Furlong, William Rea, 1881-1976

U.S. Navy officer; died 1976.

From the description of Papers of William Rea Furlong, 1892-1985 (bulk 1930-1945). (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 71072230

U.S. naval officer; d. 1976.

From the description of Papers, 1892-1985 (bulk 1930-1945). (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 28424359

Biographical Note

• 1881, May 26: Born, Allenport, Pa.
• 1898: Graduated, Teachers College, California, Pa.
• 1905: Graduated, United States Naval Academy, Annapolis, Md.
• 1905 - 1909 : Ensign on USS Maryland
• 1910: Married Cora Grover
• 1910 - 1912 : Commanded the USS Chicago in reserve commission, Boston, Mass.
• 1914: M.S. in electrical and radio engineering, Columbia University, New York, N.Y.
• 1914 - 1916 : Fleet radio officer and aide on the staff of the commander-in-chief, United States Atlantic Fleet
• 1916 - 1917 : Gunnery officer on USS South Carolina and USS Nevada
• 1918: Gunnery observer on USS New York, operating in European waters Gunnery observer in the war zone with the British Grand First Fleet
• 1919 - 1920 : Chief of Fire Control Section, Bureau of Ordnance, Navy Department, Washington D.C. Introduced synchronous fire control system and remote control of guns by power
• 1921 - 1923 : Aide on the staff and fleet gunnery officer to the commander-in-chief, United States Pacific Fleet
• 1923 - 1926 : Served in office of the Chief of Naval Operations, Navy Department, Washington, D.C.
• 1926 - 1928 : Executive officer of USS West Virginia Captain of USS Neches Division commander of six destroyers in the Pacific
• 1928 - 1931 : Chief of Policy and Liaison Section, Office of Island Government, Navy Department, Washington, D.C.
• 1931 - 1933 : Commander of USS Marblehead
• 1934 - 1936 : Inspector of ordnance in charge, Naval Proving Ground, Dahlgren, Va.
• 1937 - 1941 : Promoted to rear admiral and chief of the Bureau of Ordnance, Navy Department, Washington, D.C.
• 1941, Feb. - 1941 Dec. : Commander of Minecraft Battle Force, Pearl Harbor, Hawaii; engaged in defense of Pearl Harbor on 7 December 1941, when his flagship, the USS Oglala, was strafed and torpedoed by the Japanese
• 1941, Dec. - 1945 : Commander of navy yard at Pearl Harbor; charged with salvaging and repairing ships sunk during Japanese attack and returning them for use in the Pacific war
• 1944: Awarded Legion of Merit
• 1945: Awarded Gold Star in lieu of second Legion of Merit
• 1946: Retired from United States Navy
• 1949: Elected commander-in-chief of the Military Order of the World Wars
• 1950: Presented with the Freedom Foundation award
• 1976, June 2: Died, Bethesda, Md.
• 1981: Published So Proudly We Hail: The History of the United States Flag. Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian Institution Press

From the guide to the William Rea Furlong Papers, 1892-1985, (bulk 1930-1945), (Manuscript Division Library of Congress)