RICHIE N. HENDERSON, LT, USN

Richie Henderson '40

Date of birth: July 21, 1918

Date of death: October 11, 1943

Age: 25

Lucky Bag

From the 1940 Lucky Bag:

RICHIE NEALE HENDERSON

Fredericksburg, Virginia

Joe

The Rhappahanock failed to satisfy Richie; so the decision to try deeper water brought him to the Naval Academy. A born sailor, Hank proved himself equally capable as a crew man. Basketball and tennis occupied the remainder of his spare time. As a roommate Richie was invaluable. His ingenuity and willingness to lend a hand often made life easier both practically and theoretically. His reservedness, good common sense, and spontaneous smile are the assets which have won him the respect and friendship of his classmates and which make him destined to go far in the Naval Profession.

Basketball N, 4, 3, 2, 1, Captain 1; 3 Stripes.

RICHIE NEALE HENDERSON

Fredericksburg, Virginia

Joe

The Rhappahanock failed to satisfy Richie; so the decision to try deeper water brought him to the Naval Academy. A born sailor, Hank proved himself equally capable as a crew man. Basketball and tennis occupied the remainder of his spare time. As a roommate Richie was invaluable. His ingenuity and willingness to lend a hand often made life easier both practically and theoretically. His reservedness, good common sense, and spontaneous smile are the assets which have won him the respect and friendship of his classmates and which make him destined to go far in the Naval Profession.

Basketball N, 4, 3, 2, 1, Captain 1; 3 Stripes.

Loss

Richie was lost when USS Wahoo (SS 238) was sunk, likely on October 11, 1944, in La Perouse Strait off Northern Japan.

Other Information

From researcher Kathy Franz:

Mother Mai, brother John III, sisters Molly and Eleanor. His father was a farmer who later served in the Virginia General Assembly and was a businessman. He died in March 1948.

Richie was assigned to the USS Mississippi after graduation. During the war he was promoted to Lt(jg) on April 15, 1942 and to LT on October 1, 1942.

His mother was listed as next of kin. Richie is listed at the Courts of the Missing in Hawaii.

Photographs

From the Lucky Bag

Silver Star

From Hall of Valor:

The President of the United States of America takes pride in presenting the Silver Star (Posthumously) to Lieutenant Richie Neale Henderson (NSN: 0-85127), United States Navy, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in the line of duty and in a position of great responsibility while serving on the U.S.S. WAHOO (SS-238), during the SEVENTH War Patrol of that Submarine in enemy patrolled waters from 9 September to 11 October 1943. He assisted his Commanding Officer in penetrating dangerous, confined and patrolled enemy waters where he contributed to the known destruction of one important enemy vessel. Other damage inflicted upon the enemy by his submarine in this area is unknown since his vessel failed to return from this patrol and it is presumed that he gave his life for his country. His conduct was in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.
General Orders: Board Serial 0559 (March 27, 1944)
Action Date: September 9 - October 11, 1943
Rank: Lieutenant

From Hall of Valor:

The President of the United States of America takes pride in presenting a Gold Star in lieu of a Second Award of the Silver Star (Posthumously) to Lieutenant Richie Neale Henderson (NSN: 0-85127), United States Navy, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in the line of his profession as Torpedo and Diving Officer of the U.S.S. WAHOO (SS-238), during aggressive and highly successful War Patrols in enemy-controlled waters during World War II. His careful and efficient maintenance of the torpedoes directly contributed to his vessel's success in delivering successful torpedo and gun attacks against heavily escorted task forces and convoys, which resulted in the sinking of over 93,000 tons and the damaging of over 30,000 tons of shipping and combatant units. His calmness, judgment, fearlessness, and steadiness were an inspiration to the officers and men in his ship. His conduct throughout was in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.
General Orders: Commander in Chief Pacific: Serial 01633 (May 6, 1944)
Action Date: World War II
Rank: Lieutenant

Navy Directories & Officer Registers

The "Register of Commissioned and Warrant Officers of the United States Navy and Marine Corps" was published annually from 1815 through at least the 1970s; it provided rank, command or station, and occasionally billet until the beginning of World War II when command/station was no longer included. Scanned copies were reviewed and data entered from the mid-1840s through 1922, when more-frequent Navy Directories were available.

The Navy Directory was a publication that provided information on the command, billet, and rank of every active and retired naval officer. Single editions have been found online from January 1915 and March 1918, and then from three to six editions per year from 1923 through 1940; the final edition is from April 1941.

The entries in both series of documents are sometimes cryptic and confusing. They are often inconsistent, even within an edition, with the name of commands; this is especially true for aviation squadrons in the 1920s and early 1930s.

Alumni listed at the same command may or may not have had significant interactions; they could have shared a stateroom or workspace, stood many hours of watch together… or, especially at the larger commands, they might not have known each other at all. The information provides the opportunity to draw connections that are otherwise invisible, though, and gives a fuller view of the professional experiences of these alumni in Memorial Hall.