Phil Hinkle Bucklew – Captain, United States Navy

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From a contemporary press report:

Columbus, Ohio has lost one of its famous native sons with the death of retired Captain Phil H. Bucklew, a highly decorated US Navy veteran of World War II. He was a career officer for whom is named the Phil H. Bucklew Center for US Navy Special Warfare in Coronado, California. The U.S. Navy’s sea-air-land forces, known as SEALS, are trained there.

Bucklew, 78, died December 30, 1993 in Fairfax, Virginia. Survivors include his wife of 46 years, Helen Nagel of Columbus.

Bucklew graduated from Columbus North High School, earned fame as a football fullback, punter and tight end at Xavier University in Cincinnati, and played in 1937 and ’38 for the Cleveland Rams and founded a Columbus professional football team that lasted three seasons. In October 1989, Bucklew was inducted as the 34th member of the Columbus Hall of Fame, and his photograph hangs in City Hall.

Bucklew commanded a US Navy scout boat during Allied landings in Sicily, where he won the Navy Cross. He also led a scout boat during the Normandy invasion on D-Day, where he won a Gold Star in lieu of another Navy Cross. The cross is second highest decoration for sailors after the Medal of Honor.

He also was part of the amphibious operations in North Africa, and he won the Silver Star during landings at Salerno, Italy. His medals also include Bronze Star, Legion of Merit and Croix de Guerre of France.

Bucklew left the service for two years after World War II, then re-entered in 1948. He was assigned to several bases during the wars in Korea and Vietnam, where he commanded SEAL units. He was assigned to the Pentagon when he retired in 1969.

Bucklew was buried with military honors in Arlington National Cemetery.

I noticed that your listing for Navy Captain Phil H. Bucklew, interred at Arlington, does not show the Silver Star as one of his many awards & decorations.  As a naval special warfare historian & author with Captain Bucklew’s form DD214N in front of me, I assure you that he did receive that medal for heroism under fire during the September 1943 Salerno landings.

Thank you.  John B. Dwyer

BUCKLEW, HELEN N.
On Wednesday, June 9, 2004, of Fairfax, VA. Wife of the late Capt. Philip Bucklew, USN (Ret.). Mrs. Bucklew is survived by several nieces, nephews and a host of friends. Graveside services will be held 9 a.m. Thursday, July 8, at Arlington National Cemetery. Friends are invited to assemble at the Administration Building at 8:30 a.m.

phbucklew-gravesite-photo-august-2006

BUCKLEW, HELEN N

  • DATE OF BIRTH: 02/05/1921
  • DATE OF DEATH: 06/09/2004
  • DATE OF INTERMENT: 07/08/2004
  • BURIED AT: SECTION 8  SITE 10174
  • ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY
  • WIFE OF BUCKLEW, PHIL HINKLE CAPT US NAVY

BUCKLEW, PHIL HINKLE

  • CAPT   US NAVY
  • VETERAN SERVICE DATES: 11/01/1943 – 11/01/1969
  • DATE OF BIRTH: 12/18/1914
  • DATE OF DEATH: 12/30/1992
  • DATE OF INTERMENT: 01/06/1993
  • BURIED AT: SECTION 8  SITE 10174
  • ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY

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