Walter E. Reno

Infobox Military Person
name= Walter E. Reno
born= birth date|1881|10|3
died= death date and age|1917|11|19|1881|10|3
placeofbirth= Davis County, Iowa
placeofdeath=
placeofburial=


caption=
nickname=
allegiance= flag|United States
branch=United States Navy
serviceyears= 1905-1917
rank= Lieutenant Commander
commands=USS|Chauncey|DD-3
unit=
battles= World War I
awards= Navy Cross
laterwork=

Walter Elsworth Reno (3 October 1881 – November 19 1917) was an officer in the United States Navy. He died while on convoy duty in World War I, when his ship was accidentally rammed by a British vessel.

Biography

Born in Davis County, Iowa, Reno entered the Naval Academy in 1901 and graduated in 1905. While a junior officer, Reno served primarily in battleships. He was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant in 1910 and during the next four years was stationed in the battleships "New Jersey" and "Wisconsin". From early 1914 until early 1916 he was Officer in Charge at the Chicago, Illinois, Navy Recruiting Station.

Lieutenant Reno then went out to the Philippines, where he took command of the destroyer "Chauncey" (DD-3). In the Summer of 1917, after United States had entered World War I, Reno brought his ship from the Far East to the European war zone. While on convoy escort duty west of Gibraltar during the night of 19 November 1917, "Chauncey" was rammed by British merchantman "Rose" and sank, taking with her Lieutenant Commander Reno and twenty of his ship's officers and men. [ [http://history.navy.mil/photos/pers-us/uspers-r/we-reno.htm US People--Reno, Walter E, Lieutenant Commander, USN ] at history.navy.mil]

Reno was awarded the Navy Cross for "for exceptionally distinguished service in the line of his profession in command of the U.S.S. Chauncey in making the trip of 11,000 miles from Manila, P. I., to Gibraltar, under very unfavorable weather conditions". [ [http://www.homeofheroes.com/valor/1_Citations/01_wwi-nc/nc_02_WW1_Navy-MIS.html Full Text Citations for Award of the Navy Cross for actions prior to World War I ] ]

ee also

*USS|Reno|DD-303 was named in his honor.

References

*DANFS|http://www.history.navy.mil/danfs/r4/reno-i.htm
* [http://www.history.navy.mil/photos/pers-us/uspers-r/we-reno.htm US Naval Historical Center - Lieutenant Commander Walter E. Reno, USN (1881-1917)]