John Francis Sheehan

John Francis Sheehan was born at Fall River, Massachusetts, on 20 January 1910. He enlisted in the U.S. Navy on 25 October 1928 at the Navy Recruiting Station at Boston, Massachusetts as a seaman apprentice and transferred the same day to the Naval Training Center at Newport, Rhode Island.

Sheehan was rated seaman 2nd class on 27 February 1929, quartermaster 3rd class on 28 July 1930, quartermaster 2nd class on 16 November 1936, quartermaster 1st class on 16 February 1938, and chief quartermaster (acting appointment) on 1 March 1942.

Sheehan was assigned to protected cruiser USS Cleveland (CL-21) on 21 January 1929 and served aboard her until 24 October 1929. He went on to serve aboard minesweeper USS Chewink (AM-39) from 1929 to 1932, heavy cruiser USS Indianapolis (CA-35) from 1932 to 1934, gunboat USS Tulsa (PG-22) from 1934 to 1937, and light cruiser USS Cincinnati (CL-6) from 1937 to 1939. He was stationed at Submarine Base New London at New London, Connecticut, from 9 November 1939 to 10 June 1940, then at INM Electric Boat Company at Bayonne, New Jersey, and then to patrol torpedo boat USS PT-9 on 24 July 1940 where he served briefly with Motor Torpedo Boat Squadron One. He was assigned to fast transport USS Gregory (APD-3) later in 1940.

Sheehan received the First Nicaraguan Campaign Medal for his service aboard Cleveland between 19 May 1929 and 2 August 1929, a Good Conduct Medal for his enlistment ending 10 October 1932, and a Good Conduct Pin for his enlistment ending 8 November 1939. His service during World War II was deemed honorable.

Sheehan died in action during World War II on the night of 5 September 1942, when Gregory was sunk by gunfire from a Japanese cruiser and three Japanese destroyers during the Naval Battle of Guadalcanal. A U.S. Navy pilot, mistakenly thinking Gregory was a Japanese submarine, dropped a string of flares over the surprised ship, silhouetting her against the blackness and allowing the Japanese to detect her. She was desperately overmatched by the four Japanese ships and, despite a gallant effort by her crew, was dead in the water within three minutes. After Gregory's crew had abandoned ship, the Japanese began shelling the helpless survivors in the water, killing 11, including Sheehan.

The U.S. Navy destroyer escort USS Sheehan (DE-541), launched in 1943 but never completed, was named for Chief Quartermaster Sheehan.

• This article incorporates text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. The entry can be found here.
• Navsource Online: Destroyer Escort Photo Archive: USS Sheehan (DE-541)