DUANE
Duane's take
The official marker tells it this way, and I'm just the voice carryin' it down the road. September 13, 1906. Dallas, Texas.
Samuel David and Virgie Downing Dealey welcome a son into the world — Samuel David Dealey, Jr. Nobody hands a newborn a set of naval orders, but this one's life is going to take him further out to sea than most men ever dream of going. His father died in 1912, and the family moved — first to Colorado, then to Santa Monica, California — before finding their way back to Dallas, settling in the Oak Cliff neighborhood in 1923.
Young Sam graduated from Oak Cliff, W.H. Adamson High School, in 1925. Then he pointed himself east, toward Annapolis, and in 1930 he walked out of the United States Naval Academy a commissioned officer.
Now fast-forward to the spring of 1943. The Pacific is on fire. And Samuel David Dealey, Jr. is given command of the USS Harder — hull number SS-257.
The boat carried a motto that suited its skipper just fine: hit 'em again, harder. What followed was a legendary series of war patrols against the Imperial Japanese fleet and Japanese shipping. Six patrols.
The Harder earned the Presidential Unit Citation after the fifth patrol. Six battle stars total. Sixteen enemy vessels confirmed sunk, which placed Commander Dealey fifth among all submarine skippers in the entire war for confirmed ships sunk.
Fifth. In the whole United States Navy. The man's aggressive leadership and the crew's steadfast efforts directly contributed to and influenced the overall success of the American Pacific Submarine Campaign.
That's not a footnote — that's a tide-turning kind of legacy. His shipmates respected him. Trusted him.
Followed him — and that loyalty ran deep, the way loyalty only can when it's earned in the deep water. Then came the sixth patrol. August 24, 1944.
Near Dasol Bay, Luzon, off the west coast of the Philippines. Commander Dealey and his incomparable crew lost their lives. Every one of them.
He was one of only seven submarine officers awarded the Medal of Honor during World War II. He was the most highly decorated sailor of that entire war. He left behind his wife, Edwina Vawter of Santa Monica, and three children.
Samuel David Dealey, Jr. Born in Dallas. Buried by the sea he refused to surrender.
The Harder lived up to its motto right to the end — and so did the man who commanded her.
What the marker says
Samuel David Dealey, Jr., born on September 13, 1906, to Samuel David and Virgie Downing Dealey of Dallas, became one of the most audacious and successful submariners in the navy serving in the pacific during World War II. After his father died in 1912, the family moved to Colorado and then to Santa Monica, California, before returning to Dallas" Oak Cliff neighborhood in 1923. He graduated from Oak Cliff (W.H. Adamson) High School in 1925 and graduated from the United States Naval Academy at Annapolis in 1930. Beginning in the spring of 1943, Dealey commanded the USS Harder (SS-257) in a legendary series of successful war patrols against the Imperial Japanese fleet and Japanese shipping. The boat, whose motto was "hit "em again, harder," earned the Presidential Unit Citation (following the fifth war patrol) and six battle stars. His aggressive leadership and the USS Harder's steadfast efforts directly contributed to and influenced the overall success of the American Pacific Submarine Campaign, sinking 16 enemy vessels, which ranked him fifth among submarine skippers during the war in confirmed ships sunk. Dealey's military prowess and valiant fighting spirit also earned him the respect and loyalty of his shipmates. Commander Dealey and his incomparable crew lost their lives on August 24, 1944, on their sixth patrol near Dasol Bay, Luzon, off the west coast of the Philippines. Dealey was one of seven submarine officers awarded the medal of honor and was the most highly decorated sailor of World War II. He left behind his wife, Edwina Vawter of Santa Monica, and three children.