Howard Gilmore

Howard Gilmore was born in Selma, Alabama, on September 29, 1902. On the night of February 6-7, 1943, his submarine USS Growler was closing a Japanese convoy on the surface when the escort Hayasaki turned to ram her. Gilmore, wounded and still on the bridge, ordered the boat taken down, which let her dive and left him behind. The commander died at 40, off the Solomon Islands, and his body was never recovered. The Medal of Honor was issued to him on July 13, 1943.

Where it stands

Worth the stop nearby

• Mardi Gras Museum of Imperial Calcasieu — 1.1 mi
  A 6,000-square-foot museum of southwest Louisiana Carnival with about 275 costume mannequins and 14 animated figures, opened in April 2026.
• Imperial Calcasieu Museum — 1.4 mi
  Lake Charles's history museum, founded by the Junior League in 1963, with parish artifacts, Claire Chennault's uniform and the Sallier Oak.
• Sam Houston Jones State Park — 5.0 mi
  A 1,087-acre park on the West Fork of the Calcasieu with longleaf pine, cypress-tupelo swamp, five trails, cabins and kayak rentals.
• Creole Nature Trail Adventure Point — 9.4 mi
  A free visitor center at the western gateway of Louisiana's only All-American Road, with exhibits on alligators, migrating songbirds and the estuary.

More markers nearby

• Homer L. Wise — steps away
• John R. Kane — steps away
• Leroy Johnson — steps away
• Emanual Stance — steps away