Francis Worth Scanland II

Francis W. Scanland II
Francis W. Scanland II
	Captain Francis Worth Scanland II, USN
Born	September 17, 1912; Baltimore, Maryland, U.S.
Died	August 12, 2002 (aged 89); Pensacola, Florida, U.S.
Buried	Barrancas National Cemetery
Allegiance	United States
Service/branch	United States Navy
Years of service	1934–1964
Rank	Captain
Commands held	USS Hawkbill (SS-366); Submarine Squadron 5; Destroyer Squadron 19; Naval Ammunition Depot Charleston; Naval Weapons Station Yorktown
Battles/wars	World War II
Awards	Navy Cross; Silver Star with two Gold Stars; Legion of Merit with "V"; Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal; Navy Unit Commendation; American Defense Service Medal; Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal; World War II Victory Medal; National Defense Service Medal; Philippine Liberation Medal;

Francis Worth Scanland II (September 17, 1912 – August 12, 2002) was a decorated United States Navy officer and submarine commander in World War II. He commanded the submarine USS Hawkbill (SS-366) on five war patrols, earning the Navy Cross, three Silver Stars, the Legion of Merit, and other commendations for combat leadership in the Pacific.^[1]^{[not in citation given]} He and his father, Commodore Francis W. Scanland Sr., are one of the only known father-son pairs to have each received the Navy Cross during World War II.^[2]

Early life and education

Scanland was born in Baltimore, Maryland on September 17, 1912, the son of career naval officer Francis W. Scanland Sr. He spent part of his youth in Louisiana and attended Fishburne Military School in Waynesboro, Virginia. In 1930, he received an appointment to the United States Naval Academy, graduating in 1934.^[3]

Naval career

Early career

Upon graduation, Scanland served aboard the battleship USS Idaho (BB-42), destroyer USS Hovey (DD-208), and USS Brooks (DD-232). In 1936, he entered the Submarine Service, completing training at New London and serving on USS S-39, and later on USS Sea Dragon (SS-194), USS Swordfish (SS-193), and USS Tuna (SS-203).^[3]

World War II

During WWII, Scanland served as executive officer of USS Peto (SS-265) before assuming command of USS Hawkbill (SS-366) in May 1944.^[3] He commanded Hawkbill through five successful war patrols in the South China Sea and surrounding waters between 1944 and 1945.^[4]

Highlights of his war record include:

On the 2nd patrol, he sank a Japanese destroyer and other vessels, earning the Navy Cross.^[5]
On the 3rd patrol, he sank multiple cargo ships and conducted a hazardous special mission, receiving a second Silver Star.^[6]
On the 4th patrol, he conducted a daring daylight surface torpedo attack, earning the Legion of Merit with Combat "V".^[7]
On the 5th patrol, he survived a severe depth charging, resumed patrol operations, and conducted a commando-style raid on Siantan Island.^[8]

Under Scanland’s command, Hawkbill was credited with sinking or destroying over 40,000 tons of enemy shipping and earned the Navy Unit Commendation.^[4]^[3]

Post-war service

After the war, Scanland served at the Key West Submarine Base and as a naval aide during President Harry S. Truman’s visits to Florida.^[3] He later commanded Submarine Division 51, Submarine Squadron 5, and Destroyer Squadron 19, and served in senior staff roles including Director of Undersea Warfare Programs in the Bureau of Naval Weapons. He retired in 1964 as a Captain after 30 years of service.^[3]

Awards and decorations

Navy Cross
Silver Star with two Gold Stars
Legion of Merit with Combat "V"
Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal
Navy Unit Commendation
File:American Defense Service ribbon.svg American Defense Service Medal
File:Asiatic-Pacific Campaign ribbon.svg Asiatic–Pacific Campaign Medal
World War II Victory Medal
National Defense Service Medal
Philippine Liberation Medal ribbon Philippine Liberation Medal

Legacy

Scanland and his father, Commodore Francis W. Scanland, are among the very few father-son pairs to each receive the Navy Cross.^[2] After retirement, he lived in Pensacola, Florida. He died in 2002 at the age of 89 and was buried at Barrancas National Cemetery.^[9]

References

↑ "CAPT Francis W. Scanland Jr. - U.S. Navy Profile". TogetherWeServed.com. Retrieved October 20, 2025. He assumed command of USS Hawkbill upon her commissioning on May 17, 1944... he was awarded the Silver Star Medal, the Navy Cross... the Legion of Merit with Combat "V", and a Gold Star in lieu of the Third Silver Star Medal.
↑ ^2.0 ^2.1 "Francis W. Scanland, Sr. – Hall of Valor". Military Times. Retrieved October 20, 2025. Francis Worth Scanland’s father ALSO earned the Navy Cross in World War II, making them perhaps the ONLY father and son to each earn the Navy Cross in World War II.
↑ ^3.0 ^3.1 ^3.2 ^3.3 ^3.4 ^3.5 "CAPT Francis W. Scanland Jr. - U.S. Navy Profile". TogetherWeServed.com. Retrieved October 20, 2025. He was born in Baltimore, Maryland, on September 17, 1912... prior to his appointment to the U.S. Naval Academy, Annapolis, Maryland, from the State of Louisiana in 1930. Graduated and commissioned Ensign on May 31, 1934.
↑ ^4.0 ^4.1 Manitowoc Submarines. Manitowoc, WI: Manitowoc Shipbuilding Co. 1988. p. 58. Hawkbill's war career consisted of five successive successful patrols, and the sinking of 5 ships with a total tonnage of 28,400 tons. In addition 12,500 tons of enemy shipping were damaged... Search this book on
↑ "CAPT Francis W. Scanland Jr. profile". TogetherWeServed.com. Retrieved October 20, 2025. Commander Scanland launched a series of brilliant torpedo attacks against enemy shipping to sink a Japanese destroyer, a high-speed transport and a sea truck totaling 2,300 tons.
↑ "Silver Star (Gold Star in lieu of 2nd Award) Citation – F.W. Scanland Jr". Military Times Hall of Valor. Retrieved October 20, 2025. ... sank a large cargo ship and a medium cargo ship... From 11 to 17 February, his vessel completed a hazardous special mission in the restricted waters of Lombok Strait... sank two more small cargo ships, one PC, and two landing craft, effectively clearing an important passage.
↑ "Legion of Merit (Combat V) Citation – F.W. Scanland Jr". Military Times Hall of Valor. Retrieved October 20, 2025. On 16 May 1945, Commander Scanland fearlessly led his submarine in a surface attack against an enemy minelayer, close to an Allied minefield and in seventeen fathoms of water... an accurately delivered torpedo sank the minelayer.
↑ "Silver Star (Second Gold Star) Citation – F.W. Scanland Jr". Military Times Hall of Valor. Retrieved October 20, 2025. ... depth charged and severely damaged... Only the determined efforts of Commander Scanland and his crew prevented the destruction of this valiant submarine. Upon completion of emergency repairs... Commander Scanland resumed his patrol and succeeded in sinking five enemy vessels totaling 700 tons. On 11 August he directed a landing at Terampah Town, Siantan Island where an enemy garrison and gasoline storage were destroyed.
↑ "Barrancas National Cemetery (Pensacola, FL) – Burial Records". Interment.net. Retrieved October 20, 2025. Scanland, F Worth II: b. 09/17/1912, d. 08/12/2002, Sec. 40, Site 291, US NAVY, CAPT, WORLD WAR II, KOREA.

External links

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[TWSAwards-1] "CAPT Francis W. Scanland Jr. - U.S. Navy Profile". TogetherWeServed.com. Retrieved October 20, 2025. He assumed command of USS Hawkbill upon her commissioning on May 17, 1944... he was awarded the Silver Star Medal, the Navy Cross... the Legion of Merit with Combat "V", and a Gold Star in lieu of the Third Silver Star Medal.

[HoVfather-2] 2.0 ^2.1 "Francis W. Scanland, Sr. – Hall of Valor". Military Times. Retrieved October 20, 2025. Francis Worth Scanland’s father ALSO earned the Navy Cross in World War II, making them perhaps the ONLY father and son to each earn the Navy Cross in World War II.

[TWSbio-3] 3.0 ^3.1 ^3.2 ^3.3 ^3.4 ^3.5 "CAPT Francis W. Scanland Jr. - U.S. Navy Profile". TogetherWeServed.com. Retrieved October 20, 2025. He was born in Baltimore, Maryland, on September 17, 1912... prior to his appointment to the U.S. Naval Academy, Annapolis, Maryland, from the State of Louisiana in 1930. Graduated and commissioned Ensign on May 31, 1934.

[Manitowoc-4] 4.0 ^4.1 Manitowoc Submarines. Manitowoc, WI: Manitowoc Shipbuilding Co. 1988. p. 58. Hawkbill's war career consisted of five successive successful patrols, and the sinking of 5 ships with a total tonnage of 28,400 tons. In addition 12,500 tons of enemy shipping were damaged... Search this book on

[5] "CAPT Francis W. Scanland Jr. profile". TogetherWeServed.com. Retrieved October 20, 2025. Commander Scanland launched a series of brilliant torpedo attacks against enemy shipping to sink a Japanese destroyer, a high-speed transport and a sea truck totaling 2,300 tons.

[6] "Silver Star (Gold Star in lieu of 2nd Award) Citation – F.W. Scanland Jr". Military Times Hall of Valor. Retrieved October 20, 2025. ... sank a large cargo ship and a medium cargo ship... From 11 to 17 February, his vessel completed a hazardous special mission in the restricted waters of Lombok Strait... sank two more small cargo ships, one PC, and two landing craft, effectively clearing an important passage.

[7] "Legion of Merit (Combat V) Citation – F.W. Scanland Jr". Military Times Hall of Valor. Retrieved October 20, 2025. On 16 May 1945, Commander Scanland fearlessly led his submarine in a surface attack against an enemy minelayer, close to an Allied minefield and in seventeen fathoms of water... an accurately delivered torpedo sank the minelayer.

[8] "Silver Star (Second Gold Star) Citation – F.W. Scanland Jr". Military Times Hall of Valor. Retrieved October 20, 2025. ... depth charged and severely damaged... Only the determined efforts of Commander Scanland and his crew prevented the destruction of this valiant submarine. Upon completion of emergency repairs... Commander Scanland resumed his patrol and succeeded in sinking five enemy vessels totaling 700 tons. On 11 August he directed a landing at Terampah Town, Siantan Island where an enemy garrison and gasoline storage were destroyed.

[9] "Barrancas National Cemetery (Pensacola, FL) – Burial Records". Interment.net. Retrieved October 20, 2025. Scanland, F Worth II: b. 09/17/1912, d. 08/12/2002, Sec. 40, Site 291, US NAVY, CAPT, WORLD WAR II, KOREA.

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