Navy Radioman 3rd Class Fred Wilkerson Penton was born in Coosa County, Alabama on November 27, 1914, the son of William Oliver Penton (1875-1950) and Emaline Mahala Thomas (1882-1956). His father was a farmer most of his life as he migrated from his birthplace in Coosa County, Alabama to Decatur, George and finally to Pensacola prior to 1940. Here, he became a warden at the county's road prison and here in Pensacola he spent the rest of his life.
As for his son Fred, he would graduate from Attapulgus High School in Decatur, Georgia in 1934 with high honors. Little is recorded as to his early life in Pensacola, but he did list his residence upon entry in the Navy as Rt. 3, Box 114 in Brent. By the time he enlisted in August 1940, his parents were well established in their home and community. Upon completion of his basic training, Fred was selected for "radio" school and sent to Norfolk, Virginia for preliminary training. Afterwards, he went to Key West for advance training before being assigned to the destroyer USS Sims.
In April 1942, the Japanese high command was preparing for an invasion of Australia so to protect such an attack they sent their fleet to protect their landings on Tulagi in the Solomons and Port Moresby in New Guinea. They also assembled a task force to strike any American surface fleet in the Coral Sea that might be a threat as well. This force was built around the Japanese carriers Shoho, Shokaku, and Zuikaku of which the latter two were involved in the attack on Pearl Harbor. To thwart such a move by the Japanese, the Americans sent the USS Lexington and Yorktown into the Coral Sea. But fleet operations over a large expanse of ocean required fuel so the oiler USS Neosho was sent to refuel the Yorktown and the heavy cruiser Astoria while escorted by Fred and his destroyer.
As Neosho and Sims were sailing for their next refueling point on May 7, 1942, they were spotted by Japanese search planes. Thirty-six "Val" bombers from the Shokaku and Zuikaku struck the pair and set the oiler afire while the Sims was attacked from all sides at once. Within minutes she buckled amidships and began to sink. As she began sinking there was a huge explosion that lifted the ship 15 feet out of the water. But in a display of true American audacity, the forward 5-inch gun crew fired one last shot at the Japanese and they and their ship slipped under water to their watery grave far below. Along with that gun crew, Fred continued to send radio signals to the fleet until he perished. In all, 237 valiant sailors would die performing their patriotic duty with only thirteen survivors. A memorial gravestone bearing his name lies today near his parents in Bayview Cemetery while Fred rests with his comrades at Coral Sea.
Total American causalities for the Battle of the Coral Sea was the loss of the carrier Lexington, destroyer Sims, and oiler Nesosho along with 543 men. It was a devastating defeat for the Americans however the Japanese lost the carrier Shoho, one destroyer, three minesweepers and 1,074 men killed. Plus, the Shokaku was so badly damaged and the Zuikaku's air squadrons so depleted that both missed the mother of all battles at Midway. Had they been present, Midway may have had different results. Thus, historians rate Coral Sea as a tactical victory for the Americans because Australia was saved from invasion and the Japanese attack on Port Moresby was cancelled. But the battle was a strategic victory for the Japanese because they had sank one of our few remaining large carriers be lost 92 planes and pilots doing it.
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