WILLIAM M. HOBBY, JR., CDR, USN
William Hobby, Jr. '23
Lucky Bag
From the 1923 Lucky Bag:
Loss
William was lost when USS Juneau (CL 52) was sunk at the Naval Battle of Guadalcanal on November 13, 1942. He was the executive officer.
His wife was listed as next of kin; it appears that he was also survived by a son, William III (and later a grandson, William IV). William Jr. has a memory marker in Georgia.
Biography
From Wikipedia:
William Matthews Hobby, Jr., was born on 27 July 1899 in Sylvania, Georgia. He was appointed a midshipman from the 1st Congressional District of Georgia on 20 June 1919, attended the United States Naval Academy at Annapolis, Maryland, and graduated in the class of 1923.
After initial sea duty in the battleship USS Oklahoma (BB-37) from June 1923 to April 1925, Hobby underwent brief aviation instruction at Naval Air Station Pensacola at Pensacola, Florida. He then reported to the destroyer USS Kidder (DD-319) on 21 November 1925 and served in Kidder as she earned the Second Nicaraguan Campaign Medal.
Hobby then underwent submarine instruction at Submarine Base New London in New London, Connecticut, from late December 1927 to June 1928. He then travelled to the United States Asiatic Fleet, where he reported to the submarine tender USS Canopus (AS-9) on 10 August 1928, prior to his joining the submarine USS S-37 (SS-142) on 20 August 1928. After successive tours in the submarines USS S-41 (SS-146) and USS S-30 (SS-135), Hobby returned to the United States for service at the United States Naval Academy from May 1931 to June 1933. He then helped to fit out the submarine USS Cachalot (SS-170) before serving back-to-back tours in the battleship USS Tennessee (BB-43) and training ship USS Wyoming (AG-17) into the summer of 1938.
Hobby reported to the Federal Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Company at Kearny, New Jersey, on 11 May 1939, to supervise the fitting out of the new Sims-class destroyer USS Anderson (DD-411) and to become her first commanding officer when she was placed in commission.
Detached from Anderson on 22 March 1941, Hobby then rejoined the battleship Oklahoma (BB-37) on 26 March 1941 as damage control officer and first lieutenant. After Oklahoma capsized and sank in the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on 7 December 1941, Hobby served briefly in the 12th Naval District before he joined the new battleship USS Washington (BB-56) on 3 January 1942. He acted as navigator of Washington until he relieved Commander Walter E. Moore as executive officer of the light cruiser USS Juneau (CL-52) at Espiritu Santo on 2 November 1942.
On 12 November 1942, ten days after he reported aboard, Juneau was heavily damaged during the Naval Battle of Guadalcanal. The following afternoon, 13 November 1942, while she was returning to Espiritu Santo, the Japanese submarine I-26 torpedoed her. The torpedo hit detonated Juneau's magazine, and she disintegrated in a massive explosion, leaving only ten survivors. Commander Hobby was among those who perished in the cataclysmic blast that tore the ship apart.
Namesake
USS William M. Hobby (APD 95) was named for William; the ship was sponsored by his sister, Catherine.
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.
July 1923
Ensign, USS Oklahoma
Others at this command: LT Festus Foster '19 and ENS Merritt Flanders '22.
September 1923
Ensign, USS Oklahoma
Others at this command: LTjg John Burrow '21 and ENS George Lehman '23.
November 1923
Ensign, USS Oklahoma
Others at this command: LTjg John Burrow '21 and ENS George Lehman '23.
January 1924
Ensign, USS Oklahoma
Others at this command: LTjg John Burrow '21 and ENS George Lehman '23.
March 1924
Ensign, USS Oklahoma
Others at this command: LTjg John Burrow '21 and ENS George Lehman '23.
May 1924
Ensign, USS Oklahoma
Others at this command: LTjg John Burrow '21 and ENS George Lehman '23.
July 1924
Ensign, USS Oklahoma
Others at this command: LTjg John Burrow '21, ENS George Lehman '23, and ENS William France '24.
September 1924
Ensign, USS Oklahoma
Others at this command: ENS George Lehman '23 and ENS William France '24.
November 1924
Ensign, USS Oklahoma
Others at this command: ENS George Lehman '23 and ENS William France '24.
January 1925
Ensign, USS Oklahoma
Others at this command: ENS George Lehman '23 and ENS William France '24.
March 1925
Ensign, USS Oklahoma
Others at this command: ENS George Lehman '23 and ENS William France '24.
May 1925
Ensign, USS Oklahoma
Others at this command: ENS George Lehman '23 and ENS William France '24.
July 1925
Ensign, under instruction, Naval Air Station Pensacola, Florida
Others at this command: LTjg LaRue Lawbaugh '20, LTjg Addis Nelson '21, LTjg Henry Brandenburger '21, LTjg Irving Wiltsie '21, LTjg John Jones '21, ENS George Covell '22, ENS Richard Waggener '22, LTjg William Davis '22, ENS George Lehman '23, ENS Herbert Wescoat '23, ENS Joseph Rooney '23, ENS Luther Schmidt '23, ENS Matthias Marple, Jr. '23, and ENS William Reddington '23.
October 1925
Ensign, under instruction, Naval Air Station Pensacola, Florida
Others at this command: LT John Gillon '20, LT LaRue Lawbaugh '20, LTjg Addis Nelson '21, LTjg Henry Brandenburger '21, LTjg Irving Wiltsie '21, LTjg John Jones '21, LTjg George Covell '22, LTjg Richard Waggener '22, LTjg William Davis '22, ENS George Lehman '23, ENS Herbert Wescoat '23, 2LT John Harris '23, ENS Joseph Rooney '23, ENS Luther Schmidt '23, ENS Matthias Marple, Jr. '23, and ENS William Reddington '23.
January 1928
Lieutenant (j.g.), under instruction, Submarine Base New London, Connecticut
Others at this command: LT Robert Smith '20, ENS Charles Tolman, Jr. '25, and ENS Julian Morrison, Jr. '25.
April 1928
Lieutenant (j.g.), under instruction, Submarine Base New London, Connecticut
Others at this command: LT Robert Smith '20, ENS Charles Tolman, Jr. '25, and ENS Julian Morrison, Jr. '25.
October 1928
Lieutenant (j.g.), USS S-37
January 1929
Lieutenant (j.g.), USS S-37
April 1929
Lieutenant (j.g.), USS S-41
July 1929
Lieutenant (j.g.), USS S-41
October 1929
Lieutenant (j.g.), USS S-41
January 1930
Lieutenant (j.g.), USS S-41
April 1930
Lieutenant (j.g.), USS S-41
October 1930
Lieutenant (j.g.), USS S-30
January 1931
Lieutenant (j.g.), USS S-30
April 1931
Lieutenant (j.g.), Naval Academy
Others at this command: CDR James Logan '10, LCDR Robert English '11, LCDR Cassin Young '16, LT Joseph Severyns, Jr. '20, LT John Jones '21, LT Edward Metcalfe '22, LT John French '22, LT John Welch '23, LTjg Louis Drexler, Jr. '23, LTjg Hammond Dugan '24, LTjg William France '24, LTjg Fremont Wright '25, and LTjg Richard Gingras '25.
Others at or embarked at this command: 1LT Charles Kail '23 (Marine Barracks, Naval Academy) and 1LT David Claude '24 (Marine Barracks, Naval Academy).
July 1931
Lieutenant (j.g.), Naval Academy
Others at this command: CDR James Logan '10, LCDR Robert English '11, LT Joseph Severyns, Jr. '20, LT Paul Slawson '20, LT Robert Smith '20, LT Samuel Arthur '20, LT John Jones '21, LT John French '22, LT John Welch '23, LTjg Louis Drexler, Jr. '23, LTjg Hubert Hayter '24, LTjg Lawrence McPeake '24, LTjg Max Stormes '24, LTjg Neville McDowell '24, LTjg William France '24, LTjg Elmer Buerkle '25, LTjg Fremont Wright '25, LTjg Harry Hubbard '25, ENS Claud Hughes '30, ENS Harrington Drake '31, ENS Lorenz Forbes '31, and ENS Vernon Hain '31.
Others at or embarked at this command: 1LT Charles Kail '23 (Marine Barracks, Naval Academy).
October 1931
Lieutenant (j.g.), Naval Academy
Others at this command: CDR James Logan '10, CDR Robert English '11, LT Paul Slawson '20, LT Robert Smith '20, LT Samuel Arthur '20, LT John Welch '23, LTjg Louis Drexler, Jr. '23, LTjg Hubert Hayter '24, LTjg Lawrence McPeake '24, LTjg Max Stormes '24, LTjg Neville McDowell '24, LTjg Elmer Buerkle '25, LTjg Fremont Wright '25, LTjg Harry Hubbard '25, and ENS Claud Hughes '30.
Others at or embarked at this command: 1LT Charles Kail '23 (Marine Barracks, Naval Academy).
January 1932
Lieutenant (j.g.), Naval Academy
Others at this command: CDR James Logan '10, CDR Robert English '11, LCDR Lyman Swenson '16, LT Paul Slawson '20, LT Robert Smith '20, LT Samuel Arthur '20, LT John Welch '23, LTjg Louis Drexler, Jr. '23, LTjg Hubert Hayter '24, LTjg Lawrence McPeake '24, LTjg Max Stormes '24, LTjg Neville McDowell '24, LTjg Elmer Buerkle '25, LTjg Fremont Wright '25, LTjg Harry Hubbard '25, ENS Claud Hughes '30, and ENS Albert Gray '31.
Others at or embarked at this command: 1LT Charles Kail '23 (Marine Barracks, Naval Academy).
April 1932
Lieutenant (j.g.), Naval Academy
Others at this command: CDR James Logan '10, CDR Robert English '11, LCDR Lyman Swenson '16, LT Paul Slawson '20, LT Robert Smith '20, LT Samuel Arthur '20, LT John Welch '23, LT Louis Drexler, Jr. '23, LTjg Hubert Hayter '24, LTjg Lawrence McPeake '24, LTjg Max Stormes '24, LTjg Neville McDowell '24, LTjg Richard Moss '24, LTjg Charles Tolman, Jr. '25, LTjg Elmer Buerkle '25, LTjg Fremont Wright '25, LTjg Harry Hubbard '25, LTjg Heywood Edwards '26, ENS Claud Hughes '30, ENS Frank Highley, Jr. '30, 2LT Harold Bauer '30, ENS Albert Gray '31, and ENS George MacKenzie, Jr. '31.
October 1932
Lieutenant, Naval Academy
Others at this command: LCDR Charles Cecil '16, LCDR Lyman Swenson '16, LT Robert Smith '20, LT Francis Bridget '21, LT George Brooke '21, LT Paul Register '21, LTjg Hubert Hayter '24, LTjg Lawrence McPeake '24, LTjg Neville McDowell '24, LTjg Andrew Harris '25, LTjg Austin Behan '25, LTjg Charles Tolman, Jr. '25, LTjg James Smith, Jr. '25, LTjg Knowlton Williams '25, LTjg William Hank '25, LTjg William Graham, Jr. '25, LTjg Carlton Hutchins '26, LTjg Earl Olsen '26, LTjg Howard Gilmore '26, LTjg John Graff '26, LTjg Sidney Smith '26, and LTjg Loren Morris '27.
January 1933
Lieutenant, Naval Academy
Others at this command: LCDR Charles Cecil '16, LCDR Lyman Swenson '16, LT Robert Smith '20, LT Francis Bridget '21, LT George Brooke '21, LT Paul Register '21, LTjg Hubert Hayter '24, LTjg Lawrence McPeake '24, LTjg Neville McDowell '24, LTjg Andrew Harris '25, LTjg Austin Behan '25, LTjg Charles Tolman, Jr. '25, LTjg James Smith, Jr. '25, LTjg Knowlton Williams '25, LTjg William Hank '25, LTjg William Graham, Jr. '25, LTjg Carlton Hutchins '26, LTjg Earl Olsen '26, LTjg Howard Gilmore '26, LTjg John Graff '26, LTjg Sidney Smith '26, LTjg Loren Morris '27, and 2LT Harold Bauer '30.
April 1933
Lieutenant, Naval Academy
Others at this command: LCDR Charles Cecil '16, LCDR Lyman Swenson '16, LT Robert Smith '20, LT Francis Bridget '21, LT George Brooke '21, LT Paul Register '21, LTjg Hubert Hayter '24, LTjg Lawrence McPeake '24, LTjg Neville McDowell '24, LTjg Andrew Harris '25, LTjg Austin Behan '25, LTjg Charles Tolman, Jr. '25, LTjg James Smith, Jr. '25, LTjg Knowlton Williams '25, LTjg William Hank '25, LTjg William Graham, Jr. '25, LTjg Carlton Hutchins '26, LTjg Earl Olsen '26, LTjg Howard Gilmore '26, LTjg John Crane '26, LTjg John Graff '26, LTjg Louis Shane, Jr. '26, LTjg Sidney Smith '26, LTjg Loren Morris '27, LTjg William Pye, Jr. '28, and 2LT Harold Bauer '30.
July 1933
Lieutenant, USS Cachalot
Others at this command: LTjg Max Stormes '24 and LTjg Elmer Buerkle '25.
October 1933
Lieutenant, USS Cachalot
Others at this command: LTjg Max Stormes '24 and LTjg Elmer Buerkle '25.
April 1934
Lieutenant, USS Cachalot
Others at this command: LTjg Max Stormes '24 and LTjg Elmer Buerkle '25.
July 1934
Lieutenant, USS Cachalot
Others at this command: LT Max Stormes '24 and LTjg Elmer Buerkle '25.
October 1934
Lieutenant, USS Cachalot
Others at this command: LT Max Stormes '24 and LTjg Elmer Buerkle '25.
January 1935
Lieutenant, USS Cachalot
Others at this command: LT Max Stormes '24 and LTjg Elmer Buerkle '25.
October 1935
Lieutenant, USS Tennessee
Others at this command: LT Willford Hyman '24, ENS Herbert Fulmer, Jr. '33, ENS Joel Davis, Jr. '35, ENS Samuel Adams '35, and ENS Stanley Lipski '35.
January 1936
Lieutenant, USS Tennessee
Others at this command: LT Willford Hyman '24, ENS Herbert Fulmer, Jr. '33, ENS Joel Davis, Jr. '35, ENS Samuel Adams '35, and ENS Stanley Lipski '35.
April 1936
Lieutenant, USS Tennessee
Others at this command: LT Willford Hyman '24, ENS Herbert Fulmer, Jr. '33, ENS Joel Davis, Jr. '35, ENS Samuel Adams '35, and ENS Stanley Lipski '35.
July 1936
Lieutenant, USS Tennessee
Others at this command: LT Raymond Tuttle '22, ENS Joel Davis, Jr. '35, ENS Samuel Adams '35, ENS Jack Crutchfield '36, and ENS Porter Maxwell '36.
Others at or embarked at this command: LTjg Alden Irons '31 (Observation Plane Squadron (VO) 2B) and ENS Stanley Lipski '35 (Observation Plane Squadron (VO) 2B).
January 1937
Lieutenant, Naval Academy
Others at this command: CDR Donald Godwin '11, LT John French '22, LT Richard Gingras '25, LT Eugene Lindsey '27, LTjg James McRoberts '27, LT Ralph Hickox '27, LT William Potts '27, LTjg John Bole, Jr. '28, LT John Pierce '28, LT William Millican '28, LTjg Egbert Roth '29, LTjg John Bermingham '29, LTjg Roderick Rooney '29, LTjg Alfred Grove '30, and LTjg Volckert Douw '30.
Others at or embarked at this command: CDR James Logan '10 (Post Graduate School, Naval Academy), 1LT Thomas Jordan '26 (Receiving Ship), and 1LT John Heil '28 (Receiving Ship).
April 1937
Lieutenant, Naval Academy
Others at this command: CDR Donald Godwin '11, LT John French '22, LT Richard Baron '24, LT Richard Gingras '25, LT Eugene Lindsey '27, LTjg James McRoberts '27, LT Ralph Hickox '27, LT William Potts '27, LTjg John Bole, Jr. '28, LT John Pierce '28, LT William Millican '28, LTjg Egbert Roth '29, LTjg John Bermingham '29, LTjg Roderick Rooney '29, LTjg Alfred Grove '30, and LTjg Volckert Douw '30.
Others at or embarked at this command: CDR James Logan '10 (Post Graduate School, Naval Academy), 1LT Thomas Jordan '26 (Receiving Ship), 1LT John Heil '28 (Receiving Ship), and LTjg Victor Gaulin '30 (Training Plane Squadron (VN) 8D5, Naval Academy).
September 1937
Lieutenant, Naval Academy
Others at this command: CDR Donald Godwin '11, LT Robert Bedilion '22, LT Richard Baron '24, LT Andrew Harris '25, LT Harold Pound '25, LT Richard Gingras '25, LT William Graham, Jr. '25, LT Ralph Hickox '27, LTjg Egbert Roth '29, LTjg John Bermingham '29, LTjg Roderick Rooney '29, LTjg Alfred Grove '30, LTjg Arthur Spring '30, LTjg James Kyes '30, LTjg James Coe '30, LTjg John Armstrong, Jr. '30, LTjg John Shaffer, III '30, LTjg John Bisson '30, LTjg Joshua Nix '30, LTjg Lynne Quiggle '30, LTjg Raymond Mayo '30, LTjg Robert Germany, Jr. '30, LTjg Russell Ross '30, LTjg Victor Gaulin '30, LTjg Damon Cummings '31, LTjg George Stone '31, LTjg Henry Brossy '31, LTjg Lee Pancake '31, LTjg Willis Thomas '31, and LTjg William Thorn '32.
Others at or embarked at this command: LT Earl Olsen '26 (Engineering Experiment Station, Naval Academy).
January 1938
Lieutenant, Naval Academy
Others at this command: CDR Donald Godwin '11, LT Robert Bedilion '22, LT Richard Baron '24, LT Andrew Harris '25, LT Harold Pound '25, LT Richard Gingras '25, LT William Graham, Jr. '25, LT Ralph Hickox '27, LT Egbert Roth '29, LT John Bermingham '29, LT Roderick Rooney '29, LTjg Alfred Grove '30, LTjg Arthur Spring '30, LTjg James Kyes '30, LTjg James Coe '30, LTjg John Armstrong, Jr. '30, LTjg John Shaffer, III '30, LTjg John Bisson '30, LTjg Joshua Nix '30, LT Lynne Quiggle '30, LTjg Raymond Mayo '30, LTjg Robert Germany, Jr. '30, LTjg Russell Ross '30, LT Victor Gaulin '30, LTjg Damon Cummings '31, LTjg George Stone '31, LTjg Henry Brossy '31, LTjg Lee Pancake '31, LTjg Willis Thomas '31, and LTjg William Thorn '32.
Others at or embarked at this command: LT Earl Olsen '26 (Engineering Experiment Station, Naval Academy).
July 1938
Lieutenant, Naval Academy
Others at this command: LCDR Robert Bedilion '22, LT Richard Baron '24, LT Andrew Harris '25, LT Harold Pound '25, LT William Graham, Jr. '25, LT Hilan Ebert '26, LT Egbert Roth '29, LT John Bermingham '29, LTjg James Kyes '30, LTjg James Coe '30, LTjg John Shaffer, III '30, LT John Bisson '30, LTjg Joshua Nix '30, LT Lynne Quiggle '30, LTjg Raymond Mayo '30, LTjg Russell Ross '30, LT Victor Gaulin '30, LTjg Andrew Stewart '31, LTjg Benjamin Ghetzler '31, LTjg Clifford Janz '31, LTjg Damon Cummings '31, LTjg Elliott Marshall '31, LTjg George Stone '31, LTjg Henry Brossy '31, LTjg Howard Abbott '31, LTjg Lee Pancake '31, LTjg Lion Miles '31, LTjg Ralph Elden '31, LTjg Seymour Owens '31, LTjg Thomas Ashworth, Jr. '31, LTjg Walter Bailey '31, LTjg Ward Bronson '31, LTjg Willis Thomas '31, LTjg Edwin Hurst '32, LTjg Ernest Hodge '32, and LTjg William Kane '33.
Others at or embarked at this command: LT Earl Olsen '26 (Engineering Experiment Station, Naval Academy).
January 1939
Lieutenant Commander, Naval Academy
Others at this command: LCDR Raymond Hansen '22, LCDR Robert Bedilion '22, LT Richard Baron '24, LT Andrew Harris '25, LT Harold Pound '25, LT William Graham, Jr. '25, LT Hilan Ebert '26, LT Egbert Roth '29, LT John Bermingham '29, LT James Kyes '30, LT James Coe '30, LT John Shaffer, III '30, LT John Bisson '30, LT Joshua Nix '30, LT Lynne Quiggle '30, LT Raymond Mayo '30, LT Russell Ross '30, LT Victor Gaulin '30, LTjg Andrew Stewart '31, LTjg Benjamin Ghetzler '31, LTjg Clifford Janz '31, LT Damon Cummings '31, LTjg Elliott Marshall '31, LTjg George Stone '31, LT Henry Brossy '31, LTjg Howard Abbott '31, LTjg Lee Pancake '31, LTjg Lion Miles '31, LTjg Ralph Elden '31, LTjg Seymour Owens '31, LT Thomas Ashworth, Jr. '31, LTjg Walter Bailey '31, LTjg Ward Bronson '31, LTjg Willis Thomas '31, LTjg Edwin Hurst '32, and LTjg Ernest Hodge '32.
Others at or embarked at this command: LT Earl Olsen '26 (Engineering Experiment Station, Naval Academy).
October 1939
Lieutenant Commander, commanding officer, USS Anderson
June 1940
Lieutenant Commander, commanding officer, USS Anderson
November 1940
Lieutenant Commander, commanding officer, USS Anderson
April 1941
Lieutenant Commander, commanding officer, USS Anderson
Class of 1923
William is one of 25 members of the Class of 1923 on Virtual Memorial Hall.
