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R 260013Z OCT 04 PSN 412181J17
FM CNO WASHINGTON DC
TO NAVADMIN
ZEN/NAVADMIN @ AL NAVADMIN(SC)
INFO ZEN/CNO CNO
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UNCLAS //N01770//
NAVADMIN 237/04
MSGID/GENADMIN/CNO WASHINGTON DC/N00/-/OCT//
SUBJ/PASSING OF VICE ADMIRAL SAMUEL L. GRAVELY, JR., USN (RET)//
RMKS/1.  IT IS WITH GREAT SADNESS THAT I ANNOUNCE THE PASSING OF
VICE ADMIRAL SAMUEL L. GRAVELY, JR., USN (RET).  ADMIRAL GRAVELY
EXCELLED IN HIS LIFE OF SERVICE TO OUR NATION AND INSPIRED A
GENERATION OF AMERICANS TO MAKE THE MOST OF EVERY OPPORTUNITY.  HE
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WAS 82 YEARS OLD.
2.  ADMIRAL GRAVELY WAS BORN AND RAISED IN RICHMOND, VIRGINIA.
HE WAS A TRUE SEA WARRIOR BY EVERY MEASURE, SERVING IN WORLD WAR II
AND THE KOREAN WAR, COMMANDING WARSHIPS DURING VIETNAM AND RISING TO
LEAD THE ENTIRE THIRD FLEET.
3.  DURING HIS LIFETIME OF ACHIEVEMENT, HE BECAME THE FIRST
AFRICAN-AMERICAN NAVAL OFFICER TO GRADUATE FROM THE NAVAL RESERVE
OFFICER TRAINING CORPS, TO COMMAND A COMBATANT SHIP, TO ACHIEVE FLAG
RANK, AND TO COMMAND A NAVAY FLEET.  HE ENLISTED IN THE UNITED
STATES NAVAL RESERVE IN 1942 AFTER ATTENDING VIRGINIA UNION
UNIVERSITY.  IN DECEMBER 1944, HE ACCEPTED A NAVY COMMISSION AS
AN ENSIGN THROUGH THE COLLEGE V-12 PROGRAM.  HIS WORLD WAR II
SERVICE INCLUDED DUTY AS COMMUNICATIONS OFFICER, ELECTRONICS
OFFICER, AND EXECUTIVE OFFICER OF PC-1264, A SHIP WHICH EARNED A
DISTINGUISHED RECORD AS A CONVOY ESCORT IN THE NORTH ATLANTIC.  IN
1946, HE WAS RELEASED FROM ACTIVE DUTY, AND HE RETURNED TO VIRGINIA
UNION TO OBTAIN HIS MASTERS DEGREE.  HE WAS RECALLED TO NAVAL
SERVICE IN 1949.
4.  DURING THE KOREAN WAR, ADMIRAL GRAVELY SERVED IN USS IOWA, USS
TOLEDO, AND IN USS CHANDLER, WHICH HE TEMPORARILY COMMANDED.
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THROUGHOUT THE 1960'S, ADMIRAL GRAVELY LED IN COMMAND OF USS
FALGOUT, USS TAUSSIG, AND USS JOUETT, COMPLETING THREE TOURS OF
COMBAT DUTY
IN VIETNAM.
5.  HE WAS AT SEA IN COMMAND OF JOUETT WHEN SELECTED FOR PROMOTION
TO REAR ADMIRAL.  AS A FLAG OFFICER, ADMIRAL GRAVELY COMMANDED THE
NAVAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMAND, CRUISER-DESTROYER GROUP TWO, ELEVENTH
NAVAL DISTRICT, THIRD FLEET, AND THE DEFENSE COMMUNICATIONS AGENCY.
HE RETIRED ON 1 AUGUST 1980.
6.  VICE ADMIRAL GRAVELY'S POWERFUL JOURNEY CREATED A BRIGHTER
FUTURE FOR ALL WHO SERVE AMERICA.  THE UNITED STATES NAVY IS
PROFOUNDLY GRATEFUL FOR HIS SERVICE AND DEDICATION TO OUR NATION.
7.  ADMIRAL VERN CLARK SENDS.//
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