HUGH R. RIMMER, LCDR, USN

Hugh Rimmer '37

Date of birth: July 30, 1914

Date of death: November 7, 1944

Age: 30

Lucky Bag

From the 1937 Lucky Bag:

HUGH RAYNOR RIMMER

San Francisco, California

"Rowdy Dow" "Buzz" "Hugh"

Hughie's agreeable personality made him many friends. Unknown admirers were always certain to write him letters after leave, to the extent that all hands endeavored to solve Raynor's social problems. The football team lost his valuable service when he was disabled, but his handicap did not hinder his ability with the oar. To keep peace in this family, we will not mention anything about that cold March day when Hughie's single shell capsized. Ever since then, Rowdy Dow has been looking forward to sunny Cal and his departure from rainy Maryland.

Crew 4, 3, 2, 1, N. Football 4, 1, 2, NA. Goat Keeper. Reception Committee. One Stripe.

HUGH RAYNOR RIMMER

San Francisco, California

"Rowdy Dow" "Buzz" "Hugh"

Hughie's agreeable personality made him many friends. Unknown admirers were always certain to write him letters after leave, to the extent that all hands endeavored to solve Raynor's social problems. The football team lost his valuable service when he was disabled, but his handicap did not hinder his ability with the oar. To keep peace in this family, we will not mention anything about that cold March day when Hughie's single shell capsized. Ever since then, Rowdy Dow has been looking forward to sunny Cal and his departure from rainy Maryland.

Crew 4, 3, 2, 1, N. Football 4, 1, 2, NA. Goat Keeper. Reception Committee. One Stripe.

Loss

Hugh was lost when USS Albacore (SS 218) was sunk by a mine on November 7, 1944 while on patrol north of Hokkaido. He was the boat's Commanding Officer, having taken command in early October 1944 (per the now-broken link http://www.fleetorganization.com/subcommanders3.html).

Other Information

From researcher Kathy Franz:

Hugh graduated from Galileo High School in San Francisco, played football and was named all-city end after the 1931 football season. He attended Drew’s and the West Point School at Fort Scott. He passed tests for both the Army and Navy academies. Hugh married the former Dorothy Rothacker in August 1939 in Long Island. They met during an Army-Navy game dinner dance during his senior year. While playing for the Navy football team, he dislocated his shoulder in both the 1934 and 1935 seasons.
His two-year-old daughter Susan was flower maiden at his brother Lieut. James William Rimmer’s wedding in July 1944. James attended the prep school for West Point and later received his commission and was at the A.A.F. Advanced Navigation School at Ellington Field, Houston. Their other brother Major Harmon attended the U.S. Military Academy and was in the Pacific theater of the war. In September 1949, Hugh’s widow married his brother Harmon. Their father was a retired U.S. Army Major.

The wreckage site of the Albacore was confirmed in February, 2023.

His wife was listed as next of kin.

Photographs

Career

From the now-broken link http://www.fleetorganization.com/subcommandersclassyear3.html:

Duty USS California (BB-44) 1 Jul 1939 - 1 Jul 1940

Under Instruction Submarine School New London 1 Nov 1940

Executive Officer USS Rock (SS-2764) 26 Oct 1943 - 31 Mar 1944

Executive Officer USS Tautog (SS-199) 30 Apr 1944 - 31 Jul 1944

Captain USS Albacore (SS-218) 3 Oct 1944 - Nov 1944

Ensign 3 Jun 1937

Lieutenant (j.g.) 3 Jun 1940

Lieutenant (T) 2 Jan 1942

Lieutenant Commander (T) 1 Jul 1943

Silver Star

From Hall of Valor:

The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Lieutenant Commander Hugh Raynor Rimmer (NSN: 0-78609), United States Navy, for gallantry and intrepidity in action in the performance of his duties as Assistant Approach Officer in the U.S.S. TAUTOG (SS-199), during the ELEVENTH War Patrol of that Submarine from 17 April 1944 to 21 May 1944. His ability to furnish his Commanding Officer with a continued flow of valuable information contributed directly to his vessel's success in sinking four enemy ships totaling 20,500 tons. On numerous occasions during severe enemy counter-measures his timely suggestions and inspiring performance contributed to the safety of his ship and her return to port. His conduct throughout was an inspiration to the officers and men in his ship, and was in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.
General Orders: Commander in Chief Pacific: Serial 05480 (October 9, 1944)
Action Date: April 17 - May 21, 1944
Service: Navy
Rank: Lieutenant Commander
Company: Assistant Approach Officer
Division: U.S.S. Tautog (SS-199)

Commendation

Sometime before February 1943, Hugh was commended (as a Lieutenant) for "directing the escape of men from a compartment affected by a serious battery fire."

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.