Return
to Art Collection Page
Return
to Art Collection Page
Chief Torpedoman T.H. Larson
McClelland Barclay
Conté crayon on paper, 1943
85-236-AH
Drawn March 25, 1943
Chief Torpedoman Theodore H. Larson, USN
22 years in Navy - joined at 17 - 20 years submarine duty.
Awarded Navy Silver Star - submarines off Japan coast
Told how submarine personelle [sic] hear paterns [sic] of depth-charges
exploding when destroyers are searching them out as submarine
lies soundless down under the sea.
"You hear 'em getting closer and closer. One exploded
within 50 feet of us. Then the boys start giving away their candy
and cigarettes - probably won't have anymore use for 'em. Finally
the explosions seem to be getting farther away - you feel better
then. Sometimes when we'd fire a torpedo at a destroyer and miss
they drop a depth charge so we'd think we hit 'em when we'd come
up to get pictures of them thru the peroscope [sic] they be there
waiting to get us."
LT Robert K.R. Worthington
McClelland Barclay
Conté crayon on paper, ca. 1943
85-236-AY
Lieut. Robert K.R. Worthington - received "Silver Star" for service in submarines - Executive Officer
LCDR T. Burton Klakring
McClelland Barclay
Conté crayon on paper, 1942
85-236-AF
T. Burton "Burt" Klakring - LT Comdr. submarines - Naval Academy 1927 - 18 years age of entrance - in subs about 14 years.
LCDR Arnold F. Schade
McClelland Barclay
Conté crayon on paper, 1943
85-236-AR
Stamford Conn. - Lt Comdr. Arnold
F. Schade - USN - Academy class 1933 - entered age 17 - Wrestling
- swimming principle [sic] sports - height 5'11 1/2", weight
170 - in submarine 8 years. Youngest sub-commander 1943 - NAVY
CROSS - Silver Star - First Silver Star for sinking 3 Jap destroyer
leaders on the 4th of July 1942 - and for 5 other ships on the
second patrol. These destroyers were sunk in the Aleutians - 111
One of the funniest things that ever happened aboard was when
during a nite [sic] engagement there was one of the men
off watch asleep in the after torpedo room - we fired a torpedo
from one of the stern tubes. The torpedo hit our target and exploded
and the force of the explosion lifted him right off his bunk,
turned him over in the air and he landed face downward. He didn't
even wake up during the whole action. We were being depth bombed
by enemy destroyers - they were close. The cook was standing by
his range to tend his lunch. A depth charge went off right close
by. The concussion of the explosion made a pan jump up from the
stove right into his hands. The cook said 'I have jumped for
many pans but that's the first time a pan ever jumped to me.'"
"We had got one ship troop convoy and a few nites [sic]
later met a Jap gunboat at close quarters - very dark nite [sic]
- he turned to ram us - we rammed him first - sub was badly crippled.
He opened up on us with deck guns and killed most of our bridge
watch that included Captain Howard Gilmore (New Orleans). He was
instantly killed. Got two men below who were very seriously wounded.
One had his leg blown off - the other lost his arm below his right
elbow. We submerged but we had bullet holes in the conning tower
which nearly flooded us out - it caused us to lose all auxilliary
[sic] power and started an electrical fire. We staid [sic] down for 20 minutes and then made a 'battle surface' (bob up and man all the guns) and found the gunboat had sunk.
When the Australians replaced our damaged bow they put two little kangaroos there - as a sort of figure-head. It is now our most prized distinctive marking.
[Editor's note: In his official fourth Patrol Report for USS Growler (SS-215), Lieutenant Commander Schade states that Captain Gilmore gave the order to "Clear the Bridge" after the hail of gunfire and before he died. According to the surviving Officer of the Deck who was on the bridge with Gilmore, the Captain also said, "Take her down" in his final living moments, thereby refusing aid and ordering his men to safety. Although the stirring words "Take her down" do not appear in the official report, they became a part of submarine history. Captain Gilmore was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor on 13 July 1943.]
U.S.S.
Growler (SS-215)
McClelland Barclay
Oil on canvas, May 1943
2004-71-1
This painting was presented to the
U.S. Navy Submarine Force Museum in Groton, Connecticut after
the War by Commodore James Fife where it remains on display today.
Barclay knew and sketched Fife when he was still a Captain (see
bottom of this page). The inscription in the lower right reads:
"For Captain J. Fife, USN and his shipmates
with my admiration and gratitude
for their many kindnesses-
McClelland Barclay USNR
Southwest Pacific 1943"
LCDR Carter L. Bennett
McClelland Barclay
Conté crayon on paper, ca. 1943
85-236-H
Carter L. Bennett - USN -Lieut. Comdr.
Submariner
Nashville Tenn. Enlisted in NAVY at 18 years -gained appointment
to Naval Academy through competitive exams. Naval Academy class
1933 - submarines since 1935. On his first trip his skipper received
Navy Cross - excutive [sic] officer silver star - one crew member
received Navy Cross for act of exceptional presence of mind and
courage - sunk 29000 - 600 tons damaged one destroyer.
"I don't think there is an officer who gets a medal who
wouldn't say it really belongs to the boys."
CDR Henry C. Bruton
McClelland Barclay
Conté crayon on paper, ca. 1943
85-236-M
Comdr. Henry C. Bruton - USN. Naval Academy class '26 - entered at 17 years - in subs 14 years - Navy Cross with two stars - 4 patrols in enemy waters - sank 76,700 tons - besides damage aircraft carrier 22000 and 9000 tanker.
CDR Creed C. Burlingame
McClelland Barclay
Conté crayon on paper, ca. 1943
85-236-N
Comdr. Creed C. Burlingame USN of
Louisville, KY - sank 60,000 tons Japanese shipping including
an enemy submarine and a destroyer also damage[d] another 30,000
tons. Decorations: Silver Star, Navy Cross with gold star - equivalent
of receiving Navy Cross twice.
He has a little gold Buda [sic] within arms reach of the periscope
given him by the crew. He said, "Before we go into action
I always rub his belly for good luck."
I asked Comdr. Burlingame if anything funny ever happened aboard
his sub and he replied, "Lots of Times - for instance
- I had a right smart colored mess boy from Tuskogee Miss. He
was about to serve me lunch when the Lookout sung out 'Japanese
transport close aboard thru [sic] mist on starboard bow.' Mess
boy dropped the whole dish of creamed tunafish right in my lap
and leaped to his torpedo station - we put three fish into her.
She sank."
CAPT James Fife
McClelland Barclay
Conté crayon on paper, 1942
85-236-W
Capt. James Fife USN - Naval Academy
class 1918 - entered 17
Decoration - Distinguished Service Medal - for part in directing
submarine in Philippines - Netherlands East Indies Campaign.
"[I was a] naval Observer with British submarines
Aug. 1940 to Apr. 1941- with British on one patrol down Bay of
Biscay - antisubmarine war - went to Gibraltar in Aircraft carrier
H.M.S. Argus - attacked by subs and Nipper class cruiser on Xmas
day - in Xmas 1941 in Manila I came most near being hit by bomb
- From Gibraltar in British sub Triumph patrol off Sardinia to
help convoy thru Malta. Made another sub patrol in eastern Meditterranian
[Mediterranean] attack on the Island of Castelarisso [Castellorizo]
held by Italy - Flew to with Anthony Eden and went thru [sic]
the April bombing of London - some of the worst especially Apr.
18 - 480 planes over London that nite[sic]. When those
1700 lbs. go off they do not make as much a sharp noise - more
like a great roar - with a terrific surge of air felt at least
3/4 of a mile away. Surprisingly few are killed. The nearest bombing
was in Malta when the Germans were trying to get the Aircraft
Carrier Illustrious. In Manila chief of staff to Commander Submarines
Asiatic Fleet. In submarine tender Holland when war broke out.
Conducted sub operations from Manila until Xmas day when we had
to get out- then carried on from Corregedore [Corregidor].
Kept on until New Years eve when we were driven out because we
could not service subs any longer with oil and food. Then all
the sub operating staff left in two subs and carried on from Soeurabaya
[Sourabaya]. Staid [sic] in Java until driven out
- last of Feb came to Australia - Freemantle, Australia - port
city for Perth on the west coast. Staid [sic] there as
Commander submarine squadron 2 - until Nov 1st - when I was sent
to New Guinea during the Boona [Buna] campaign as Adm.
Carpender representative with Gen. McArthur [MacArthur]
- until middle of December - recalled assigned commander Task
Force no. 42 - rode bomber on several mission to look over sea
area."
Online Exhibits that feature McClelland Barclay's work
Recruiting Posters for Women from World War II -- The WAVES
Navy Art Gallery exhibit: The Normandy Invasion
Forward to
next page 
Return
to Art Collection Branch17 May 2005