Harry Hubbard

Early career

Born in Baltimore, Maryland, Hubbard graduated from the United States Naval Academy in June 1925, served 3 years on the battleship USS Maryland (BB-46), then qualified in submarines at New London, Connecticut. Following duty in submarine S-34, he completed Naval Academy postgraduate work, then served on the submarine tender USS Holland (AS-3), and, was executive officer of the destroyer USS Twiggs (DD-127). He served at the Naval Torpedo Station at Newport, Rhode Island then commanded the destroyer USS Roper (DD-147) from 1939 to 1940, before assignment as staff gunnery officer for destroyers in the Atlantic. The latter duty terminated 1 March 1942 when Hubbard took command of the Gleaves-class destroyer USS Meredith (DD-434).

USS Meredith

In command of Meredith, Hubbard helped screen carrier USS Hornet (CV-8) off Japan for the famed Doolittle bombing raids on Tokyo 18 April 1942. Thereafter he conned his destroyer on-arduous patrol and escort from Hawaii to the Samoan, Fiji, and Solomon Islands. His destroyer helped cover transports landing reinforcements on bitterly contested Guadalcanal 18 September 1942.

During the Solomon Islands Campaign, Hubbard commanded Meredith in maintaining the lifeline of supplies to fighting men holding their ground on Guadalcanal. On 15 October 1942 he fought his ship against Japanese carrier-based scouting planes, then fought off 18 Japanese dive bombers and 12 torpedo planes launched by Japanese aircraft carrier Zuikaku. His gunners shot down five of the attackers, all the destroyermen following the example of Hubbard who carried on the fight though blinded by burns about his face. When his men had cleared the bridge, he abandoned the sinking Meredith scant moments before she made her final plunge. He perished on a life raft at sea the morning of 16 October 1942.