Donald B. Beary

Donald B. Beary
Donald B. Beary
	Vice admiral
Commands held	USS Remlik (SP-157); USS Lamson (DD-18); USS Talbot (DD-114); USS Parrott (DD-218); USS Sumner (DD-333); USS Richmond (CL-9); USS Mount Vernon (AP-22); Transport Division 19; Naval Operations Base Iceland; U.S. Atlantic Fleet; Service Squadron 6; U.S. Naval Shipping Control Authority; 12th Naval District; Naval Base San Francisco; Western Sea Frontier; Pacific Reserve Fleet; President of the Naval War College;
Battles/wars	World War I Atlantic U-boat Campaign; ; Second Nicaraguan Campaign; World War II Battle of the Atlantic; Pacific War; Battle of Iwo Jima; Battle of Okinawa; ;
Awards	Navy Cross (1918); Victory Medal, later World War I Victory Medal (1918); Second Nicaraguan Campaign Medal (1927); Yangtze Service Medal (1931); American Defense Service Medal (1941); American Campaign Medal (1941); European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal (1942); Bronze Star Medal (1943); Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (1944); Distinguished Service Medal (1945); Legion of Merit (two awards, 1945); World War II Victory Medal (1945); Distinguished Marksman and Pistol Shot Ribbon;

Donald Bradford Beary (4 December 1888 – 7 March 1966) was a

vice admiral of the United States Navy. His career included service in both World War I and World War II and a tour as President of the Naval War College. He commanded a wide variety of ships and organizations, and is particularly noted for his leadership during World War II in establishing and directing a large-scale U.S. Navy training program and for his pioneering and highly successful work as a commander of U.S. Navy underway replenishment

forces.

Naval career

Beary was born on 4 December 1888 in Helena, Montana. He entered the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland, in 1906 and graduated in 1910. His first assignments were aboard three armored cruisers, USS Tennessee from 1910 to 1911, USS Washington from 1912 to 1914, and USS Maryland during 1914. He then attended Columbia University in New York City from 1915 to 1917, and received a Master of Science degree in electrical engineering from the university in 1917.^[3]

World War I

After the United States entered

Atlantic campaign.^[4]^[5]

Interwar

A

lieutenant commander by the end of World War I, Beary's first post-war assignment was duty at the U.S. Navy Bureau of Navigation from 1919 to 1921. He then commanded three destroyers, USS Talbot (DD-114) in 1921, USS Parrott (DD-218) from 1921 to 1922, and USS Sumner (DD-333) from 1922 to 1923. From 1923 to 1924 he served ashore at the United States Department of the Navy in Washington, D.C., in the Division of Fleet Training, Navy Operations. He then returned to sea with duty aboard the battleship USS New Mexico (BB-40) from 1925 to 1927, seeing service in the Second Nicaraguan Campaign.^[6]

From 1928 to 1930, Beary taught at the United States Naval Academy. He then served on the staff of the Commander-in-Chief, United States Asiatic Fleet, from 1931 to 1934, seeing service on the Yangtze Patrol. From 1934 to 1935, he was assigned to duty with the Chief of Naval Operations in Washington, D.C. He then served on the staff of the Naval War College in Newport, Rhode Island, in 1936.^[7]

Beary went back to sea in 1937 as executive officer of the battleship USS Colorado (BB-45), serving aboard her until 1938, when he was promoted to captain. He then was commanding officer of the light cruiser USS Richmond (CL-9) from 1938 to 1939 before returning to duty at the United States Naval Academy, serving a second tour as an instructor there from 1939 until 1941. On 1 October 1941, he became commanding officer of both the troop transport USS Mount Vernon (AP-22) and Transport Division 19.^[8]

World War II

Carl F. Holden during inspection of battleship New Jersey

at Norfolk Navy Yard in September 1943.

Mount Vernon was in the Atlantic Ocean as part of a convoy steaming from

Southwest Pacific until March 1942 to move additional reinforcements from the Middle East to Southeast Asia and evacuate refugees from Australia.^[9] Beary received the Bronze Star Medal

in 1943 for meritorious achievement in these operations, and was especially cited for his conspicuous professional ability, leadership, and organization during Mount Vernon's stay in Singapore.

In July 1942, Beary became Commandant of

Little Creek, Virginia. In all, he directed the training of more than a million officers and men and supervised the shakedown or refresher training of about 5,000 ships and craft. He received the Distinguished Service Medal in February 1945 for this service.^[10]^[11]

On 1 October 1944, Beary took command of

Pacific Theater and the complex and demanding task of keeping the fleets' combat forces supplied while underway for their frequent operations, including during the Battles of Iwo Jima and Okinawa. His achievements in Service Squadron 6 were recognized by two awards of the Legion of Merit

, both in 1945, for exceptional and meritorious conduct.

During the

General of the Army Douglas MacArthur

.

Post-World War II

After World War II, Beary held various commands, serving as administrator of the U.S.

Pacific Reserve Fleet.^[12]

On 1 November 1948, having reached the rank of

vice admiral, Beary returned to the Naval War College as its president. During his presidency, he sought to broaden the views of students by bringing business authorities and leaders to meet with them in roundtable discussions, laying the groundwork for the college's Global Strategy Discussions of the 1950s and Current Strategy Forum of today.^[13]

Beary remained the war college's president until 28 May 1950.[14] He retired from the navy on 1 October 1950.^[15]

Personal life

Beary was married to Alice L. Beary. They had one daughter, Alice B. Beary Meschter (1920-2006).

Beary was a decorated marksman and a member of the Navy Gun Club.^[16]

Death

Beary died on 7 March 1966 at the

San Diego, California.^[17] He was interred alongside his wife at the United States Naval Academy Cemetery and Columbarium with full military honors.^[18]