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#REDIRECT [[USS Austin (DE-15)]]
{{refimprove|date=February 2008}}

{{Infobox Military Person
|name= John Arnold Austin
|born= {{birth date|1905|8|30}}
|died= {{death date and age|1941|12|7}}
|placeofbirth= [[Warrior, Alabama]]
|placeofdeath= Killed during the [[Attack on Pearl Harbor]]
|image=
|caption= John Arnold Austin
|nickname=
|allegiance= [[United States|United States of America]]
|branch=[[United States Navy]]
|serviceyears= 1920-1941
|rank= Chief Carpenter
|commands=
|unit= [[USS Oklahoma|USS ''Oklahoma'']]
|battles= [[World War II]]
|awards= [[Navy Cross]]
|laterwork=
}}
'''John Arnold Austin''' ([[30 August]] [[1905]] - [[7 December]] [[1941]]) was a United States Navy sailor in [[World War II]], who received the [[Navy Cross]] (awarded posthumously) for his actions during the Japanese [[attack on Pearl Harbor]].

Austin was born in [[Warrior, Alabama]], and enlisted in the [[United States Navy]] on [[20 November]] [[1920]]. Between that time and [[26 July]] [[1935]], he served four successive enlistments. On that date, Austin accepted an acting appointment as carpenter ([[Warrant Officer (United States)|warrant officer]] grade) and reported on board the submarine tender [[USS Canopus (AS-9)|''Canopus'']] then serving as a unit of the [[Asiatic Fleet]]. On [[8 August]], he detached from the tender and reported for duty in [[USS Augusta (CA-31)|''Augusta'']]. On [[4 December]] 1935, Austin received a permanent warrant as a carpenter. He left the heavy [[cruiser]] on [[13 July]] [[1937]] and reported on board [[USS Tennessee (BB-43)|''Tennessee'']] on [[10 September]] 1937. He served in that [[battleship]] until detached on [[14 June]] [[1939]] to proceed to further assignment to [[USS Rigel (AD-13)|''Rigel'']] reporting on [[18 July]] 1939. After 14 months in that [[destroyer tender]], Carpenter Austin departed on [[21 September]] 1940 bound for duty in [[USS Oklahoma (BB-37)|''Oklahoma'']] and reported on board the battleship on [[5 October]] 1940. In October 1941, Austin received a commission as chief carpenter (commissioned warrant officer).

On the morning of [[7 December]] [[1941]], Chief Carpenter Austin was in ''Oklahoma''. When the battleship capsized as a result of Japanese bombs and torpedoes, he was trapped below water with many of his shipmates. Austin searched for a means of escape and found a [[porthole]] which, though beneath the surface, offered just such an avenue. As a result of his efforts, 15 sailors escaped a watery grave. Chief Carpenter Austin, however, did not. As his citation reads, "He gallantly gave his life in the service of his country." Chief Carpenter Austin was awarded the [[Navy Cross]] posthumously.

==Namesake==
The destroyer escort [[USS Austin (DE-15)|USS ''Austin'' (DE-15)]] was named in his honor.

==See also==
{{portal|United States Navy|United States Department of the Navy Seal.svg}}

==References==
:{{DANFS}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Austin, John Arnold}}
[[Category:1905 births]]
[[Category:1941 deaths]]
[[Category:Navy Cross recipients]]
[[Category:People from Birmingham, Alabama]]
[[Category:United States Navy sailors]]
[[Category:American military personnel killed in World War II]]
[[Category:People from Alabama]]

Latest revision as of 07:37, 10 February 2021

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