- Frank R. Walker
Frank Robinson Walker (1899–1976) was an admiral in the
United States Navy duringWorld War II , most notably during theSolomon Islands campaign between 1942 and 1943.Born in
Florence, Alabama , Walker entered theUnited States Naval Academy , graduating in 1922. Serving in various positions throughout the 1920s and 1930s, Walker distinguished himself during theattack on Pearl Harbor when, commanding "Patterson" (DD-392), he was one of the few captains to escape the harbor during the raid. In early 1942, Walker was assigned command of Destroyer Division 8 in theSouthwest Pacific area, later leading screening and reconnaissance operation shortly before the landings atGuadalcanal andTulagi onAugust 7 ,1942 . Walker would take part in theBattle of Savo Island during the night ofAugust 8 –9, where Japanese naval forces sank one Australian and three Americancruiser s suffering minimal casualties.While commanding
Destroyer Squadron 4 during theSolomon Islands campaign , Walker failed to prevent a Japanese naval force consisting of ninedestroyer s and twelve various other ships from evacuating the 600-man garrison during theBattle of Vella Lavella onOctober 6 –7, 1943. Appointed commander ofRoosevelt Base and Small Craft Training Center at San Pedro (now part ofLos Angeles, California ) the following year, Walker would remain in that post for the remainder of the war.In 1946, Walker was given command of "Astoria" (CL-90), until appointed to the Ships' Organization Board, and later the Navy Department's Navy Regulation Board the following year. Walker would eventually resign from military service in 1952 and lived in retirement until his death in 1976.
References
*"Shipmate" obituary notice (December 1976).
*U.S. Naval Historical Center Biographical File, 1947.
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