UNITED STATES NAVY WARSHIPS

Adam S. Eterovich

Albert Francovich, Milton Pavlic and Peter Tomich were all killed in action while serving in the United States Navy during World War Two. For their heroism under fire, the Navy named warships in their honor. Albert Francovich was born in Pennsylvania and received the Navy Cross for his actions; Milton Pavlic, listed as born in Italy, received the Purple heart for his heroism; Peter Tomich, listed as born in Austria, was awarded the nation’s highest honor, the Medal of Honor, for heroism on December 7, 1941 on the Battleship Utah during the surprise Japanese attack at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.

FRANCOVICH, ALBERT USS Destroyer Francovich

Albert Anthony Francovich, born 23 January 1920 at Shamokin, Pennsylvania, enlisted in the Navy 8 March 1939. As an aviation machinist’s mate first class with a patrol squadron in the Solomons Operation, he was killed in action 6 September 1942. He was posthumously awarded the Navy Cross for his great heroism in standing to his gun although mortally wounded in an engagement with a Japanese seaplane. A naval fighting ship was named after him, USS Francovich Destroyer escort, APD-116, Displacement: 1,390 t., Length: 306’, Beam: 37’, Draft: 12’7”, Complement: 204, Armament: 1 5”, Class: Crosleym The first Francovich (APD-116) (ex-DE-606), was reclassified 17 July 1944, launched 5 June 1945 by Bethlehem-Hingham Shipyard, Hingham, Mass.; sponsored by Mrs. Mary F. Edmunds, sister of Aviation Machinist's Mate First Class Francovich; and commissioned 6 September 1945, Lieutenant Commander M. Maclean, USNR, in command. After her shakedown training, Francovich arrived at Green Cove Springs 18 November 1945 to give assistance in the inactivation of ships being readied for reserve there. She was placed out of commission, in reserve, at Green Cove Springs 29 April 1946. [Stricken from the Navy Register on 1 April 1964, the USS Francovich was sold in May 1965.

PAVLIC, MILTON USS Destroyer Pavlic

Milton Frank Pavlic, born in Trieste, Italy, 27 December 1909, was appointed Midshipman 25 June 1928, and commissioned Ensign 2 June 1932, and Lieutenant Commander 15 June 1942. He served in battleships New York and Mississippi, minelayer Tracy, destroyer tender Mellville, and destroyer Barney . From 17 June 1940 to 9 March 1942, he served at the Naval Academy; then helped fit out South Dakota and was on board the battleship when she commissioned 20 March 1942. South Dakota sailed to the Pacific and fought in the Santa Cruz Islands, and at Guadalcanal. In the fierce Naval Battle off Guadalcanal early on 15 November, South Dakota’s Task Force engaged a force of Japanese warships. She was badly damaged in the action. Lt. Comdr. Pavlic died in the battle and posthumously was awarded the Purple Heart Medal.

USS Pavlic was laid down as DE-669 21 September 1943 by the Dravo Corp., Neville Island, Pittsburgh, Penn.; launched 18 December 1943; sponsored by Mrs. Milton F. Pavlic; and commissioned 29 December 1944, Lt. Comdr. C. V. Allen, USNR, in command. Pavlic departed Norfolk 22 February 1945 for Hawaii via the Panama Canal and San Diego arriving Pearl Harbor 21 March. Following training exercises, she departed Pearl Harbor 13 April and steamed via Majuro Atoll, Marshall Islands and Ulithi, Caroline Islands for the Ryukyus. From 3 May to 9 May she was stationed on the picket line off Okinawa fighting off several raids and performing rescue work. On 18 May, Pavlic was designated as a special rescue vessel and continued her rescue work while undergoing several heavy enemy raids. On 27 May, she repelled her first direct suicide attack. On 28 May, she opened fire on a low flying "Betty," a Japanese torpedo bomber, which veered away. Then the fast transport and sister ship Yokes picked up survivors from destroyer Drexler sunk by two suicide planes, and took them to Hagushi Anchorage. On 29 May, she picked up survivors from destroyer Shubrick (DD-639), also damaged by a suicide plane. On 27 August, Pavlic arrived Honshu, Japan, entering Sagami Wan, in the shadow of Mount Fujiyama, and on the 30th she steamed into Tokyo Bay with high-speed transports Sims (APD-50) and Barr (APD-39) and debarked landing forces to demilitarize Forts No. 2 and 4, guarding the entrance to Tokyo Bay and to raise the colors. The landing forces returned, and Pavlic proceeded to Yokosuka Ko.

On 31 August, with L Company of the 4th Marines embarked, Pavlic made the short run to Tateyama Wan to secure the large Japanese naval air station and remained there until 3 September supporting the Marines. On 15 April 1946, Pavlic sailed for the United States and after overhaul at the Philadelphia and Charleston naval shipyards, was towed to Green Cove Springs, Fla., where she decommissioned 15 November 1946. She was struck from the Navy List 1 April 1967 and was sold for scrapping to North American Smelting Co. 1 July 1968. Pavlic received one battle star for World War II service.

TOMICH, PETER USS Destroyer Tomich

USS Tomich Destroyer (DE-242) was laid down on 15 September 1942 at Houston, Tex., by the Brown Shipbuilding Co.; launched on 28 December 1942; sponsored by Mrs. 0. L. Hammonds; and commissioned on 27 July 1943, Lt. Comdr. H. A. Hull in command.

Following commissioning, Tomich got underway from Galveston on 12 August and reached New Orleans on the following day. The destroyer escort departed Louisiana waters, on the 19th, bound for Bermuda and four weeks of shakedown training. Tomich sailed for Cuba on 9 October and further training in Caribbean waters, reaching Guantanamo Bay on the 12th. She received orders to search for Dorado (SS-248) which had sailed from New London on 6 October and had been expected to arrive at the Canal Zone on the 14th. Tomich hunted for the missing submarine until the 22d but failed to locate any trace of it. Nine days later, Tomich joined the screen of Convoy UGS-24, bound for French Morocco. On 2 December, after her charges had all made port, she dropped anchor off Casablanca. Arriving in New York on Christmas morning, 1943. after escorting Convoy GUS-24,

Five days later, the ship steamed for Norfolk, Va., in company with other units of Escort Division (CortDiv) 7, to join other ships of Task Force 63 in escorting Convoy UGS-30 to Casablanca. After a brief independent run to Gibraltar, where she moored along-side famed British battleship HMS Warspite, Tomichdeparted the British base on 4 February and rendezvoused with Convoy GUS-29. She proceeded to the Azores, where she met SS Phoenis Banning and SS Abraham BaldwIn. Rejoining GUS-29 with her two charges, Two days later, she sailed for Tunisia as an escort for Convoy UGS-36. On 30 March, the convoy passed through the Straits of Gibraltar, bound for Bizerte. During the evening watch of the 31st, Tomich homed in on a sonar contact and went to general quarters, proceeding to track down the echo. Dropping two 13-charge Patterns Tomich remained at general quarters throughout the night and instituted an antisubmarine patrol in company with HMS Black Swan. About 0401 as Tomich rejoined the screen, her lookouts spotted enemy aircraft off her port bow. Zig-zagging independently on the port bow of the convoy, the destroyer escort opened fire with her entire antiaircraft battery at 0410. During the 20 minute attack, the enemy aircraft, twin-motored Ju. 88's, came in low and fast; but the heavy antiaircraft fire of the escorts drove off their attackers with no loss to themselves.

She subsequently arrived at New York on 2 May and underwent availability at the navy yard. Returning to Norfolk on the 20th, Tomich sailed as part of TF 64, escorting Convoy UGS-43 bound for Bizerte. After reaching North Africa, Toinich was detached from convoying long enough to escort Carib (AT-82), which was towing Menges (DE-320) to the Azores. When she arrived at Horta, Tomich rejoined homeward-bound Convoy GUS-43.

Following an overhaul at the Boston Navy Yard in May and June, the ship steamed to the Caribbean. Departing Guantanamo Bay on 16 July 1945, she transited the Panama Canal on the 18th and arrived at San Diego on the 26th. Standing out of that port on the 31st, she conducted exercises while en route to Hawaii and reached Pearl Harbor on 7 August as the war in the Pacific drew to its climax. The inexorable advance of American air and naval forces-topped by the dropping of atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki-compelled Japan to surrender unconditionally. Meanwhile, Tomich continued training exercises in Hawaiian waters, prior to departing Pearl Harbor on 20 August, bound for the western Pacific. Following her arrival on the east coast, the ship underwent inactivation preparations at Charleston, S.C., from May through late August. Tomich was placed out of commission, in reserve, at Green Cove Springs, Fla., on 20 September 1946. She remained there until her name was struck from the Navy list on 1 November 1972, and she was scrapped. USS Tomich received one battle star for World War II service. Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships, 1969.