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Commander Dudley "Mush" Morton

Dudley Walker Morton (17 July 1907 – 11 October 1943) was a submarine commander of the United States Navy during World War II.

"Mush" Morton was born in Owensboro, Kentucky, 17 July 1907, and graduated from the Naval Academy in 1930. Prior to the beginning of World War II, he served in the Saratoga (CV-3), Chicago (CA-29), Canopus (AS-9), Fairfax (DD-93), and the submarines R-5 and S-37. Promoted to Commander 15 October 1942, he took over Wahoo (SS-238) 31 December. Between 26 January 1943 and 11 October, he carried out four offensive patrols,during which Wahoo was responsible for sinking 19 cargo and transport ships for a combined total of 55,000 tons. During Wahoo's third war patrol, Morton was responsible for an incident in which survivors of a sunken Japanese transport were killed by machine gun fire while in the water. Unlike German submariner Heinz-Wilhelm Eck, who was executed as a war criminal for ordering the killing of shipwreck survivors, Morton was never held responsible for his actions. Controversy still surrounds the incident. Richard O'Kane believed this event prevented Morton from being awarded the Medal of Honor.^[1]

After three arduous war patrols, Morton was given the highly dangerous assignment of penetrating the Sea of Japan. It has been suggested fatigue contributed to his loss; some believe he, and not O'Kane, should have been sent to new construction, since it would have provided an opportunity to rest. Commander Morton was reported missing in action in December, when his submarine was presumed lost. After the war, it was determined from Japanese records that, on 11 October, the date Wahoo was due to exit through La Perouse Strait, an antisubmarine aircraft found a surfaced submarine and attacked, dropping three depth charges. Declared dead 7 January 1946, Morton had been awarded the Navy Cross, three gold stars in lieu of a second, third, and fourth Navy Cross, and the Army Distinguished Service Cross in acknowledgement of his outstanding professional skills and excellent judgment.

In 1960 Vice Admiral Charles A. Lockwood, Jr., ComSubPac during the war, was asked to write the foreword for former Wahoo crewmember Forest Sterling's book, Wake of the Wahoo. 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…. And they did." Added Lockwood, "Morton lined up an impressive number of 'firsts' during the short ten months that he commanded Wahoo: first to penetrate an enemy harbor and sink a ship therein; first to use successfully a down the throat shot; and first to wipe out an entire convoy single-handed."

The destroyer Morton (DD-948) was named in his honor.

• Anthony Miers
• Unterseeboot 852 and the SS Peleus incedent

• history.navy.mil: USS Morton
• USS Morton website biography
• Page on the third patrol controversy on warfish.com, a site about Wahoo