Willard R. Laughon
{{More citations needed|date=December 2021}}
{{Infobox military person
|honorific_prefix =
|name = Willard Ross Laughon
|honorific_suffix =
|image = Willard_Ross_Laughon.png
|image_upright =
|alt =
|caption = Midshipman Laughon
|native_name =
|native_name_lang =
|birth_name =
|other_name =
|nickname =
|birth_date = {{birth date|1911|01|29}}
|birth_place = Princeton, West Virginia{{cite book |last1=Sasgen |first1=Peter T. |title=Red scorpion : the war patrols of the USS Rasher |date=1995 |publisher=Pocket Star Books |location=New York |isbn=0743489101 |pages=529–530 |url=https://archive.org/details/redscorpionwarpa0000sasg/page/529/mode/2up |access-date=23 September 2021}}
|death_date = {{death date and age|1999|06|05|1911|01|29}}
|death_place = Stuart, Florida
|placeofburial =
|placeofburial_label =
|placeofburial_coordinates =
|allegiance = United States of America
|branch = 20px United States Navy
|branch_label = Branch
|serviceyears_label =
|rank_label =
|servicenumber =
|unit =
|commands = USS R-1 (SS-78)
USS Puffer (SS-268)
USS Rasher
USS Orion (AS-18)
Submarine Squadron 12
|battles = World War II
|battles_label =
|awards = File:Navy Cross ribbon.svg Navy Cross (2)
|memorials =
|alma_mater = United States Naval Academy
|children =
|relations =
|laterwork =
|signature =
|signature_size =
|signature_alt =
|website =
|module =
}}
Willard Ross Laughon (29 January 1911 – 5 June 1999) was a double Navy Cross recipient submarine commander during World War II who reached the rank of captain in the United States Navy.{{cite web |title=Willard Laughon - Recipient - Military Times Hall Of Valor |url=https://valor.militarytimes.com/hero/20623 |website=valor.militarytimes.com |language=en}}
Early life
Willard Ross Laughon was born on January 29, 1911, in Princeton, West Virginia, to Fred Thomas and Mattie Virginia Laughon (née Waddell). In 1929 he was accepted to the United States Naval Academy, and graduated in 1933.
Early military career
Upon graduating from Annapolis, Laughon was commissioned as an ensign in the United States Navy. His first duty assignment was aboard the {{USS|Arkansas|BB-33|6}} making cruises up and down the west coast. His following assignment was aboard the {{USS|Idaho|BB-42|6}}.
In 1936 he married Alice Mellott of Salisbury, Maryland and was assigned to the Submarine School at New London, Connecticut.
In 1940, he aided in the recommission of the {{USS|R-1|SS-78|6}} and took part in ten war patrols, the last four of them as commander.{{cite book |last1=Blair |first1=Clay |title=Silent victory: the U.S. submarine war against Japan |date=1975 |publisher=Lippincott |location=Philadelphia |pages=492–493 |isbn=9780397007530 |edition=First |url=https://archive.org/details/silentvictoryus00blai/page/492/mode |access-date=23 September 2021}}
World War II
On December 9, 1943, Laughon took command of the {{USS|Rasher||6}} based in Fremantle, Australia. Ten days later the USS Rasher set off for the South China Sea along with the {{USS|Bluefish|SS-222|6}} to lay mines and sink shipping.
References
{{reflist}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Laughon, Willard R.}}
Category:20th-century American naval officers
Category:United States submarine commanders
Category:United States Naval Academy alumni
Category:United States Navy captains
Category:Recipients of the Navy Cross (United States)
Category:Military personnel from Princeton, West Virginia
{{US-navy-bio-stub}}