Julien J. LeBourgeois

Julien J. LeBourgeois
Julien J. LeBourgeois
	Vice Admiral
Commands held	Naval War College; Southern Anti-Air/Search and Rescue Element; USS Halsey (DLG-23); USS Norris (DD-859)
Battles/wars	World War II Pacific War Palau campaign; Battle of Peleliu; Leyte campaign; Battle of Surigao Strait; Battle of Mindoro; Invasion of Lingayen Gulf; Battle of Balikpapan; ; Combat "V"

Julien Johnson LeBourgeois (23 November 1923 – 16 September 2012) was a

vice admiral of the United States Navy. His career included service in World War II, the Cold War, and the Vietnam War, duty aboard and command of cruisers and destroyers, various planning and staff assignments, and a tour as President of the Naval War College

.

Early life

LeBourgeois was born in

Georgia Military Academy in College Park, Georgia. He entered the United States Naval Academy in 1941, where he was a member of the track team, and graduated in 1944 after only three years due to the accelerated curriculum in use during World War II.^[1]^[2]^[3]

Naval career

World War II

LeBourgeois' first assignment was as a

Battle of Surigao Strait, a part of the Battle of Leyte Gulf. Columbia also supported the invasion of Mindoro and took part in the invasion of Lingayen Gulf on Luzon, during which three kamikazes struck Columbia and for which the ship was awarded a Presidential Unit Citation. After that, Columbia operated in support of the invasion of Balikpapan and took part in the 1945 anti-shipping sweep in the South China Sea.^[1]^[2]

1946–1965

LeBourgeois remained aboard Columbia through the end of World War II and for an additional year beyond, leaving her in August 1946 to report for duty as gunnery officer and first lieutenant aboard the destroyer escort USS Harveson (DE-316). In June 1947 he transferred to the destroyer USS Brownson (DD-868) and served as her gunnery officer, first lieutenant, and damage control officer over the next two years.^[1]

Beginning in July 1949, LeBourgeois attended first the

naval attaché at the American Legation.^[1] In October 1953, LeBourgeois was appointed a communications officer on the staff of Commander, Destroyer Flotilla 4. In August 1955, he moved to the Current Intelligence Branch of the Joint Staff in the Office of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.^[1]

In September 1957, LeBourgeois began his next sea tour, joining the pre-

Arlington, Virginia.^[1]^[4]

After leaving Blandy, LeBourgeois attended the

Battle Efficiency Award twice.^[1]

LeBourgeois relinquished command of Norris on 3 April 1961 and joined the staff of Commander, Destroyer Force, Atlantic Fleet, where he led a team of

Industrial College of the Armed Forces in Washington, D.C., from July 1961 to June 1962. After completing his studies, he was assigned to the Strategic Plans Division of the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations, earning a Master's degree in International Affairs from George Washington University in 1963 during his tour. From December 1962 to June 1965, he was executive assistant and senior aide to the Deputy Chief of Naval Operations (Plans and Policy). He received the Legion of Merit for this appointment.^[1]^[2]

Vietnam War

In September 1965, LeBourgeois took command of the

Battle Efficiency Award for its performance under LeBourgeois' command during 1966.^[1]

1967–1977

In July 1967, LeBourgeois left Halsey for an assignment in the Systems Analysis Division in the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations. In April 1968 he became executive assistant and senior aide to the Chief of Naval Operations. He received a second award of the Legion of Merit for his service in this post.[1]

In January 1970, LeBourgeois, newly promoted to

North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) staff of the Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR) in Casteau, Belgium. He received the Navy Distinguished Service Medal for his performance in this role.^[1] In May 1972, LeBourgeois was promoted to vice admiral and began an assignment as chief of staff to the NATO Supreme Allied Commander Atlanticin Norfolk, Virginia.^[1]

On 9 August 1974, LeBourgeois became the 38th President of the Naval War College in Newport, Rhode Island. During his presidency, he consolidated and refined radical curriculum changes made by his predecessor, Vice Admiral Stansfield Turner. He also laid the groundwork for the creation of the Center for Advanced Research at the college and initiated the establishment of the Naval War College Museum, a museum of naval history and of the U.S. Navy's regional history in Founders Hall.^[6] His tour as president ended on 1 April 1977, at which time he was awarded a second Distinguished Service Medal.^[1]

Upon completion of his Naval War College tour, LeBourgeois retired from the navy as a vice admiral.^[1]

Personal life

LeBourgeois was married to Priscilla Dudley LeBourgeois (née Priscilla Alden Dudley) for nearly 64 years, and she survived him at his death. Other survivors include a son, Julien Dudley LeBourgeois, and daughter, Anne LeBourgeois Grieves (née Anne Armour LeBourgeois).^[3]

Retirement and death

After retiring, LeBourgeois moved to

Colby-Sawyer College. In 2004, the college presented him with the Town Award for his involvement in the community and his contributions to the school. He later moved to Williamsburg, Virginia.^[2]^[3]

Suffering from heart and kidney disease, LeBourgeois died in a retirement community in Williamsburg on 16 September 2012.[2] He was to be buried at the United States Naval Academy Cemetery in Annapolis, Maryland,^[3] in October 2012, but Hurricane Sandy forced a postponement of his funeral until 22 March 2013, when his cremated remains were interred with full military honors.