received a message indicating that Japan had attacked Pearl Harbor and hostilities with Japan had commenced. Later that day, Japanese attack aircraft struck the Clark Field, Philippines. That evening auxiliary ships, Pecos, sea plane tender Langley and the oiler Trinity got underway from Manila Bay steaming south. Also on 08 Dec, USS Houston got underway from her anchorage in the southern Philippines to rendezvous with the auxiliary vessels and provide escort services for the convoy. On 10 Dec Japanese bombers attack the naval base at Cavite. On 11 Dec, Houston sighted the first of two convoys she was to escort. That group comprised the seaplane tender, Langley (AV-3), and the oilers Pecos (AO-6) and Trinity (AO-13) screened by the destroyers John D. Ford (DD-228) and Pope (DD-225). Late the next day (12 Dec), Houston sighted the second convoy, comprising submarine tenders Holland (AS-3) and Otus (AS-20) and Isabel (PY-10) escorted by the same two destroyers. The vital auxiliaries reached Balikpapan, Borneo, late on 14 December.

During January 1942, Pecos steamed to various locations around the Java sea refueling Allied warships. Beginning on 6 Feb 42, she was moored in Tjilatjap receiving fuel oil and pumping it into Dutch, British and American warships. Her commanding officer, Cdr Abernethy had attempted on multiple occasions to gain permission to get underway and head for the open sea as enemy Japanese forces moved rapidly south. The situation for a safe escape for Pecos became more improbable as each day came and went. Cdr Abernethy, knew his chances of escaping the Japanese carrier force prowling the Indian Ocean were slim. On 25 Feb, he refused to accept any wounded passengers who were not ambulatory and who could not take care of themselves.1 He also had the foresight to bring aboard large numbers of Bamboo poles. They were lashed to the upper decks for flotation for swimmers if the ship was sunk. Finally, on 27 Feb, Pecos received orders to leave port in the morning to make room for the USS Langley that was expected to dock later in the morning.

Three hours out of Tjilatjap Pecos radiomen intercepted some of Langley’s last radio transmission giving the tender’s position and condition (she was under attack by enemy aircraft). Within half an hour Pecos received word that Langley’s survivors were being picked up the destroyers, USS Edsall and USS Whipple. An hour later, Pecos received orders to proceed to Christmas Island, about 250 nm southwest of Tjilatjap to meet Edsall and Whipple to take on board survivors. Edsall rescued 177 survivors and Whipple rescued 308. Pecos was then to proceed to Exmouth Gulf off Australia’s west coast. Pecos already had survivors on board from USS Houston, Stewart and Marblehead taken on board in Tjilatjap. The added number of survivors would bring her on board count to over 700 personnel when Pecos’ normal complement was approximately 317 officers and enlisted crew.

On 28 February, the two destroyers rendezvoused with the Pecos off Flying Fish Cove, Christmas Island. A sudden attack by land based Japanese bombers forced Pecos and the other ships to head for the open sea. They headed directly south into the Indian Ocean for the rest of 28 February in high winds and heavy seas. Early in the pre-dawn hours of 1 March, Whipple and Edsall transferred all the Langley survivors to Pecos. Whipple then set off for Cocos Islands as protection for the tanker Belita sent to meet her there. The Pecos, carrying a large number of survivors set course to Australia. Edsall had retained 32 USAAF personnel from Langley needed to assemble and fly an additional 27 P-40E fighters shipped to Tjilatjap aboard the transport Sea Witch. Edsall was instructed to return these "fighter crews" to Tjilatjap. At 0830, she reversed course and headed back to the northeast for Java.

At noon that day, planes from Japanese aircraft carrier Soryu attacked Pecos and struck again an hour later. Finally, in mid-afternoon, third and fourth strikes from aircraft carriers Hiryu and Akagi fatally wounded the Pecos. While under attack, Pecos radioed for help. As Pecos was sinking, Lcdr McPeake could be seen on the stern of the vessel with a 50 caliber machine gun firing at Japanese fighter aircraft that were strafing survivors in the water. Witnesses said that McPeake brought down one of the enemy aircraft. After Pecos sank, Lcdr McPeake was seen swimming with another officer. He was never seen again.

Whipple returned to the scene of Pecos' sinking intentionally arriving after dark. She eventually rescued 232 survivors. Many other survivors, although visible to crewmembers on board Whipple, had to be abandoned at sea because Whipple made sonar contact with what was believed to be several Japanese submarines. It was just too dangerous for her to remain in the area. She steamed to Australia where she safely arrived in Fremantle, Australia on 04 Mar 1942. Lcdr McPeake was declared missing in action on 01 Mar 1942. His remains were unrecoverable. He was presumed dead on 15 Dec Dec 1945.

Lieutenant Commander McPeake was posthumously award the Silver Star Medal, Purple Heart, American Defense Service Medal w/Fleet Clasp, Asiatic- Pacific Campaign Medal w/Fleet Clasp and two bronze battle stars, Philippine Defense Medal w/Fleet Clasp, World War II Victory medal and possibly the Combat Action Ribbon.

Many unofficial records claim that Lcdr McPeake was posthumously promoted to the rank of Commander. I can find no official records to support that promotion. The 77th Congress, 2d Session approved Public Law 680 on 28 July 1942 that provided the rules for a posthumous promotion of Military or naval service members appointed to a commissioned grade. In effect, the law stipulates that the naval officer must have been in the naval service any time after 08 Sep 1939 and duly appointed to a commissioned grade but was unable to accept the appointment to such grade by reason of his death in the line of duty. The promotion can only be effected between the date of official selection to the next rank to his date of death. After which the promotion cannot be effective. The officer must have been officially recommended by SECNAV and approved by the President. Lcdr McPeake's name was listed in the Commissioned Officer's and Warrant Officers of the USN and USMC Directory of 01 July 1945. There is no indication that he had been selected for promotion. So, unless he was recommended by SECNAV and approved by the President between the time the 1945 Registry was published until he was presumed dead on 15 Dec 1945, Lcdr McPeake could not have been posthumously promoted.

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Bureau of Naval Personnel Information Bulletin #306, Sept 1942 p. 13. The Secretary of the Navy Frank Knox commended Lieutenant Commander Lawrence J. McPeake, USN, for skill and courage in assisting in the defense of his ship against Japanese aerial attack. He is listed as missing in action.

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A commemoration sent to McPeake's family in honor of his service from President Harry S. Truman reads:

In Grateful Memory of Lawrence John McPeake, Who Died In The Service Of His Country At Sea, Asiatic Area, attached U.S.S. Pecos, 15 December 1945 (presumed). He stands in the unbroken line of patriots who have dared to die that freedom might live, and grow, and increase its blessings. Freedom lives, and through it, he lives – in a way that humbles the undertakings of most men.

Signed,

Harry Truman

President of the United States of America

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[Bio #344 composed by Gerry Lawton (G47/GML4700]

Military Hall of Honor ID#151368

Find A Grave Memorial Page #234058731



Honoree ID: 151368   Created by: MHOH

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