Walter S. DeLany
Walter S. DeLany | |
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Born | Reading, Pennsylvania | 21 January 1891
Died | 21 September 1980 Bethesda, Maryland | (aged 89)
Buried | |
Service/ | United States Navy |
Years of service | 1912–1953 |
Rank | Vice admiral |
Commands held |
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Battles/wars |
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Other work |
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Walter S. DeLany (21 January 1891 – 21 September 1980) was a
Biography
Early life
Walter Stanley DeLany was born in
Early career
DeLany was
DeLany detached from Minnesota in May 1915 and received a promotion to
World War I
DeLany was serving aboard Nevada when the United States entered
DeLany returned to the United States in August 1918 and assumed duty as executive officer of the destroyer USS Craven upon her commissioning on 19 October 1918.[1] Craven was still in the United States when World War I came to an end with an armistice with Germany on 11 November 1918.
During the war, DeLany received temporary promotions to
Interwar period
DeLany served aboard Craven until June 1919 as she operated along the
DeLany left the recruiting station in November 1921, when he reported aboard the newly commissioned transport USS Argonne (AP-4) for duty as her navigator and first lieutenant. Duing his tour aboard her, Argonne made her maiden voyage – to the Caribbean – followed by a number of voyages from the U.S. East Coast to East Asia.[4] While aboard Argonne, he received a permanent promotion to lieutenant commander in 1922.[1]
In June 1923 DeLany became executive officer of the destroyer
DeLany returned to the Department of the Navy in February 1930 and served for three years in the Ships’ Movements Division in the Office of the
World War II
The United States entered World War II with the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on 7 December 1941. DeLany continued in his assignment on the staff of the Commander-in-Chief, Pacific Fleet, until 23 June 1942. He was awarded the Legion of Merit for "exceptionally meritorious service" in that assignment, the award citation stating, "During this vitally important period he displayed the highest qualities of judgment and initiative, thereby contributing materially to the prosecution of the war against Japan."[1]
On 24 June 1942 DeLany assumed command of the
Promoted to rear admiral with date of rank effective 26 May 1942, DeLany was detached from New Orleans to report on 12 November 1942 as Assistant Chief of Staff (Operations), to Commander-in-Chief, United States Fleet, at U.S. Navy headquarters in Washington, D.C.[1] When the Joint Army–Navy Assessment Committee (JANAC) was created in January 1943 to assess enemy naval and merchant shipping losses during World War II, he was appointed as its chairman, a function he performed until relieved by Rear Admiral Jerauld Wright after the war.[11] In addition, on 19 March 1943 he was redesignated Assistant Chief of Staff (Readiness), in that assignment serving as the U.S. Navy representative on the Joint Committee on New Weapons and Equipment (JNW), and was in this position when World War II ended in August 1945. He was awarded a second Legion of Merit for "exceptionally meritorious service … from November 1942 to August 1945 … During this long period, by the exercise of great foresight, broad vision, unusual initiative, sound judgment, superior professional knowledge, and high executive ability, he directed the improvement and development of means, methods, and practices which kept the United States Fleet in a continually higher state of readiness for battle than those of the enemies and contributed in a great degree to the successful prosecution of the war."[1]
Post-World War II and Cold War
After a reorganization in October 1945, DeLany continued as head of the Operational Readiness Section of the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations and headed the post-World War II Training Policy Board. On 26 January 1946, he was given the temporary rank of vice admiral as Commander Battleships-Cruisers, Pacific Fleet, with the heavy cruiser USS St. Paul (CA-73) as his flagship. He continued in that command until June 1948.[1]
Ordered to the
Retirement
Upon DeLany's retirement, the City of New York, at a civic ceremony, awarded him its gold medal for "Distinguished and Outstanding Public Service."[1]
Subsequent to DeLany's retirement, President Dwight D. Eisenhower appointed him to serve as Deputy Administrator for Mutual Defense Assistance Control in the United States Department of Defense′s United States Foreign Operations Administration, and the United States Senate confirmed this appointment in May 1953. He remained in this position when it moved to the United States Department of State′s International Cooperation Administration in 1955, serving continuously from May 1953 until March 1961, coordinating East–West strategic trade projects.[1][12]
DeLany became associated with the Naval Historical Foundation in 1961 and became its president in 1967, serving in that capacity until his death.[1][13][14] Among its other activities, the Naval Historical Foundation published a series of pamphlets on subjects of interest in U.S. Navy history.[14] As part of the series, DeLany wrote Bayly′s Navy, a short memoir of his World War I service aboard USS Wilkes at Queenstown, Ireland. The foundation published it in the fall of 1980, shortly after DeLany's death.[15] DeLany had a passion for the Navy Department Library, which became part of the Naval Historical Center (later renamed the Naval History and Heritage Command) during his tenure as president, and in recognition of his support for the library its reading room was dedicated in his honor.[14]
DeLany also was active in the
Personal life
DeLany married the former Lou May Sharman. The couple had one daughter, Kathryn DeLany Fawkes; one son, U.S. Navy Captain Walter S. DeLany Jr.; and four grandchildren.[13]
DeLany was an original member of the Queenstown Association — a veterans organization for U.S. Navy and Royal Navy personnel who served together at Queenstown, Ireland, during World War I – until its dissolution in 1961,[15] as well as of the Army and Navy Club in Washington, D.C., the Huguenot Society in Washington, D.C., and the Sons of the Revolution.[1][13] He was a member of All Souls Memorial Episcopal Church in Washington, D.C., and served on its vestry from 1965 to 1968 and as its senior warden from 1973 to 1975.[13]
Death
Suffering from
Honors and awards
- Legion of Merit (two awards)[1][13]
- National Defense Service Medal[17]
- Mexican Service Medal[1]
- World War I Victory Medal with Destroyer Clasp[1]
- American Defense Service Medal[1]
- American Campaign Medal[1]
- Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal[1]
- World War II Victory Medal[1]
- Navy Occupation Service Medal with Asia Clasp[1]
- China Service Medal[1]
- Republic of China)[1]
- Gold Medal for Distinguished and Outstanding Public Service (New York City)[1]
See also
References
- ^ "Minnesota II (Battleship No. 22)". Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. Naval History and Heritage Command. 9 April 2020. Retrieved 9 February 2024.
- ^ "Wilkes II (Destroyer No. 67) 1916–1934". Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. Naval History and Heritage Command. 2 February 2017. Retrieved 9 February 2024.
- ^ "Argonne II (AP-4) 1921–1946". Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. Naval History and Heritage Command. 18 May 2020. Retrieved 10 February 2024.
- ^ "Lamson II (Destroyer No. 328)". Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. Naval History and Heritage Command. 24 February 2016. Retrieved 10 February 2024.
- ^ "Oklahoma (Battleship No. 37) 1916–1944". Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. Naval History and Heritage Command. 20 May 2021. Retrieved 10 February 2024.
- ^ "New York V (Battleship No. 34) 1914–1946". Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. Naval History and Heritage Command. 12 September 2017. Retrieved 10 February 2024.
- ^ "Mugford II (DD-389)". Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. Naval History and Heritage Command. 11 August 2015. Retrieved 10 February 2024.
- ^ "Honolulu II (CL-48)". Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. Naval History and Heritage Command. 20 July 2015. Retrieved 10 February 2024.
- ^ "New Orleans II (CA-32) 1934–1959". Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. Naval History and Heritage Command. 27 January 2021. Retrieved 10 February 2024.
- ^ "Foreword". JANAC. Hyperwar.com. Retrieved 2008-09-04.
- ^ "FOREIGN RELATIONS OF THE UNITED STATES, 1955–1957, FOREIGN AID AND ECONOMIC DEFENSE POLICY, VOLUME X, List of Persons". history.state.gov. Office of the Historian, United States Department of State. Retrieved 10 February 2024.
- ^ a b c d e f "Adm. W. S. Delany, Veteran of Two World Wars". The Washington Post. Washington, D.C. 23 September 1980. Retrieved 9 February 2024.
- ^ "DeLANY, Walter, VADM Deceased". togetherweserved.com. Together We Served. 23 May 2011. Retrieved 9 February 2024.
- ^ "WALTER STANLEY DELANY". navylog.navymemorial.org. The United States Navy Memorial. Retrieved 10 February 2024.