Daniel Judson Callaghan | |
|---|---|
 Callaghan on the bridge of USS San Francisco in 1942 | |
| Nickname(s) | Dan |
| Born | July 26, 1890 San Francisco, California, US |
| Died | November 13, 1942 (aged 52) off Guadalcanal, British Solomon Islands |
| Place of burial | |
| Allegiance | United States of America |
| Service |  United States Navy |
| Years of service | 1911–1942 |
| Rank |  Rear admiral |
| Unit | Task Force 67 |
| Commands | USS Truxtun USS San Francisco Task Group 67.4 |
| Battles / wars | |
| Awards | Medal of Honor (posthumous) Distinguished Service Medal Purple Heart |
| Relations | William Callaghan (brother) |
Daniel Judson Callaghan (July 26, 1890 – November 13, 1942) was a United States Navy officer who received the Medal of Honor posthumously for his actions during the Naval Battle of Guadalcanal. In a three-decades-long career, he served his country in two wars. Callaghan served on several ships during his first 20 years of service, including escort duties during World War I, and also filled some shore-based administrative roles. He later came to the attention of President Franklin D. Roosevelt, who appointed Callaghan as his naval aide in 1938.[1] A few years later, he returned to command duties during the early stages of World War II. An enemy shell killed Callaghan on the bridge of his flagship, USS San Francisco, during a surface action against a larger Japanese force off Savo Island. He was the third of five US Navy admirals killed in battle during WWII, including: Isaac C. Kidd (1941, Attack on Pearl Harbor); Norman Scott (earlier on same night, in same battle, as Callaghan); Henry M. Mullinnix (1943, Battle of Makin); and Theodore E. Chandler (1945, invasion of Lingayen Gulf).
The battle ended in a strategic victory for the Allied side.
- ^ "Genesis IV: The Alumni Magazine of Saint Ignatius College Preparatory" (PDF). History Supplement: Admiral Daniel Callaghan (SI 1907). 2005. pp. 32–34. Archived from the original (PDF) on June 13, 2010. Retrieved September 8, 2009.