John Crommelin, Defender of Naval Aviation

In the years leading up to World War II, naval aviation was just beginning to make its way into military doctrine. Many thought of it as a passing fad, an idea which dissuaded many young sailors from branching out into this new field. But for all the doubters, there were still some who jumped at this new challenge and took to the skies, and they would play a role in pioneering a new military discipline which would play a critical role not only in the coming war, but the future of the United States military. One of these men was John Geraerdt Crommelin, Jr., one of five brothers who distinguished himself for his service in the U.S. Navy, becoming a naval aviator and a vital figure in shaping American military aviation in the aftermath of World War II.

Early Years

John Crommelin was born in Montgomery, Alabama in 1902. He was the second of eight children born to John and Katherine Crommelin. John and his four brothers all attended the Naval Academy, with John graduating in 1923 and the youngest brother, Quentin, graduating in 1941. The brothers set a record for the most brothers graduated from the Naval Academy, which they held until 2003. John Crommelin, Jr began flight school after a few years of sea duty following his graduation from the Naval Academy. Although many doubted that aviation would be of much use in the coming years and believed that it would quickly die off, Crommelin rose through the ranks and served aboard several carriers even before the war, including the USS Ranger, Lexington, and Saratoga.

Wartime Service

After the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor, Crommelin was assigned to the USS Enterprise in June 1942, and served aboard the carrier for over a year. He began his duties aboard the Big E as the Air Officer. Cromelin was well-liked during his time aboard Enterprise, a strong leader and a dedicated aviator who led by example, according to many of his men. He ended his tour of duty there as the Executive Officer, one who embodied the spirit of the Enterprise. In his 15 months aboard, he served in the battles of Santa Cruz, Eastern Solomons, and Fennell Island, as well as participating in the occupation of Guadalcanal. The ship was awarded the Presidential Unit Citation during Crommelin’s tenure.

After his tour aboard the Enterprise, Crommelin was promoted to Captain and assigned to Commander, Carrier Division 24 aboard the USS Liscome Bay as the Chief of Staff and Aide. During the Gilbert Islands campaign, Liscome Bay was in the waters off Makin Island when she was hit by a torpedo and began to sink. Crommelin, in the shower at the time of the impact, raced onto the deck completely naked, and helped his fellow crewmen to abandon ship before jumping overboard himself. Of more than 900 men aboard Liscome Bay, Crommelin was one of less than 300 survivors. He then returned to Pearl Harbor to recover from his injuries, and was awarded the Purple Heart.

Crommelin earned the Legion of Merit for his next tour of duty as Chief of Staff of yet another carrier division in the forward Pacific area, where he served from January to August of 1944. Finally, after many months of sea service, Crommelin was ordered to return stateside. He was assigned to the Naval Air Station in San Diego, California, where he utilized his experience and expertise to train the next generation of Navy pilots. Crommelin served as an aviation trainer through the end of the war and into 1946.

After the War

With his long and distinguished naval aviation career, John Crommelin naturally took an intense interest in military aviation after the war. The future of naval aviation became uncertain when the National Security Act was signed in 1947, creating an independent United States Air Force. Many Navy admirals, including Crommelin, were against the idea of removing all aspects of aviation and consolidating them under the Air Force. Several of the military higher-ups pushed for this consolidation, yet subordinates across the Navy were concerned that this would severely affect naval carrier operations and their combat effectiveness in future conflicts. Tensions grew, and disagreements erupted between leaders of the veteran Navy and those of the fledgling Air Force. A series of hearings held in 1949 regarding the Air Force’s acquisition of the new B-36 became the breaking point. It set off what became known as the “Revolt of the Admirals,” a political and financial dispute over the Truman administration’s plans regarding naval aviation. Admiral Crommelin played a key role in making this “revolt” public by his vocal opposition to the Department of Defense’s decisions and by providing correspondence discussing these decisions to news reporters. These actions spelled the end of Crommelin’s career, and he retired in 1950 after a long career with the U.S. Navy, adding his own accomplishments to the story of the Crommelin family.

The Crommelin Legacy

As the largest group of brothers to graduate from the Naval Academy, the Commelin brothers were a point of interest for America even before the war, but during the war, their collective exploits became a national story. At least one Crommelin brother served in every major naval engagement in the Pacific during World War II, earning themselves the nickname “The Indestructibles.” A comic piece from Alabama dubbed the brothers “The Dixie Demons” for their fierce war records. Each of the brothers distinguished themselves in their own right as aviators or naval commanders, or both, as in the case of John Crommelin. But even the “indestructible” brothers could not escape tragedy entirely. In the last year of the war, two of the middle brothers, Charles and Richard, went missing within a few months of each other. Charles disappeared over Okinawa during a pre-invasion strike mission in March, while Richard collided with another plane while leading VF-8 on a strike against Hokkaido in July, and was never seen again. A guided missile frigate, laid down in 1980, was named USS Crommelin in honor of the brothers’ bravery, service, and sacrifice. The ship served for over 30 years until it was finally decommissioned in 2012.