Herbert Emery Schonland

He kept the flooded cruiser stable and others conned it out.

Herbert Emery Schonland was born in Portland, Maine, on 7 September 1900. He graduated from the United States Naval Academy in 1925 and served in battleships, destroyers and submarine tenders. Training in torpedo work and assignments with cruisers preceded an instructional posting at Newport. In June 1939 he joined the heavy cruiser San Francisco.

During the naval battle off Guadalcanal on 12–13 November 1942, San Francisco suffered devastating shellfire. Admiral Daniel Callaghan, Captain Cassin Young and many other senior officers were killed or wounded. As damage-control officer, Schonland worked below decks to counter the flooding threatening the cruiser's stability.

When told that he was now the senior surviving officer, he first established that Lieutenant Commander Bruce McCandless was handling the ship effectively from the bridge. Rather than interrupt that work, he left McCandless at the conn and returned to the flooded compartments. In darkness broken by hand lanterns and water reaching his waist, Schonland directed pumping, drainage and restoration of watertight boundaries. His decisions helped keep the damaged cruiser afloat and enabled her to return under her own power.

Schonland received the Medal of Honor. After repairs, he returned to combat with San Francisco as executive officer in 1943. Later assignments drew on his practical experience: staff work at a naval training school in Philadelphia and damage-control instruction in San Francisco. He became a captain with rank dating from August 1943.

He retired early in 1947 and advanced to rear admiral on the retired list in recognition of his combat record. He died on 13 November 1984 and was buried at Arlington National Cemetery.