Richard O'Kane

Richard O'Kane
Name	Richard O'Kane
Birth date	1911-11-04
Birth place	Unalaska, Territory of Alaska
Death date	1994-11-16
Death place	Eastsound, Washington
Allegiance	United States of America
Branch	United States Navy
Serviceyears	1933–1946
Rank	Commander
Battles	World War II, Pacific War, Battle of Leyte Gulf
Awards	Medal of Honor, Navy Cross (2), Silver Star, Presidential Unit Citation

Richard O'Kane was a United States Navy submarine officer and commanding officer noted for innovative tactics and record-setting war patrols during the Pacific War in World War II. He served as executive officer of USS Wahoo (SS-238) and commanding officer of USS Tang (SS-306), earning the Medal of Honor and multiple Navy Cross decorations for actions during major engagements such as the Battle of Leyte Gulf and patrols in the East China Sea. O'Kane later authored a memoir and contributed to submarine doctrine during the early Cold War era.

Early life and education

O'Kane was born in Unalaska in the Territory of Alaska and raised in the Pacific Northwest, attending secondary school near Seattle, Washington. He entered the United States Naval Academy at Annapolis, Maryland, where he studied alongside contemporaries who became notable naval officers in World War II, including graduates who later served on vessels like USS Enterprise (CV-6), USS Hornet (CV-8), and USS Yorktown (CV-5). At Annapolis he participated in training cruises that visited ports such as San Diego, California, Pearl Harbor, and Panama Canal Zone, before commissioning into the United States Navy during a period of modernization that included programs involving Submarine Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet.

Naval career

After commission, O'Kane served on surface ships and then transferred to Submarine School (United States Navy) at New London, Connecticut. Early assignments placed him aboard classes including S-class submarine and Gato-class submarine designs, operating in theaters influenced by strategies developed by figures such as Admiral Chester W. Nimitz, Admiral Ernest J. King, and Rear Admiral Charles A. Lockwood. He worked with submarine leaders like Dudley W. "Mush" Morton and served under commanders associated with submarines such as USS Silversides (SS-236) and USS Flasher (SS-249). O'Kane received advanced tactical training that incorporated lessons from incidents involving USS Squalus (SS-192), developments from Electric Boat Company, and doctrine promoted by Naval War College staff.

World War II and command of USS Tang

During World War II, O'Kane first gained prominence as executive officer under Morton on USS Wahoo (SS-238), conducting patrols in areas including the East China Sea, Yellow Sea, and approaches to Formosa (modern Taiwan). Following Wahoo's loss, O'Kane took command of USS Tang (SS-306), executing aggressive patrols that exploited torpedo doctrine and tactics evolving after problems with the Mark 14 torpedo and guidance issues tied to Bureau of Ordnance. Tang's war patrols sank numerous merchantmen and warships in contested waters near Luzon, Formosa Strait, and shipping lanes to Shanghai and Hong Kong. O'Kane employed night surface attacks, coordinated wolfpack tactics alongside submarines like USS Gato (SS-212) and USS Harder (SS-257), and leveraged signals intelligence from FRUPAC and OP-20-G to intercept convoys tied to Imperial Japanese Navy logistics. His command culminated during a patrol in 1944–1945 when Tang was lost after a circular run of its own torpedo, an incident studied by analysts at Naval Ordnance Laboratory and historians referencing lessons from the Pacific Fleet submarine campaign.

Awards and honors

For leadership and valor, O'Kane received the Medal of Honor from President Harry S. Truman, two Navy Cross awards, the Silver Star, and multiple Presidential Unit Citations. His decorations were presented during ceremonies attended by officials from Department of the Navy, members of Congress, and fellow submariners from boats like USS Bowfin (SS-287) and Tang (museum). He was later honored by organizations including the United States Submarine Veterans of World War II, the Naval Submarine League, and institutions such as the United States Naval Academy alumni association.

Postwar career and writings

After World War II, O'Kane served in staff positions within the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations and contributed to submarine tactics development during the early Cold War, interacting with commands such as Submarine Force Atlantic and researchers at Naval Research Laboratory. He retired with the rank of commander and authored the memoir "Clear the Bridge!" which joined works by contemporaries like Richard H. O'Kane-era chroniclers and was referenced alongside books by Samuel Eliot Morison, Clay Blair Jr., and E.B. Potter. His analyses influenced publications from Naval Institute Press and curricula at the Naval War College and United States Naval Academy.

Legacy and memorials

O'Kane's legacy is preserved through displays at museums including the National Museum of the United States Navy, the Submarine Force Library and Museum, and memorials in Bremerton, Washington and Seattle. The name O'Kane appears in scholarship by historians such as Robert J. Cressman, Richard F. Newcomb, and Clay Blair Jr. and is commemorated in oral histories archived by the Naval Historical Center and collections at the Library of Congress. Submarine officers and institutions like Submarine Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet continue to study his tactics in courses at the Naval Postgraduate School, United States Naval Academy, and professional seminars hosted by the Naval War College. Various memorials, plaques, and commemorative events recognize his service alongside other decorated submariners such as Eugene B. Fluckey, Gregory "Pappy" Boyington (for contrast with aviation), and Dudley W. Morton.

Category:United States Navy officers Category:Recipients of the Medal of Honor Category:1911 births Category:1994 deaths