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George Irvin Falgout was born on 28 October 1922, the son of George B. and Marietta B. (Chauvin) Falgout of Raceland, La. He enlisted in the Naval Reserve on 19 February 1942.
He was killed in action in the Naval Battle of Guadalcanal on 12 November 1942, while serving in USS San Francisco (CA 38). Heavily damaged in the battle, the heavy cruiser was attacked by a
Japanese torpedo bomber off Lunga Point, Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands. The torpedo failed to do damage but the plane crashed into the aft section of the ship. Falgout remained at his gun,
blazing away at the Japanese aircraft until it crashed his station, killing him and Gunners Mate Harry Lowe (DE 324's namesake). Seaman Second Class Falgout was posthumously awarded the Navy
Cross for his great heroism and determination to defend his ship even at the cost of his life.
Citation: The President of the United States of America takes pride in presenting the Navy Cross (Posthumously) to Seaman Second Class George Irvin Falgout (6442872), United States Naval
Reserve, for extraordinary heroism in the line of his profession as Gunner while serving on board the Heavy Cruiser U.S.S. SAN FRANCISCO (CA-38), during an engagement with Japanese naval
forces near Savo Island in the Solomons on the night of on 12 & 13 November 1942. With complete disregard for his own personal safety, Seaman Second Class Falgout courageously refused to
abandon his gun station and fearlessly remained at his gun. In the face of certain death from an onrushing enemy torpedo plane that had been set on fire, he maintained his accurate fire
until the plane crashed on his station. He was killed in action. His unflinching bravery and gallant conduct were in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.
USS Falgout (DE 324) (1943-1969) was the first ship to be named in his honor.
(U.S. Navy photo #NH 102390 from the Naval History and Heritage Command) |
Mike Smolinski
Clifton, N.J.
Navsource Archive Manager
DE / FF / LCS Archive |
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early 1944: USS Hamul (AD 20) with (from left to right) DEs USS
Calcaterra (DE 390); USS Pride (DE 323);
USS Falgout (DE 324); USS Alger (DE 101) and USS
Eichenberger (DE 202), alongside at Bermuda. Note HF/DF antenna visible on three of the five DEs, and the two-tone Measure 22 camouflage on four of the five DEs.
(U.S. Naval Historical Center photo #NH 86271, courtesy of the Captain D. L. Madeira Collection) |
Bob Hurst
Worksop, Nottinghamshire,
England, United Kingdom |
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Circa 1952: Tacoma, Wash. - Docking as USCG WDE 424.
(Photo © Jim Hopper, SK2, USCG) |
Bill Allen |
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Circa 1952: Seattle, Wash. - "Dress Ship" at pier 90 as USCG WDE 424.
(Photo © Jim Hopper, SK2, USCG) |
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30 June 1955: Mare Island NSY, Vallejo, Cal. - Commissioning ceremonies of USS Falgout (DER 324).
(U.S. Navy photo #DER-324-25863-6-55) |
Darryl Baker
PNCM, USNR (ret.)
Vallejo Naval & Historical Museum |
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30 June 1955: Mare Island NSY, Vallejo, Cal. - Radm. Frederick L. Entwistle, USN (Commander, Mare Island Naval Shipyard) is commissioning speaker at the ceremony
marking USS Falgout's re-commissioning. Lcdr. Walter P. Smiley is on the far right of the photo.
(U.S. Navy photo #DER-324-063055-1TH) |
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30 June 1955: Mare Island NSY, Vallejo, Cal. - Colors are raised aboard USS Falgout at Mare Island after her conversion at the shipyard.
(U.S. Navy photo #DER-324-063055-3TH) |
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Circa 1956: off San Diego, Cal.
(Both Photos © Morper Pictures) |
Bill Allen |
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29 August 1956: Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada - USS Falgout (DER 324) moored at a city wharf while on a port visit.
(Photograph by Walter E. Frost) (Photo #CVA 447-8700 from the City of Vancouver Archives) |
Mike Smolinski
Clifton, N.J.
Navsource Archive Manager
DE / FF / LCS Archive |
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Undated Post-Conversion Photo |
Nick Tiberio
Shelton, Conn. |
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30 August 1963: Off Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. |
- |
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14 April 1966: Hong Kong - Two views of Falgout moored next to USS Fred T. Berry
(DD 858) in Hong Kong Harbor.
(Photos © Richard Leonhardt) |
Richard Leonhardt
Bethlehem, Pa. |
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10 October 1969: Vallejo, Cal. - Decommissioning of the USS Falgout (DER 324) at Naval Ship Inactive Maintenance Facility at Mare Island. Photo
was taken from the stern of the USS Vance (DER 387) also decommissioning on this date.
(U.S. Navy photo #DER-324-948X1-10-69) |
Darryl Baker
PNCM, USNR (ret.)
Vallejo Naval & Historical Museum |
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20 May 1972: Stockton, Cal. - USS Falgout (DER 324) laid up at Stockton Inactive Ship Facility. The bow of USS Canberra (CA 70), also decommissioned,
is visible astern.
(U.S. Naval Historical Center photo #NH 90588 from the Ted Stone Collection, 1980; at the Naval History and Heritage
Command) |
Mike Green
Port Angeles, Wash. |
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July 1973: Vallejo, Cal. - The decommissioned USS Falgout (DER 324), bottom right, nested in a group of mothballed destroyers and destroyer escorts at the Inactive Ship
Maintenance Facility, U.S. Naval Shipyard, Mare Island, California.
(Heilenday photo #II 0216A from the Heilenday Collection) |
Mark Heilenday
Virginia Beach, Va,
Captain, USN (ret.)
June 1974 - July 2004 |
