16 Facts About Slade Cutter

Slade Deville Cutter was a career US naval officer who was awarded four Navy Crosses and tied for second place for Japanese ships sunk in World War II.

Slade Cutter graduated from the United States Naval Academy as an All-American American football player.

Not only a football star, Slade Cutter was an intercollegiate boxing champion.

Slade Cutter made two more war patrols as Executive Officer of Pompano, operating in the vicinity of Okinawa and Honshu, respectively.

Slade Cutter was named Commanding Officer of Seahorse in October 1943.

Surprised by the sudden evidence of Triggers torpedoes, Slade Cutter shot nine of his own and sank two freighters.

Slade Cutter tracked the convoy for 32 hours waiting for an opening and at 0200 on the 30th was finally able to put three torpedoes into Toku Maru.

Amid the ensuing depth charge attack, Slade Cutter's men heard both torpedoes hit and the now-familiar sound of exploding gasoline drums.

Slade Cutter departed Pearl Harbor on 16 March 1944, and near Guam on 8 April came across a Japanese supply convoy, damaging two vessels that subsequently sank.

In 1997, Slade Cutter told a reporter the task force was too distant to catch, but he sent a routine contact report.

Slade Cutter was awarded a fourth Navy Cross for the patrol.

Slade Cutter was named athletic director at the Naval Academy in the late 1950s, in an effort to encourage popular football coach Eddie Erdelatz to resign.

Slade Cutter retired from active duty in 1965 and was elected to the College Football Hall of Fame in 1967.

Slade Cutter later became headmaster of a boys' school in Tucson, where he moved to care for his first wife's asthma condition.

Slade Cutter died June 9,2005, at Ginger Cove retirement community in Annapolis at age 93.

Slade Cutter was interred at the United States Naval Academy Cemetery.