US Navy 3rd Class Fireman George Vincent Lockwood was born in Pensacola, Florida on February 8, 1924, the son of Charles Herbert Lockwood (1884-1972) and Catherine "Kate" Veronica Seymour (1885-1954). His father was from Tasmania, Australia who came to the US on December 6, 1904, aboard the SS Tynfield and would marry Kate Seymour in New Orleans, LA on March 19, 1912. The day they married, they traveled to Pensacola where they spent the rest of their lives. Charles would support his family of ten children as a commercial fisherman throughout his life, retiring in 1962. He passed away in 1972 and was buried in the Holy Cross Cemetery.
As for his young son George, he would become a noted amateur boxer in the flyweight division winning several Golden Glove titles. Joining him was his brothers Charles Herbert Jr. and Frank Lockwood. As to his patriotism, he would enlist in the Navy at the age of 17-years old on December 31, 1941, just 24-days after the Japanese bombs fell on Pearl Harbor. He was sent to Birmingham, Alabama for processing but spent very little time in basic training. At this time, the War Department was shipping recruits to the Pacific not long after they enlisted. He was shipped out to the Pacific Fleet on February 2, 1942, and assigned to the the cruiser USS Vincennes. By May 1st, he had already been promoted to 3rd Class Fireman.
After the 1st Marine Division landed on Guadalcanal, the Japanese struck back with a vengeance. This fear caused the U.S. high command to withdraw our carrier task force away from the island and into the open sea where they were better protected. The day after they left, the Japanese showed up with a strong fleet of seven cruisers and one destroyer. Left to protect the Marines was a small U.S. force of eight cruisers and 15 destroyers. Unfortunately, they were divided into three smaller groups, each protecting different approaches to Guadalcanal. One of the groups contained the cruisers USS Vincennes, USS Astoria, and the USS Quincy and one destroyer. Not long before, the Vincennes had downed seven Japanese “Betty” bombers while dodging enemy torpedoes and bombs.
Suddenly, in the dark of night on August 9, 1942, the three US cruisers were illuminated by enemy searchlights at 0150. Within twenty minutes the Vincennes was already out of action and ablaze as she began listing to port. A young Pensacolian, George Vincent Lockwood was aboard the Vincennes that night as the enemy ships steamed past her at top speed heading straight for the other two hapless cruisers. George and his fellow firemen were doing everything possible to save their ship, but it was too late and the damage too severe. At 0230 the Vincennes was abandoned as the crew went over the side and into the warm waters of Savo Sound. Having survived the 57 shells that ripped into her during the Battle of Savo Island, George turned back from a position of safety and swam back to his ship to help a struggling sailor. He approached the listing ship just as two enemy torpedoes slammed into her and exploded on impact. The concussion of the explosion killed the 18-year-old Pensacolian instantly as he and his doomed ship disappeared under the surface forever at 0250 hours.
The Astoria took 65 hits and sank at 1216 hours despite a valiant effort to remain afloat. She would disappear below taking two Pensacola boys with her, James Otis Caraway and Ernest Cory Harris Jr. As for the Quincy, she was absolutely shot to pieces killing her captain and her command staff before she sank at 0238 with Pensacolians Thomas Louis Richards and Arthur Pete aboard. Along with the three ships perished almost a thousand US sailors of which George Lockwood and his four Pensacola comrades were only five. Fortunately, the enemy commander, for whatever reason ordered a withdrawal, satisfied he had inflicted a tremendous blow on the American fleet. Had he but known that just a few miles away lay all the supporting troop and supply transports anchored just offshore from the Marines on their embattled island. With the American cruisers at the bottom of Savo Sound and the carriers steaming away from the area as fast as they could, the support ships were totally unprotected and now lay at the enemy’s mercy. The battle for Guadalcanal could just as easily have ended right then and there barring this tremendous stroke of luck! This horrific naval battle was observed by Pensacola High School graduate and Marine Private Leo Carvalis as well as the other Pensacolians on the island. Sadly, the next morning they began to see the American bodies and wreckage washing ashore from the three valiant ships that were outnumbered and outgunned.
The former Golden Gloves boxer was honored by his family two years later with the dedication of a white marble bench. It was donated by Mr. and Mrs. Gene Trader and placed in the Veteran’s Parkway at the corner of Gregory and Palafox Street. In later years, it was moved to the Lockwood family plot in the Holy Cross Cemetery but now rests at the Veteran’s Memorial Park adjacent to the Gulf Power Building on South 9th Avenue.
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