Fredericksburg in Gillespie County, Texas — The American South (West South Central)
USS Mugford DD-389
Photographed By James Hulse, December 2, 2021
1. USS Mugford DD-389 Marker
Inscription.
USS Mugford DD-389. .
World War II Pacific Combat ~ 1941 to 1945 She was Called to Duty to 33 Different Islands/Atolls in the South Pacific, Awarded 9 Asiatic Pacific Battle Stars Numerous other medals Casualties Suffered 27 Killed in Action ~ 37 Wounded in Action. ,
Destroyer or Rescue Ship?. On 15 May 1943, the Mugford rescued the only 64 survivors of the Australian hospital ship AHS Centaur after she was torpedoed and sunk by a Japanese submarine 36 hours earlier. The Centaur sank in 2 minutes resulting in the deaths of 268 persons and leaving survivors huddled in two life boats and clinging to debris in shark-infested waters. The sinking of the Centaur, clearly marked as a hospital ship, remains one of the most controversial incidents of the Pacific War. The week following the rescue, the brave men of the Mugford were richly rewarded with something more valuable than gold during war at sea - ice cream! They were surprised when an Australian supply ship pulled alongside and off loaded as much ice cream as the Mugford's freezers could hold. The hardest-earned ice cream party in history!,
LT. Clint Frank Morse 1920-2016 Proudly served aboard the USS Mugford Lt. Morse, along with the rest of the crew, braved repeated air attacks, but as the Mugford's unofficial Athletic Director, he also organized and scheduled games for a premier fast-pitch softball team that played other American and Australian teams when the Mugford was in port. After the war Clinton raised a family and became a successful attorney in a large Houston law firm - yet another prime example of the "Greatest Generation.", Dedicated to Lt. Morse and all the men of the USS Mugford by Clinton's children: Clinton Morse, Allison Ryder, Sara Bettencourt and all the grandchildren and great grandchildren..
World War II
Pacific Combat ~ 1941 to 1945
She was Called to Duty to 33 Different Islands/Atolls in the South Pacific
Awarded 9 Asiatic Pacific Battle Stars
Numerous other medals
Casualties Suffered
27 Killed in Action ~ 37 Wounded in Action
Destroyer or Rescue Ship?
On 15 May 1943, the Mugford rescued the only 64 survivors of the Australian hospital ship AHS Centaur after she was torpedoed and sunk by a Japanese submarine 36 hours earlier. The Centaur sank in 2 minutes resulting in the deaths of 268 persons and leaving survivors huddled in two life boats and clinging to debris in shark-infested waters. The sinking of the Centaur, clearly marked as a hospital ship, remains one of the most controversial incidents of the Pacific War. The week following the rescue, the brave men of the Mugford were richly rewarded with something more valuable than gold during war at sea - ice cream! They were surprised when an Australian supply ship pulled alongside and off loaded as much ice cream as the Mugford's freezers could hold. The hardest-earned ice cream party in history!
LT. Clint Frank Morse 1920-2016
Proudly served aboard the USS Mugford Lt. Morse, along with the rest of the crew, braved repeated
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air attacks, but as the Mugford's unofficial Athletic Director, he also organized and scheduled games for a premier fast-pitch softball team that played other American and Australian teams when the Mugford was in port. After the war Clinton raised a family and became a successful attorney in a large Houston law firm - yet another prime example of the "Greatest Generation."
Dedicated to Lt. Morse and all the men of the USS Mugford by Clinton's children: Clinton Morse, Allison Ryder, Sara Bettencourt and all the grandchildren and great grandchildren.
Erected by National Museum of the Pacific War.
Topics. This memorial is listed in this topic list: War, World II.
Location. 30° 16.334′ N, 98° 52.04′ W. Marker is in Fredericksburg, Texas, in Gillespie County. Memorial can be reached from the intersection of East Main Street (U.S. 290) and North Washington Street. The marker is located in the southwestern section of the WWII Veterans Memorial Courtyard which is a part of the National Museum of the Pacific War. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 340 East Main Street, Fredericksburg TX 78624, United States of America. Touch for directions.
USS Mugford (DD-389), a Bagley-class destroyer, was the 2nd ship of the United States Navy to be named for James Mugford, who commanded the schooner Franklin in the Continental Navy, serving through 1775. Source: Wikipedia
(Submitted on April 24, 2022, by James Hulse of Medina, Texas.)
Additional keywords. USS Mugford DD-389
Photographed By James Hulse, December 2, 2021
3. The view of the USS Mugford DD-389 Marker from the walkway to the museum
Public Domain - US Navy Photo, April 28, 1944
4. USS Mugford off the Mare Island Navy Yard
Credits. This page was last revised on April 24, 2022. It was originally submitted on April 24, 2022, by James Hulse of Medina, Texas. This page has been viewed 178 times since then and 31 times this year. Photos:1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on April 24, 2022, by James Hulse of Medina, Texas.
