Fallen Crew Members of
USS KIDD (DD-661)
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Fallen Crew Members of USS KIDD (DD-661) |
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ADDISON FRANKLIN SMITH
On February 02, 1921, Addison Franklin Smith was born in Cambridge, Ohio, to parents Wilford T. Smith and Helen Lock (Woods) Smith. He had one other known sibling, an older brother. This brother was killed in an accidental gun shooting. Soon after this tragedy, Addison was born and the family moved to Torrance, California, where he eventually graduated from high school.
Upon completing high school, Addison went to Compton Junior College for one year. On April 18, 1940, at age nineteen, he joined the U.S. Navy and went to boot camp at NTC San Diego, California.
Addison had several assignments in his brief naval career. After boot camp, he reported aboard the USS ARGONNE (AG-31) on July 04, 1940. On December |
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07, 1941, the ARGONNE was at Pearl Harbor during the surprise attack by carrier aircraft of the Japanese Empire. Her crew managed to fire her four 3-inch anti-aircraft guns and her .50 caliber machine guns against the attackers. Surviving the Pearl Harbor attack without being wounded, Smith remained aboard the ARGONNE until December 14, 1941. During his time aboard the ARGONNE, he moved up in rate from Apprentice Seaman, to Seaman 2nd class, to Seaman 1st class, to Quartermaster 3rd class. |
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Smith's next assignment was to the fleet oiler USS NEOSHO (AO-23). The NEOSHO took part in the Battle of the Coral Sea in May of 1942, refueling such vessels as the USS YORKTOWN. On the morning of May 07, the NEOSHO—being flat-topped—was mistaken for an aircraft carrier by Japanese aircraft searching for the main American fleet. Her escort, the destroyer USS SIMS (DD-409), was also mistaken for a cruiser. As a result, both vessels were attacked by Japanese dive bombers and torpedo planes. A survivor of the Pearl Harbor attack, the NEOSHO was hit by seven bombs and one kamikaze plane but refused to sink and remained afloat for four days. The USS HENLEY (DD-391) rescued many of her surviving crew, including Addison. The HENLEY then sank the NEOSHO, firing two torpedoes and 146 shells, to keep her from falling into enemy hands. Addison was one of 111 out of 293 crewmen to survive the NEOSHO.
On July 06, 1942, Addison reported aboard the destroyer USS HENDERSON (DD-785) which transported him to the Naval Receiving Station at San Francisco, California. He stayed here until September 16, 1942, when he once again reported aboard a ship bearing the name NEOSHO (AO-48), a new oiler named in honor of his old ship. As part of her commissioning crew, Addison became a plankowner and remained aboard until April 14, 1943. While aboard the new NEOSHO, he rose in rate from Quartermaster 3rd class to Quartermaster 1st class.
Smith next reported aboard the destroyer USS BRADFORD on June 12, 1943, and became a plankowner when he helped place her into commission. He left the BRADFORD on August 18, 1943, for Naval Receiving Station at Puget Sound, Washington, where he stayed from August 18 to October 07, 1943. He was then transported aboard USS WEST POINT (AP-23) to COMDESPAC (Destroyer Command Pacfic Fleet). Addison served on the staff there from November 16 to December 13, 1943. He was transferred to the staff of ComDesDiv 96 (Commander, Destroyer Division 96) where he served until February 05, 1944. On February 12, 1944, Addison reported aboard the USS KIDD (DD-661).
At some point during his naval career, Addison married Lois Louise Smith. The couple had a son, possibly on March 09, 1944, while Addison was aboard the KIDD. The child was probably born in Bremerton, Washington, where the couple had a home. The son's name is still not known at this time.
While serving aboard the KIDD, Addison became Chief Quartermaster in rate. When the kamikaze plane struck the KIDD off of Okinawa on April 11, 1945, he was killed at his post on the bridge. He was buried at sea on Thursday, April 12, 1945, while the ship was en route back to Ulithi Atoll from the front lines. |
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**Copyright 1997-2007 by Louisiana Naval War Memorial Commission** |
