WWII · Battle Death Record
Daniel Callaghan
Rear Admiral, U.S. Navy · California
Medal of Honor
Personnel File — Core Information
- Name
- Daniel Callaghan
- Entered the Service From
- California
- Rank
- Rear Admiral
- Service
- U.S. Navy
- Unit / Regiment
- USS San Francisco (CA-38)
- War
- WWII
- Date of Death
- November 13, 1942
- Awards
- Medal of Honor
- Burial / Memorial
- Commemorated on the Tablets of the Missing, Manila American Cemetery and Memorial
- Grave
- Tablets of the Missing
Their story
As commander of a task group of cruisers and destroyers, Rear Admiral Callaghan led his force in a close-range night action against a vastly superior Japanese fleet during the Naval Battle of Guadalcanal on November 13, 1942, inflicting heavy damage and helping turn back a powerful enemy invasion force. He was killed by enemy fire on the bridge of his flagship USS San Francisco while directing the engagement. His body was buried at sea in Ironbottom Sound off Guadalcanal, and he is memorialized on the Tablets (Walls) of the Missing at Manila American Cemetery.
Compiled from American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) and National Archives (NARA) records and public sources.
This record is one of more than 200,000 in our historical archive. Some information may have been corrupted or lost over decades of data conversion. Corrections are welcome — please contact the archive.