Brooks Jared Harral, USN
| Born | 23 Jul 1911 | New Orleans, Orleans Parish, Louisiana, USA | |
| Died | 4 Sep 1999 | (88) | Moorestown, Burlington County, New Jersey, USA |
| Ranks
Retired: 1959 Decorations
|
Warship Commands listed for Brooks Jared Harral, USN
| Ship | Rank | Type | From | To |
| USS S-17 (122) | Lt. | Submarine | Jan 1942 | Dec 1942 |
| USS Ray (271) | T/Cdr. | Submarine | 27 Jul 1943 | 28 Jun 1944 |
Career information
His obituary from 1999: Adm. Brooks J. Harral, 88, Decorated Sub Commander By S. Joseph Hagenmayer, INQUIRER SUBURBAN STAFF Posted: September 10, 1999 Retired Rear Adm. Brooks Jared Harral, 88, a highly decorated submarine commander during World War II, died Saturday at the Evergreens, Moorestown. He had lived in Moorestown since 1959. He was born in New Orleans and raised in Canandaigua, N.Y. A 1932 graduate of the Naval Academy and a career Navy officer, Mr. Harral commanded the submarine Ray during four war patrols in the Java Sea-South China Sea-Philippines area in 1944 and 1945.
For his heroic actions as commander, he was awarded the Navy Cross, two Silver Stars and two Bronze Stars. The Navy Cross was given for skillfully maneuvering his vessel through hostile waters while sinking six enemy ships totaling 42,500 tons and completing an important reconnaissance mission from April to June 1944. He earned his first Silver Star on his first patrol as the Ray's skipper when, despite severe enemy gunfire and depth-charge attacks, the submarine sank two valuable Japanese ships. He earned the second by sinking two more enemy ships totaling nearly 18,000 tons. Both Bronze Stars were given for the vessel's third patrol in February and March 1944 when the Ray performed a daring surface attack, sinking an enemy tanker before being driven off by escort ships. Then the Ray accomplished an important secret mission and attacked a heavily armed patrol and endured a severe depth-charge attack that resulted in heavy damage to the sub. Mr. Harral's commendation says that only "the skill of the commanding officer" resulted in the sub's safe return. Earlier in the war, he commanded the submarine S-17 during seven war patrols in the Panama and Caribbean area.
After the war, Mr. Harral was a division and squadron commander in Panama, Key West, Fla., and San Diego he also was chief of staff of the mine force in Charleston, S.C. In 1954, he returned to the Naval Academy, serving as head of English, history and government until 1957.
After retiring from the Navy in 1959, he worked as a consultant to the old New York Shipbuilding Corp. in Camden and for the DuPont Co. He also was a broker on Wall Street for 17 years. He was a life member of the United States Naval Institute and a member of the Society of Naval Architects and Marine Engineers. In 1959, he cowrote "Service Etiquette" for all military academies. He was a member of the Union League in Philadelphia for 25 years and chaired its military committee. He was active in the New Jersey Republican Party, and he and his wife held many fund-raising and charitable events at their home. He is survived by his wife of 62 years, Sara Mumma Harral sons Brooks J. Jr. and John M. daughters Martha Ahrens and Sara Sargent seven grandchildren, two great-grandchildren and a sister. Memorial services will be held at 2 p.m. tomorrow at Trinity Episcopal Church, 207 W. Main St., Moorestown. Burial will be in the Naval Academy Cemetery, Annapolis, Md. Memorial donations may be made to the Coriell Institute for Medical Research, 401 Haddon Ave., Camden, N.J. 08102.
Events related to this officer
Submarine USS S-17 (122)
3 Aug 1942 (position 0.00, 0.00)
USS S-17 departed the Panama Canal Zone for New London, Connecticut.
4 Aug 1942 (position 11.34, -78.36)
At 1420 hours, USS S-17, was attacked in error by a US aircraft in position 11°34'N, 78°36'W. Minor damage sustained required a return to the Panama Canal Zone.
11 Aug 1942 (position 0.00, 0.00)
USS S-17 departed the Panama Canal Zone for New London, Connecticut.
24 Sep 1942 (position 0.00, 0.00)
USS S-17 departed New London, Connecticut for the Philadelphia Navy Yard for a refit.
26 Sep 1942 (position 0.00, 0.00)
USS S-17 arrived at the Philadelphia Navy Yard from New London, Connecticut for a refit.
Submarine USS Ray (271)
26 Aug 1943 (position 0.00, 0.00)
USS Ray (Lt.Cdr. B.J. Harral, USN) departed New Orleans, Louisiana for Coco Solo, Panama Canal Zone.
31 Aug 1943
USS Ray (Lt.Cdr. B.J. Harral, USN) arrived at Coco Solo, Panama Canal Zone from New Orleans, Louisiana to begin a training programme.
5 Oct 1943
USS Ray (Lt.Cdr. B.J. Harral, USN) departed from Balboa, Panama Canal Zone for Brisbane, Australia.
30 Oct 1943
USS Ray (Lt.Cdr. B.J. Harral) arrived at Brisbane.
13 Nov 1943
USS Ray (Lt.Cdr. B.J. Harral) departed from Milne Bay, New Guinea for her 1st war patrol. She was ordered to patrol north of the Bismarck Archipelago.
26 Nov 1943 (position 4.12, 148.20)
USS Ray (Lt.Cdr. B.J. Harral) torpedoed and sank the Japanese army cargo ship Nikkai Maru (2562 GRT) south-west of Truk in position 04°12'N, 148°20'E.
6 Dec 1943
USS Ray (Lt.Cdr. B.J. Harral) ended her 1st war patrol.
11 Dec 1943
USS Ray (Lt.Cdr. B.J. Harral) departed from base for her 2nd war patrol. She was ordered to patrol in the Banda Sea.
26 Dec 1943 (position -5.00, 121.22)
USS Ray (Lt.Cdr. B.J. Harral) torpedoed and sank the Japanese fleet tanker Kyoko Maru (5800 GRT, former Dutch Semiramis) south of Celebes in position 05°00'S, 121°22'E.
1 Jan 1944 (position -3.51, 128.04)
USS Ray (Lt.Cdr. B.J. Harral) torpedoed and sank the Japanese auxiliary gunboat Okuyo Maru (2904 GRT) at the mouth of Ambon Bay, Netherlands East Indies in position 03°51'S, 128°04'E.
12 Jan 1944
USS Ray (Lt.Cdr. B.J. Harral) ended her 2nd war patrol at Fremantle, Australia.
6 Feb 1944
USS Ray (Lt.Cdr. B.J. Harral) departed from Fremantle for her 3rd war patrol. She was ordered to patrol in the Java and South China Seas.
22 Feb 1944
USS Ray (Lt.Cdr. B.J. Harral) lays mines off Saigon, French Indochina.
27 Mar 1944
USS Ray (Lt.Cdr. B.J. Harral) ended her 3rd war patrol at Fremantle.
23 Apr 1944
USS Ray (Lt.Cdr. B.J. Harral) departed from Fremantle for her 4th war patrol. She was ordered to patrol south off Davao Gulf, Philippines.
22 May 1944
USS Ray (Lt.Cdr. B.J. Harral) torpedoed and sank the Japanese army cargo ship Tempei Maru (6097 GRT) off the south coast of Mindanao, Philippines in position 05°42'N, 127°37'E.
23 May 1944 (position 2.42, 128.08)
USS Ray (Lt.Cdr. B.J. Harral) and USS Cero torpedoed and damaged the Japanese army tanker Kenwa Maru (6384 GRT) north-east of Morotai in position 02°42'N, 128°08'E.
14 Jun 1944
USS Ray (Lt.Cdr. B.J. Harral) ended her 4th war patrol at Fremantle.
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