The United States Navy Memorial Stories of Service Program is honored to announce the June 2025 story of the month has been selected to recognize the service of United States Navy Veteran, ABH3 Francis W. Cawley. The United States Navy Memorial Stories of Service Program was privileged to interview ABH3 Cawley at the USS Saratoga Association Reunion in Jacksonville Florida in 2024.

Within every veteran’s story lies a journey of transformation, courage, and sacrifice. For Francis Cawley, a proud Irish Catholic from Boston, that journey began with a leap of faith into the United States Navy that led him across oceans and onto the flight deck of the USS Saratoga during the Vietnam War. His four years of service were marked by grit, honor, and a deep sense of duty to his shipmates and country.

Francis Cawley entered the Navy with one semester of college, which immediately set him apart. At boot camp in Great Lakes, Illinois, he soon learned it was a crash course in Navy life—marching, seamanship, knot-tying, and learning to work with people from all walks of life. “It was all about becoming a teammate,” ABH3 Cawley shared. “Even if you didn’t know someone long, you had to learn to work with them.”

After boot camp, ABH3 Cawley trained at Lakehurst, New Jersey, to become an Aviation Boatswain’s Mate. His classroom was the historic hangar near where the Hindenburg crashed. There, he learned shipboard and aircraft firefighting, often training daily on fire pads and in mock compartments filled with smoke, fuel, and flames. He became proficient at firefighting. He gained the necessary tools essential for saving lives on the flight deck.

Upon graduation, ABH3 Cawley was assigned to the USS Saratoga, stationed in Mayport, Florida. The transition from Boston to Florida was exciting, but stepping onto the massive aircraft carrier for the first time was intimidating. “I thought I’d never find my way around,” he laughed. “It was like a floating city.” Francis worked briefly in food service and maintenance before being called up to the flight deck. He began as a “blue shirt,” responsible for handling aircraft. It was dangerous, high-stakes work, and Cawley thrived.

Before deployment, the Saratoga underwent rigorous sea trials. Fire drills, crash barricade setups, and equipment inspections were timed and graded. ABH3 Cawley and his team had to rig emergency nets for aircraft in distress in under three minutes. “It was all about precision and speed,” he remarked. Originally slated for a NATO cruise, the Saratoga was redirected to the Pacific. The ship sailed from Florida around the Cape of Good Hope, through the Indian Ocean, and into the South China Sea—eventually supporting operations off the coast of Vietnam. Along the way, Francis participated in the traditional “Crossing the Line” ceremony, joining the Realm of King Neptune, alongside his ship’s captain.

The Saratoga operated at both Yankee Station (off North Vietnam) and Dixie Station (off South Vietnam). After proving their readiness, the crew began combat operations in the north. “By the time we left North Vietnam, we had become the best crew we ever were,” he shared fondly.

It was during this time that ABH3 Cawley formed a bond with Lieutenant John Cabral, a fellow Bostonian and A-7 pilot. They shared stories of home, college, and dreams. One morning, Lt. Cabral invited Francis through the officer’s passageways to the flight deck—a rare gesture of camaraderie. “You’re with me,” he said. That day, Cawley helped launch Cabral’s aircraft. He gave him a thumbs-up. Cabral returned the gesture. Moments later, tragedy struck. The aircraft inverted after launch and crashed into the sea. Though his body was recovered, Cabral did not survive. ABH3 Cawley helped carry his fallen friend to sick bay. “It’s been over 50 years,” he says, “and I still think about him almost every day.” Years later, ABH3 Cawley visited Cabral’s grave in Peabody, Massachusetts. “It’s just him, his mom, and his dad,” he says. “I talked with him again. Told him I missed him.”

Despite the hardships, there were moments of joy. ABH3 Cawley fondly remembers Singapore—its colors, food, and kindness. A Navy friend’s family even paid for a hotel stay for him and his shipmates. “Singapore was wonderful,” he says. “One of the most beautiful ports I’ve ever seen.”

He also visited Hong Kong, Spain, Italy, and Istanbul during a Mediterranean cruise. He recalls seeing Russian bombers—“the Bears”—shadowing the fleet, and the quiet tension of the Cold War at sea.

After Vietnam, Francis married and started a family. Though offered a transfer to a new carrier and a promotion, he chose to return home in 1975. “I had a wife and two kids,” he shared. “It was time.”

He transitioned into the printing industry, using his trade school background in graphic arts. For 37 years, he worked as a journeyman four-color stripper—until digital technology changed the industry. “We used to spend a million dollars a year on film,” he says. “Then one year, we didn’t spend a penny.”

ABH3 Cawley’s dedication and skill earned him the role of Flight Deck Petty Officer. At just 21 years old, he was responsible for managing aircraft movement, safety, and coordination in one of the most hazardous environments in the military.

His journey—from Boston to an accomplished Sailor, from firefighting drills to combat operations—embodies the Navy’s core values: honor, courage, and commitment. His story is not just one of service, but of brotherhood, sacrifice, and the enduring bonds forged at sea.

The United States Navy Memorial honors United States Navy Veteran, ABH3 Francis W. Cawley featured within this series titled, Tales from the Navy Log, Story of the Month. Each month, this series honors a Veteran’s story recorded by the Stories of Service Program at the Navy Memorial. To learn more about this story and to explore the Navy Memorial archive, visit the Navy Memorial Stories of Service site at https://www.navymemorial.org/stories-of-service