Samuel Gravely, born June 4, 1922 in Richmond, Virginia, joined the Naval Reserve in 1942. He graduated from UCLA, and completed Midshipmen's School at Columbia University and was commissioned as ensign in December 1944.
He was the only black officer aboard the USS PC-1264, a submarine chaser, during WWII. After the war, he was released from active duty, but remained in the Naval Reserve. He was recalled to active duty in 1949, as a recruiter in Washington, DC through the Korean War. In 1955, he transferred to the Reserve to the regular Navy and specialized in naval communications.
He was the first African American officer to command the USS Theodore E. Chandler, from February to October 1961. He commanded the destroyer USS Taussig, from January 1962 to June 1963 during the Vietnam War. He was the first African American to lead a ship into combat. In 1967 he was the first African American to be promoted to captain, and then 1971 the first to reach the rank of rear admiral.
He commanded the Third Fleet in Hawaii and then transferred to Virginia to direct the Defense Communications Agency until he retired in 1980.
He received the Legion of Merit, Bronze Star Medal, Meritorious Service, Navy Commendation Medal, WWII Victory Medal, the Korean Service Medal, and the United Nations Korea Medal.
He passed away in October 2004 after a stroke.
No comments:
Post a Comment