Richard E . Hawes Richard Ellington Hawes ( February 12 , 1894 – December 30 , 1968 ) was an officer in the United States Navy who served in World War I and World War II . Early life , through World War I . Hawes was born in Thomson , Georgia , on February 12 , 1894 . He attended the University of Georgia on a baseball scholarship before transferring to Mercer University . There he won recognition in both ball $ 2 $ 3 and American football . He earned a law degree along the way , but passed up the bar exam to coach and play professional baseball . When America entered World War I in 1917 , Hawes enlisted in the Navy as a Fireman Second Class . Fifteen months later he accepted a temporary appointment as an Ensign , but reverted to Boatswain ( Warrant Officer ) in 1920 . Interwar service . In March 1926 Hawes joined as Executive Officer . While aboard " Falcon " he played a key role in the salvage of off Block Island , R . I . in September 1925 . For his part in that difficult and dangerous operation Boatswain Hawes received his first Navy Cross . He also assisted in the salvaging of the submarine , which sank off Provincetown , Massachusetts in December 1927 . On February 18 , 1929 , Hawes was commissioned an Ensign by a special act of the U . S . Congress in recognition of his services in salvaging the " S - 51 " and " S - 4 " . In January 1940 Lieutenant Hawes assumed command of and was serving in that role when the United States entered World War II . World War II . Japanese attack on Cavite Navy Yard , the Philippines , December 10 , 1941 . On December 10 , 1941 the " Pigeon " was docked at the Cavite Navy Yard on Manila Bay for repairs to her steering gear when Japanese warplanes attacked . Since Pearl Harbor three days before , Hawes had main steam pressure up and the full crew aboard , ready to get underway at an instant . Lashed to the minesweeper , which provided steering for both , " Pigeon " cleared the docks and headed for the relative safety of the bay to dodge the enemy bombs . By this time Cavite had become a hellish inferno . After separating from " Quail " Hawes could see that the submarine was about to be engulfed by bombs and fire in her berth . Through heavy bombing and strafing , Lieutenant Hawes maneuvered the 187 - foot " Pigeon " back to the flaming dock to haul the helpless submarine stern first from her berth . Another submarine and a minesweeper had just been sunk there by direct hits . The heat and flames were so intense that they blistered the ship ' s paint , singed off body hair , and melted the brim of Hawes ' cap . But " Pigeon " ' s crew managed to rig a line on the " Seadragon " and tow her to safety . For this heroic action , Hawes received his second Navy Cross and " Pigeon " was awarded the Presidential Unit Citation , the first warship to receive the award in World War II . " Seadragon " went on to distinguished service , earning eleven battle star s before the war ended . Immediately after the attack Hawes found and mounted on his ship two 3 - inch guns and twelve . 50 caliber machine guns from the wrecked Navy Yard . By the end of December the new " gunboat " had received her second Presidential Unit Citation for shooting down several enemy planes and bombarding enemy troops . She was the only surface warship to win two Presidential Unit Citations in World War II . Later service . Except for the brief periods when he was in transit or putting and into commission , Hawes spent virtually all of World War II at sea in the Pacific in command of his three ships . Like Hawes himself , his ships always had a reputation for efficiency and readiness . When he put " Chanticleer " into commission , he had depth - charge racks installed so he could prosecute Japanese submarines . When he put " Anthedon " into commission , 92 % of his crew were inductees and had never been to sea , but he sailed directly from commissioning to the Pacific war and within two hours of his arrival was servicing submarines . He received the Bronze Star for " undaunted courage and professional skill " for his command of that ship . As he left the Western Pacific theater in January 1945 , the Commander , Submarines , Philippine Sea Frontier sent " Anthedon " a message of thanks and good wishes , describing Commander Hawes and his men as " ever ready , ever fearless . " Hawes was promoted to Captain on March 25 , 1945 . Retirement and later years . On December 1 , 1952 he was transferred to the retired list and promoted to Rear Admiral . Rear Admiral Hawes died at his home in Thomson , Georgia , on December 30 , 1968 . Namesake . In 1984 , the guided missile frigate was named in honor of RAdm Hawes .