CPT Frank Carlin Sutton, WW2 Aircraft Carrier Commander

[Ron C.]

Actually he commanded two, and was the XO of another. I suppose I shouldn't be telling his story, but nobody else has.......and it should be told......it is a part of the history of the struggle to save our freedom as waged by all the servicemen......whether they worked in supply or flew airplanes....or commandered aircraft carriers. We really do owe them all a very large debt....one we will never be able to repay.

I say that I suppose I shouldn't be telling his story for two reasons.......first, I don't know it all (but I am not sure anyone ever knows ALL of anyones story), and, second, I never met the man.

I also need to say that I use the date 1985 as the date I quit collecting military things, when I actually had quit in the late 70s to early 80s, because of CPT Sutton....or rather two of his uniforms. I went to a local annual fleamarket in 1985 just looking to see what was there (I suppose it was the "old fire horse" type thing). A "picker" I used to get things from earlier saw me and motioned me over to his table. "I got some uniforms for you" he said. I started to tell him I wasn't interested in that stuff anymore, and then I saw them. Two uniforms with nothing on them, the ribbons were cut off, but with Captain's stripes and the line officer star over them.......both Navy, one blue and one green. I saw one other thing.........each had bullion wings above where the ribbons had been sewn on. I think he must have seen my eyes flash, because I am not going to tell you what I paid for the two tunics and trousers. I had never heard of Frank Sutton, but his name was in both and they were untouched by any other collector. Oh yes.......I asked him where he got them, and if there was anything else. He said he got them at the Goodwill store, and that the family had brought all of his stuff in right after the funeral and gave it all to Goodwill........hats, his Admiral's uniform and cape, and all his other uniform stuff.......but that he had only gotten those two. I immediately left and went to the Goodwill store in Ohio.........all was gone, sold to the winds.....nothing was left at all. I left pouting, and just wondered about CPT F.C. Sutton for quite some time. Then toward the end of 1988 or early 1989, I saw them again hanging among my military stuff.......since I mostly went after Airborne and AAC stuff, along with USMC and Seabee (my Dad was a Seabee), I hadn't really done anything with them; however I figured with the Navy wings and the rank, maybe they might be something..........so the search started. I won't recount all the "gumshoe" work, but it involved newspapers, funeral palors, another trip to Goodwill with a lot of questions. I didn't find out the "whole" story but I did find what I will show you. I have cropped some of the papers to make them easier to post and take up less space.......and some of the family names etc. (I guess from what I found out maybe there was friction there, and my purpose is not to cause anyone to be offended by this post..........it is merely to show a man who served his country, and is a bit of a mystery in some ways.......and I don't know the answer to the mystery, if it really is).

You will also see that some of the few things you can find on him, or at least that I could find, are conflicting. In some places on the web he is list as Jr., he was not a Jr........his father's name was Richard apparently. The Navy has him listed as born in Belpre, Ohio, but apparently it was Cutler, Ohio, and when he retired they at first had him as still a Captain.......he wasn't. There are a few others.......the obituary even says he commanded the USS Saratoga......he was on it, but didn't command it.........maybe that came from his family, apparently they didn't really see each other much. The obituary even is silent about the fact that he committed suicide........but I suppose they don't usually put that in anyway. I don't know the answer to that one either in spite of talking with the friend that talked with him just a few minutes before he did it. He was somewhat down and maybe had cancer, or something else, and didn't want to be brought down by it.........but I don't know for sure. I did hear that he was quite a man of honor and didn't want to be reduced in the sight of others. They didn't even say when he died or when the funeral was, but by calculating his age at death and his birthdate......he died sometime in 1985.....probably shortly before the uniforms found me at the fleamarket.

I tried the best I knew how to put together his story. I found his friend and contacted her.......got the photo from her, the family apparently didn't want it, and a few papers to copy and send back......I did.......and I wrote to the Navy records place, and a few other things, including a couple of calls to "Sonny" (that's what they called his son) in California. He said he didn't know if he had any of his father's stuff, but, if he found any he would get in touch with me, don't know if he looked.......but he never got in touch with me. I didn't call anymore........I think I got the message.

I know nothing of the USS Wright, or the USS Chenango, or how he got the Legion of Merit with "V" device (they said that was in the confidential file) , or the Unit Citation for the Chenango or any of the other awards. I don't know how many missions he flew, or if he had any kills.......but I sure would like to! I don't even know for sure he flew off the Langley, but I do know that he was one of the earliest flyers in Naval Aviation.

The only other thing I got of his was found in the pocket of one of the tunics.....another bullion wing that I posted, I think, in maybe my old patches post in the U.S. Forum.........but none of the sew on ribbons were in there.

Here is what I found, I would welcome anything else you might be able to contribute to his story.

Ron





Photo his friend sent me.




I took the liberty of doing some "digital repairs" to it.











Earlier picture



He was in Carrier Division One

CARRIER DIVISION ONE
Rear Admiral William F. Halsey

SARATOGA (CV-3) (F)
Captain Albert C. Read

Saratoga Air Group
Lt. Cmdr. Austin K. Doyle

VB-3 - 18 VSB
Lt. Cmdr. Robert E. Blick
VF-3 - 18 VF, 1 VSB, 2 VM
Lt. Cmdr. H. F. Cooper
VS-3 - 18 VSB
Lt. Cmdr. Charles F. Greber
VT-3 - 18 VTB
Lt. Cmdr. Frank C. Sutton
Miscellaneous Aircraft - 2 VM, 3 VSO, 2 VJ, 1 VSB

LEXINGTON (CV-2)
Captain Alva D. Bernhard

Lexington Air Group
Lt. Cmdr. James H. McKay

VB-2 - 18 VSB
Lt. Cmdr. Harry D. Felt
VF-2 - 18 VF, 1 VSB, 2 VM
Lt. Cmdr. Lucien A. Moebus
VS-2 - 18 VSB
Lt. Cmdr. John W. King, 3rd
VT-2 - 18 VTB
Lt. Cmdr. George A. Dussault
Miscellaneous Aircraft - 3 VSO, 2 VJ, 1 VSB


He later commanded the Casablanca class carrier USS Saginaw Bay, as it's first and wartime commander.




SAGINAW BAY (CVE 82) was laid down as MC hull 1119 on 1 November 1943 by the Kaiser Shipbuilding Co., Inc., Vancouver, Wash.; launched on 19 January 1944; sponsored by Mrs. Howard L. Vickery; delivered to the Navy on 2 March 1944 at Astoria, Oreg., and commissioned the same day, Capt. Frank C. Sutton in command.

Following shakedown off San Diego, SAGINAW BAY loaded aircraft and their pilots for transport to Hawaii and departed on 15 April 1944. She reached Pearl Harbor on 21 April, exchanged her cargo for damaged planes, and returned to Alameda, Calif. She conducted pilot qualifications off San Diego during May and early June and completed a second ferry mission to Pearl Harbor by 5 July.

Departing Pearl Harbor on 9 July, she proceeded to Eniwetok and Majuro atolls transporting aircraft. In August, she joined the expeditionary force forming in the Solomon Islands for the invasion of the Palaus and, as flagship of the escort carrier task force, provided air cover for the amphibious landings at Peleliu and Anguar. She then steamed for Seeadler Harbor, Manus, where she became flagship of a task force which sailed on 14 October to begin the liberation of the Philippine Islands with landings at Leyte. She joined the carrier group known as "Taffy 1," guarding the southeast entrance to Leyte Gulf. As the Japanese Fleet closed, on 24 October, she was ordered to transfer her aircraft to other carriers and proceed to Morotai for replacements. Thus, she missed the Battle for Leyte Gulf. She rejoined her task unit on 28 October as it retired to Manus.

SAGINAW BAY was anchored in Seeadler Harbor on 10 November when the ammunition ship MOUNT HOOD was literally blown to pieces by an internal explosion. SAGINAW BAY suffered minor damage to her exterior from the force of the blast and helped to care for men of various ships in the fleet base area who had been struck by debris from the disintegrated ship.

SAGINAW BAY next participated in training for amphibious landing support missions in preparation for operations in Lingayen Gulf and supported the actual invasion from 2 through 21 January 1945. She then steamed to Ulithi for rehearsal of the Iwo Jima assault; covered the invasion force en route, provided support to the landings on 19 February and supported operations on that bitterly contested island until 11 March.

SAGINAW BAY next participated in the pre-invasion strikes against Okinawa which began on 25 March, continued her support through the invasion on 1 April and then supported American forces ashore until she was ordered to the United States on 29 April.

The carrier arrived at San Diego on 22 May, underwent repairs; returned to Guam transporting aircraft in August; and was back in San Diego by 20 August. By the end of the month, she was engaged in training operations in the Hawaiian area until she reported for "Magic Carpet" duty, the return of combat veterans from the Pacific. She departed Hawaii on 14 September and called at Guiuan Roadstead, Samar, and San Pedro Bay, Leyte, in the Philippines to embark veterans for return to San Francisco. She made a second "Magic Carpet" voyage to Buckner Bay, Okinawa, and back, before sailing on 1 February 1946 for the eastern seaboard.

She entered the Boston Naval Shipyard on 23 February for inactivation, was decommissioned on 19 June 1946, and was assigned to the Boston Group of the U.S. Atlantic Reserve Fleet. She was reclassified CVHE 82, effective 12 June 1955 but was never converted. SAGINAW BAY was struck from the Navy list on 1 March 1959 and was sold to Louis Simons on 27 November 1959.

SAGINAW BAY earned five battle stars for World War II service.


His record obtained from the Navy, less the names of his family for the reasons stated earlier.







And the uniforms which started the "hunt for his story".







He must have needed uniforms, and apparently got them during May 1944 off San Diego, both from the same tailor who had shops on both coasts, while he was conducting pilot qualifications off San Diego prior to returning to the Pacific for Leyte and joining up with "Taffy 1".....and later supporting the invasion of Iwo Jima. He got one 5-5-44 and the other 5-17-44. I really wish I had the sew-on ribbons......but no luck......but I do have the uniforms.......and the wings.

I am really not sure why there is not more about CPT Sutton to be found. He deserves his story to be told.........I just wish someone who knew more than me could tell it..........we owe him and all the others so much.......our freedom.

If you can add more.......it would be most welcomed.

Ron

[Tom Kibler]

A stunning account of research and endeavor to "tell the story" - Well Done, Ron!

[Ron C.]

I have once again decided to try to see what I can put together from the web. Apparently the U.S.S. WRIGHT AV-1 was a Seaplane Tender, and in 1943 The seaplane tender debarked the personnel from VMSB-233 at Espiritu Santo and those from VMSB-234 at Nouméa before she returned to Pearl Harbor on 17 January 1943. She sailed thence to Midway, transporting a group of passengers that included 205 Marines, and from there shifted to the Fiji Islands where she disembarked the 7 officers and 254 enlisted men of FAB Unit 13 who were put ashore with their gear and logistic cargo.

Departing the Fijis on 9 March, Wright sailed by way of Pearl Harbor, reaching Oakland, California, for an overhaul at the Moore Dry Dock Co. Following repairs and alterations, the tender put to sea on 20 July, bound for the Hawaiian Islands, and debarked the men of Marine Fighter Squadron 223 (VMF-223) at Pearl Harbor a week later. Wright sailed again for the Fijis at the end of July, arriving there on 12 August; and landed the 46 officers and 399 men of VMF-222 and VMSB-236. She next proceeded to Rendova harbor, Rendova Island, and tended the planes of VP-14 until 17 January 1944.

CPT Sutton's record says on March 4, 1943, he was assigned to the WRIGHT, reported 9 Mar 1943, and assumed command 29 Mar 1943 to 28 Dec 1943, preparing to take command of the new USS SAGINAW BAY.

Ron

[Don D.]

And another person saved from disappearing forever.
Good job.

[Ron C.]

Here are two different shots of the wings I found in the pocket of one of the uniforms........likely they were never on either of these, but maybe off of an earlier uniform that I never got. I don't really know how old they are, but I am pretty sure they were CPT Sutton's since they were in the pocket of one of his uniforms.

Ron

[Huntzman]

Ron

I think you did a great job in researching and recording this mans activities.

It saddens me to hear of the family discarding the Admiral's uniforms. I guess having worn one, I would hope that when the time comes that someone in my family will be interested in preserving mine.

Often I think it is us "collectors" who are the last line between history and obscurity. I do know that thanks to you, a Google search will produce a hit for the Admiral and maybe it will one day help a family member searching for information.

I am in the process now of documenting my uncle's military career and intend on posting a new thread here when I am done.

I wish you much more continued success.

Andrew

[Ron C.]

Andrew,

Thank your for your kind words, but I wish I could have told it better and more completely......because I am sure there is a lot more that could be told after all that time in the Navy.......let alone what it took to achieve his awards, and what happened and what he saw to get 6 stars on his Asiatic-Pacific ribbon (5 of them likely while commanding the Saginaw Bay). He must have seen and done a lot......did he ever fly in combat from the USS Chenango, and, if he did, what did he do (don't know how he got the Legion of Merit with the "V")........yes there is a lot more; however, since I never even met the man, and I have never seen any personal letters or papers.......and nobody except his one lone friend ever got back with me........I don't know the story to tell. I don't even have his ribbons.......just pictures of them.......all I have is 2 tunics and trousers, and his wings that were on them still....and one extra that appears older and more worn, but worn where.......I don't know......but I wonder. Again thank you, but I didn't do a great job.......just the best I could with only 2 uniforms I got at a fleamarket......with a name in them, and a worn discarded set of wings in the pocket. Undoubtedly there is a "great story" to be told, but I can't; however, I sure would like to know it, and I would like to have the ribbons to restore the uniforms........but I don't.

I know what you mean about the uniforms. I have been in the military as well. I have my enlisted uniforms (most of them), except I was in the reserves for a while after active duty and the 101st patches were all changed to the XXth Corps patches they wore then, also for a time we wore the 2 Army patch.......except for one field jacket which still has one of the old WW2 101st patches that we were issued in 1957. I also have all my uniforms from the JAGC; however, I don't think my daughter would be interested in them, and my son is only 12, my father is gone, my mother will soon be 90.......my wife may keep them, if she survives me.......and, maybe my son will want them someday........and maybe they will all go out to Goodwill, or something similar. I didn't really do anything important like CPT Sutton.......just did my job, but I sort of wish someone would remember my time in uniform........we were just in Germany in case we were needed to make a little time for others to get there......even the JAG. I was issued an M-16 too, and had to qualify with it, and the .45. If we had been needed, it wouldn't have been to try a court-martial...........couldn't get one convened and to trial in 24 hours.

If someone decides to look up CPT Sutton, I hope I will have helped a little....and, if they find out the rest of the story, I hope they tell the rest of us.

Good luck with your uncle, I am sure there is a story about his time serving our country.....if it be learned, and tell the rest of us. All the people who served deserve to have their stories told, and to be remembered by all of us for what they have done for us.......I mean the ones who gave us our freedoms.......not who just were there in case they were needed like me........although some of those are owed something too......not me,I just tried cases......just like in civilian life, except I wore a uniform.

I too am wanting to tell another story, and I know all about the man......and I have pictures of him both in and out of uniform. I know about where he was born, how far he went in school, what he liked, and what he disliked. I know when he went into the service (he was in the Navy too), and I remember as clear as yesterday that he came home the night of April 5, 1946 (Friday), or the early morning of the next day, because he was there when I woke up Saturday morning, April 6, 1946. He also started me collecting military items when he gave me some patches he brought me......and I still have every one of them (just a few....he had to throw the rest of the stuff he was bringing overboard....or so they told him).....I must confess.....I don't know what happened to the Japanese money.......but I sure know where the Seabee patches are . I have had a request in to the record department now for much longer than they said it took on the average....and I am waiting impatiently for the rest of the story. I know some of where he was, and I know some of the things he told me. I just don't have the records yet. I know he was in the 56th NCB on Guam when he came back on the last trip of the USS Wakefield, but he said he was also in another NCB that was almost wiped out, and had to be combined with the 56th. I know he missed Iwo Jima.....never got overseas before it. I know he drove a bus on Guam, after the war, but he talked about a bulldozer, and airstrips, and knocking down trees with snipers in them......and even saying he knew only one man he killed for sure, because he ran a dozer over the Japanese sniper when he took down his tree. He also talked about Tinian, and enlarging runways.......maybe......maybe he did that so the Enola Gay could take off.......maybe, I don't know because I don't have all the records yet. He also talked about a big typhoon on Okinawa, and I place named something like "Io Shima". I thought for the longest time he was saying Iwo Jima, and I knew he wasn't there.......but he corrected me, and said "No....."Io Shima"". He was an old undereducated country boy, who could do almost anything mechanical and other things like figure out the board feet in a standing tree if you were sawing out 2 x 4s (I don't even know the formula), but he sometimes badly mispronouced words. I later discovered there was a place called Ie Shima (Ernie Pyle was killed there). I am waiting to tell the story too, and I really want it to be correct.......althought I never once in my life knew of him to tell me even one little lie...........my father was a WW2 Seabee, and I want his story to be the best I can tell. I loved my father, and I don't care if he never did anything great or heroic........he came home as a MOMM3 after less than a year with an Honorable Discharge, so he at least did his job very well, I think, whatever it was besides driving a bus on Guam after the war.....all that is all that really matters to me.......just like all the others who did their jobs too.

Thanks again Andrew.
Ron

[Annelie]

Thankyou Ron. Was most interesting reading.

I want his story to be the best I can tell. I loved my father, and I don't care if he never did anything great or heroic........he came home as a MOMM3 after less than a year with an Honorable Discharge, so he at least did his job very well, I think, whatever it was besides driving a bus on Guam after the war.....all that is all that really matters to me.......just like all the others who did their jobs too.

Many of our Fathers are just as you described yours and hopefully
we can all find and relate their stories. That they not be forgotten is
the respect they deserve.

Thanks again, to you and looking forward to reading Andrew's Uncle military career.

[Huntzman]

Ron

I think you did an admirable job with what you had. Who knows, in time you might be able to piece together the rest of the puzzle. At least you can rest in the fact that unlike his family, you actually recorded his name for posterity. As long as this forum exists, Admiral Frank Sutton will live on.

I'm looking forward to hearing more of the story of your Dad. In my mind there are no inconsequential jobs in the service. For every Audie Murphy there are thousands of average "Joe's" who do their job day in and day out and they are as much hero's as those with massive salad bars.

My opinion is that a soldier becomes a hero the day they enlist because they make the choice to serve others over themselves.

Best wishes & continued success with your research.

Andrew

[PaulR]

Thank you for sharing the history of this man, who greatly contributed in both the development in Naval Aviation as well as played a center piece in WW2.

I am confused because his advancement to Rear Admiral is active at the same day as his retirement... Does that mean that he received an Admiral's pension? I have never seen anyone advanced the day they retired.

In the military(at least today) the pension is based upon the last rank successfully held... in other words, the rank had to be worn for at least two years.

[Ron C.]

Thank you for sharing the history of this man, who greatly contributed in both the development in Naval Aviation as well as played a center piece in WW2.

I am confused because his advancement to Rear Admiral is active at the same day as his retirement... Does that mean that he received an Admiral's pension? I have never seen anyone advanced the day they retired.

In the military(at least today) the pension is based upon the last rank successfully held... in other words, the rank had to be worn for at least two years.

I really have no answer. I wish I did have many answers about CPT Sutton, but, unfortunately, I never met the man or for that matter heard of him until the day I first saw the name "CPT F. C. Sutton" in the two tunics that I saw at the little local fleamarket. What I put in the post is everything I was able to find out about him......really everything. I wonder if he ever flew a plane off the deck of any carrier in combat, or what he did to get the Legion of Merit with "V".......and on and on, but they said the medal was in the confidential file, and I am no relationship. I couldn't locate the guy in the letter who was the one who "knew all about him".......his friend never found his address........and Sonny never got back to me on anything about his dad. I search of the web didn't turn anything up on him. It seems almost as if he were the Unknown Soldier......known but to God.......but he commanded a carrier during WW2, and he was an early Naval Aviator......and got the LOM with "V".........I wish I had known him.......maybe both your and my questions would have answers. Should you find any answers.......please add them to this post so he will not become the "Unknown Carrier Commander", and not fall into historical oblivion.

Thanks for thinking of CPT Sutton,
Ron

[Huntzman]

Ron

Keep up the good work, who knows. Maybe you will turn over that one stone that uncovers a clue to the whole puzzle.

Too bad the kid didn't want to help, would have been nice to have a few more tidbits.

Have you thought about contacting any of the veteran organizations for the units he belonged to ? Maybe you could locate someone he actually worked with / supervised.

Best wishes & happy hunting,
Andrew

[Ron C.]

Andrew,

Sorry I am very late in responding; however, as I may have told people, my wife had to have a liver transplant about 4 years ago, and there is a constant battle fighting rejection. She started having increased problems a few months ago, which we were trying the handle through the local hospital. Like most small hospitals they were too afraid of lawsuits to treat things aggressively enough, so she had to be sent back to UPMC in Pittsburgh.......the good news is that, since it is the best liver transplant center, bar none, they think they may have her through the problem again in around a week more. I thank God for the doctors and my insurance company (which absolutely pays when properly billed.....I just wish the politicians would have gone after the real culprits in the healthcare plan, i.e. the hospitals and drug companies....sorry but I am a bit concerned right now, but I am sure she will be OK now that she is getting the proper care in UPMC).

In any event, I have tried as you suggest with no results. If someone knows a place to try and wants to do it......I sure would like to know more of this man I never met.

Ron

[Luftm40]

Nice, and interesting group. One small (but significant) correction. In the Navy, the abbreviation for Captain (06) is CAPT vice CPT. CPT refers to an Army Captain (03). His promotion is explained in para 6 of his retirement letter. He was decorated in combat, so was essentially made an honorary Rear Admiral upon retirement. He was paid a Captain's pension though. I have a group to a decorated Marine pilot who retired as a Colonel, but w/ an honorary rank of Brigadier General. The Services no longer follow this practice.

[Ron C.]

Nice, and interesting group. One small (but significant) correction. In the Navy, the abbreviation for Captain (06) is CAPT vice CPT. CPT refers to an Army Captain (03). His promotion is explained in para 6 of his retirement letter. He was decorated in combat, so was essentially made an honorary Rear Admiral upon retirement. He was paid a Captain's pension though. I have a group to a decorated Marine pilot who retired as a Colonel, but w/ an honorary rank of Brigadier General. The Services no longer follow this practice.

Sorry.......I am really late in replying to this one.......I overlooked it until I was looking through some old posts, and I am sorry for the abbreviation mistake. Since the ranks were spelled the same, I assumed the abbreviation would also be the same......even though the paygrades are of course quite different. What can I say I was a Captain in the army....CPT O-3 , but then again that rank really isn't just an army rank......I think the USAF and the USMC use the same......and some U.S. Navy people claim the USMC belonged to them. Actually, there are only 3 military departments: The Department of the Army; The Department of the Air Force; and the Department of the Navy; therefore, I suppose the USMC does belong to the U.S. Navy and, since it does much to the chagrin of some of my former Marine friends, therefore the U.S. Navy does of sorts have a CPT O-3.

Sorry for the error.

By the way has anyone any suggestions where I might find a couple of sets of sew on ribbons which would be appropriate for CAPT Sutton's tunics that I have. I know they wouldn't be his, but the wings on the tunics were his and I would like to make the tunics look right even though I don't actively collect any longer.

Thanks,
Ron