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The Wahoo sank at least 19 Japanese ships, more than any other submarine during a comparable period.
General Orders: Pacific Fleet Board Awards: Serial 32 (June 21, 1943)
Service: Navy
Rank: Lieutenant Commander
From Hall of Valor:
The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting a Gold Star in lieu of a Second Award of the Navy Cross to Lieutenant Commander Dudley Walker Morton (NSN: 0-63274), United States Navy, for extraordinary heroism in the line of his profession as Commanding Officer of the U.S.S.
Subsequently sent to the Asiatic Fleet, he was assigned to the submarine tender Canopus and submarine S-37. Note: broom lashed to the periscope head, indicating a "clean sweep" of enemy targets encountered; pennant bearing the slogan "Shoot the sunza bitches" and eight small flags, representing claimed sinkings of two Japanese warships and six merchant vessels.
General Orders: Submarine Board of Awards: Serial 0085 (December 2, 1943)
Service: Navy
Rank: Lieutenant Commander
Distinguished Service Cross
(Note: The Distinguished Service Cross is an Army medal that is equivalent to the Navy Cross.)
From Hall of Valor:
The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting the Distinguished Service Cross to Lieutenant Commander Dudley Walker Morton (NSN: 0-63274), United States Navy, for extraordinary heroism in connection with military operations against an armed enemy while serving as Commanding Officer of the Submarine U.S.S.
April 1934
Lieutenant (j.g.), for assignment, Submarine Division 10, USS Canopus
Others at this command:LTjg Roderick Rooney '29
July 1934
Lieutenant (j.g.), USS S-37
October 1934
Lieutenant (j.g.), USS S-37
January 1935
Lieutenant (j.g.), USS S-37
April 1935
Lieutenant (j.g.), USS S-37
October 1935
Lieutenant (j.g.), USS S-37
January 1936
Lieutenant (j.g.), USS S-37
April 1936
Lieutenant (j.g.), USS S-37
July 1936
Lieutenant (j.g.), USS S-37
January 1937
Lieutenant (j.g.), USS S-37
September 1937
Lieutenant (j.g.), Navy Yard, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Others at or embarked at Navy Yard, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania:January 1938
Lieutenant, Navy Yard, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Others at this command:LT John Welch '23
Others at or embarked at Navy Yard, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania:July 1938
Lieutenant, Navy Yard, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Others at this command:LT John Welch '23
Others at or embarked at Navy Yard, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania:January 1939
Lieutenant, Navy Yard, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Others at this command:LT John Welch '23
Others at or embarked at Navy Yard, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania:October 1939
Lieutenant, executive officer, USS Fairfax
November 1940
Lieutenant, commanding officer, USS R-5
April 1941
Lieutenant, commanding officer, USS R-5
The "category" links below lead to lists of related Honorees; use them to explore further the service and sacrifice of alumni in Memorial Hall.
Dudley Walker Morton was born in Owensboro, Kentucky on July 17, 1907 to Mr.
and Mrs. William Dix Morton. He attended the Miami High School, Miami, Florida and entered the U.S. Naval Academy as a Midshipman from the Fourth Florida District in 1926. He was on the Varsity Football Team and Varsity Wrestling Squad all four years and was variously called "Mush", "Mushmouth" and "Dud" by his classmates. Graduated and commissioned Ensign on June 5, 1930, he subsequently advanced to the rank of Commander.
After graduation he was ordered to the USS SARATOGA for passage to the West Coast where he had duty in connection with the fitting out of the USS CHICAGO at the Mare Island Naval Shipyard. He served in her from ship's commissioning on March 9, 1931 until June, 1933 when he reported to the Submarine Base, New London, Connecticut for instruction. Upon completion of that course in December, 1933 he was ordered to the Asiatic Station where he served in the USS CANOPUS and later in the USS S-37, flagship of Submarine Division Ten until January 1937.
Once during the V. M. I. wrestling match, when Navy's heavyweight was having difficulty with V. M. I.'s two hundred and fifty pounds of avoirdupois and pugnacity, Mush rushed over to Coach Schutz, apparently all hot and bothered:
"Substitute Crane, substitute Crane!" he whispered, "Meeker's getting tired."
Dud excelled in football and wrestling during his four years here, and only a series of injuries have prevented him from attaining the honor that would otherwise have been his.
From February into October 1943, Commander Morton took Wahoo on four more patrols, covering enemy-controlled waters in the shallow Yellow Sea, off Northern Japan and into the Sea of Japan. And "Mushmouth" seems to have brought along a goodly supply of that same Florida sunshine and happiness. Commander Morton's brilliant tactical ability and inspiring leadership throughout these extremely hazardous operations reflect great credit upon himself, his command and the Unites States Naval Service.
Note that the forward radar mast, mounted in front of the periscope shears, has been censored out of this photograph.
Navy Directories & Officer Registers
The "Register of Commissioned and Warrant Officers of the United States Navy and Marine Corps" was published annually from 1815 through at least the 1970s; it provided rank, command or station, and occasionally billet until the beginning of World War II when command/station was no longer included.
He wrote about Morton, "When a natural leader and born daredevil such as Mush Morton is given command of a submarine, the result can only be a fighting ship of the highest order, with officers and men who would follow their skipper to the Gates of Hell…. By courageous action he destroyed completely every vessel of the convoy, which included two cargo ships, a tanker and a troop transport, contributing outstandingly to the success of operations in New Guinea.
Dud's ever-ready sense of humor and charming personality have made him admired of many; while a heart of gold and a vast appreciation and understanding of others have made Dud beloved of those who are so fortunate as to really know the man behind the smile.
Plebe Varsity Football "30"; Varsity Football 3, 2, 1, NA; Plebe Varsity Wrestling W30T; Varsity Wrestling, NA, 3, WNT 2, 1; Gymkhana Committee 4, 3; Pep Committee 4, 3, 2, 1; Class Crew 3.
Loss
"Mush" was lost on October 11, 1943, when USS Wahoo (SS 238) was sunk by Japanese air and surface attack.
Commissioned in the rank of Ensign upon graduation in June 1930, he initially served in the aircraft carrier Saratoga and cruiser Chicago.
General Orders: Commander In Chief Pacific Fleet: Serial 0938 (April 22, 1943)
Service: Navy
Rank: Lieutenant Commander
From Hall of Valor:
The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting a Second Gold Star in lieu of a Third Award of the Navy Cross to Lieutenant Commander Dudley Walker Morton (NSN: 0-63274), United States Navy, for extraordinary heroism in the line of his profession as Commanding Officer of the U.S.S.
Officer standing at left appears to be the Executive Officer, Lieutenant Richard H. O'Kane. In January and February 1943, he took Wahoo into the waters off northern New Guinea, where several Japanese ships were sunk or seriously damaged, among them the destroyer Harusame, torpedoed after an almost incredibly bold penetration of Wewak harbor, and the transport Buyo Maru.
He is holding a rough chart of what appears to be a small part of the northern New Guinea coast. Morton soon proved himself to be one of World War II's most daring and able submarine commanders, an inspiration to many of his colleagues during a period when the Pacific submarine force was shaking off excessively cautious tactical doctrines while simultaneously suffering under the dispiriting burden of unreliable torpedoes.
In 1933, Lieutenant (Junior Grade) Morton reported to the Submarine Base, New London, for instruction as a submarine officer.