serviceyears branch death_date birth_place allegiance unit awards battles birth_date nickname rank article_title name
1943 -- 1980 united states navy 1 august 1988 pittsburgh , pennsylvania united states of america uss '' peto '' -lrb- ss-265 -rrb- silver star legion of merit pacific war vietnam war 11 april 1921 `` father jake '' captain john f. laboon
 john francis laboon , jr.
john f. laboon

john francis laboon , jr. -lrb- 11 april 1921 -- 1 august 1988 -rrb- was an officer of the united states navy , who served as a submariner in world war ii and as a chaplain in the vietnam war .
born in pittsburgh , pennsylvania on 11 april 1921 , john laboon attended the carnegie institute of technology for one year after high school .
in 1939 , he entered the united states naval academy , where he excelled in both athletics and academics .
in 1942 , he was a member of the all-east football team , and in 1943 , `` jumped ship '' to lacrosse , where he was selected for the intercollegiate national championship navy lacrosse team , defenseman on the all-american lacrosse squad , and participated in the north-south all-star game .
he also served as president of the newman club , a catholic support group .
after accelerated graduation in 1943 , he trained as a submarine officer at new london , connecticut , and upon completion , was assigned to uss `` peto '' -lrb- ss-265 -rrb- .
during his tour , laboon served as communications officer , gunnery and torpedo officer , and executive officer .
lieutenant junior grade laboon was awarded the silver star for his heroic actions on `` peto '' 's tenth war patrol .
following pick-up of a downed american pilot near honshū , the crew searched for his wingman .
the second aviator was soon spotted , but the water was shallow and mined , preventing `` peto '' from maneuvering closer .
to make matters worse , they were under intense enemy fire from a japanese shore battery .
the submarine 's commanding officer called for a volunteer , and without hesitation , ltjg laboon dove off the submarine .
swimming throughout the mined waters , he rescued the pilot .
lieutenant laboon resigned from naval service shortly after the end of world war ii , and entered the society of jesus -lrb- jesuits -rrb- on 31 october 1946 .
on 17 july 1956 , father jake was ordained a jesuit priest at woodstock , maryland .
father laboon then applied for a commission in the u.s. naval reserve chaplain corps in february 1957 , and in december 1958 was recalled to active duty .
over the course of the next 22 years , `` father jake '' served in various duty stations around the world , including alaska , hawaii , japan , and vietnam .
while in vietnam , he was awarded the legion of merit with combat `` v '' for his fearless actions as battlefield chaplain with the 3rd marine division in april 1969 .
other notable milestones in a distinguished career , include the honor of nomination for promotion to the rank of admiral and services as chief of chaplains .
the polaris submarine program was also blessed with having father jake as its first chaplain .
the u.s. naval academy was likewise honored with his services as the senior catholic chaplain .
on 31 october 1980 , captain laboon retired as fleet chaplain , u.s. atlantic fleet .
after retirement from the navy , father laboon returned to annapolis , maryland to oversee the construction of the jesuit-retreat facility , manresa-on-severn , within view of the u.s. naval academy .
his final assignment was pastor of st. alphonsus rodriguez church in woodstock , maryland .
he served there until his death on 1 august 1988 .
in 1993 , the destroyer uss `` laboon '' -lrb- ddg-58 -rrb- was named in honor of father laboon .
the chaplain 's center at the naval academy is also named in his honor .
