- Ignatius J. Galantin
Infobox Military Person
name=Ignatius J. Galantin
born= 1910
died= death year and age|2004|1910
caption=At periscope of USS|Henry L. Stimson|SSBN-655|6,March 17 ,1968 .
nickname=Pete
placeofbirth=New York City ,New York
placeofdeath=
placeofburial=
allegiance= United States of America
branch=United States Navy
serviceyears=1933-1970
rank=Admiral
unit=
commands=Navy Material Command USS Navasota USS R-11
battles=World War II Korean War
awards=Navy Cross Navy Distinguished Service Medal Silver Star (3)
relations=
laterwork=Ignatius Joseph "Pete" Galantin was a four star
United States Navy admiral, World War IINavy Cross recipient, and the first commander of the Navy Material Command.Early career
Galatin was born in
New York City , onSeptember 24 ,1910 , son of Ignatius Peter and Mary Elizabeth (Binder) Galantin. He attendedMaine Township High School ,Des Plaines, Illinois , and had a year of night school at theArmour Institute of Technology in Chicago, before his appointment to theUnited States Naval Academy in 1929. As a Midshipman he was captain of the fencing team, and in 1933 was intercollegiate champion. Graduated with the class of 1933-A and commissioned ensign, to rank fromJune 1 ,1933 , he subsequently advanced to the rank of admiral, to date fromMay 19 ,1967 .After graduation from the Naval Academy, he served until December 1935 as a junior watch and division officer on board
USS New York (BB-34) , operating with Battleship Division ONE, Battle Force. He then had submarine training at the Submarine School, New London, Connecticut, and in July 1936 joined USS|Argonaut|SM-1, the largest submarine-minelayer, to serve as first lieutenant and gunner officer in the Hawaiian Islands area. In June 1940 he reported as executive officer and navigator ofUSS S-24 (SS-129) , which was transferred to the British early in the World War II period by lend-lease agreement.World War II
In August 1942 he assumed command of the
USS R-11 (SS-88) . Thereafter, in June 1943 he joinedUSS Sculpin (SS-191) and participated in one war patrol in the Pacific area. From August 1943 until December 1944 he was in command ofUSS Halibut (SS-232) , which was awarded theNavy Unit Commendation for her tenth war patrol. He took part in theBattle of Leyte Gulf as Commanding Officer of "Halibut", and sank a large Japanese warship off Cape Engamo, P.I. He was personally awarded theNavy Cross , theSilver Star and two Gold Stars in lieu of the second and third Silver Star Medal.Halibut was so severely damaged by Japanese depth charges that it was not salvageable so the submarine was scrapped. In January and February 1945 he served as operations and gunnery officer on the Staff of Commander Submarine Squadron Ten, then flew over
the Hump toChungking , China for three months’ duty as Submarine Liaison Officer to the Chief of the Naval Group. During the period June to November 1945, he served as operations and gunnery officer on the Staff of Commander Submarine Task Group, Saipan.Postwar
Upon his return to the United States in November 1945, he was ordered to the Staff of Commander Submarines, Atlantic Fleet, and served as personnel officer until July 1947. After duty as executive officer of
USS Proteus (AS-19) , a submarine tender, he served as operations and gunnery officer on the Staff of Commander Submarine Squadron Eight. He had command of Submarine Division Fifty-one in 1949, and in December of that year reported to the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations, Navy Department, Washington, D.C., where he served until July 1952 as head of the Submarine Branch, Fleet Maintenance Division.He assumed command of
USS Navasota (AO-106) in August 1952, and was awarded a Letter of Commendation, with Ribbon and Combat "V," for "meritorious service as Commanding Officer of USS Navasota during combat operations against enemy North Korean and Chinese Communist forces in the Korean Theatre from 15 February 1953 to 1 June 1953…" The next year he commanded Submarine Squadron Seven, and from August 1954 to June 1955 was a student at theNational War College in Washington, D.C.Flag officer
Upon graduation from the National War College, he was ordered to the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations, Navy Department, where he served for two years as head of the Submarine Warfare Branch, Undersea Warfare Division. He was Deputy Chief of Staff for Logistics and Administration of the Commander in Chief, Allied Forces Southern Europe, stationed in Naples, Italy, from September 1957 until
November 4 ,1959 , then reported as Commander Cruiser Division Two. In January 1961 he became Director of the Antisubmarine/Submarine Warfare Division, Office of the Chief of Naval Operations (later redesignated Submarine Warfare Division). OnFebruary 26 ,1962 he was assigned as Special Projects Office in the Office of the Secretary of the Navy, Navy Department. OnMarch 1 ,1965 he assumed duty as Chief of Naval Material. Upon the reorganization of the Navy Department, effectiveMay 1 ,1966 , he was designated Chief of Naval Material,Naval Material Command .Legacy
On
July 1 ,1970 Admiral Galantin was transferred to the Retired List of the U.S. Navy. In retirement, he published two books concerning submarines: "Take Her Deep", a more or less autobiographical account of Galantin’s wartime action when he was skipper of Halibut and "Submarine Admiral" which describes the evolutionary process of the submarine in the U.S. Navy.Admiral Galantin was a member of the New York Society of Military and Naval Officers of the World Wars. He was married in 1935 to Virginia E. Jaeckel of New York. They had three daughters, six grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren.
Admiral Galantin died on
July 6 ,2004 at the age of 93. He was buried at theUnited States Naval Academy Cemetery with full military honors.Military awards
In addition to the Distinguished Service Medal, the Navy Cross, the Silver Star Medal with two Gold Stars, the Commendation Ribbon and the Navy Unit Commendation Ribbon, Galantin was awarded the
American Defense Service Medal , Fleet Clasp;American Campaign Medal ;Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal with five combat stars; theWorld War II Victory Medal ;China Service Medal ;National Defense Service Medal with bronze star;Korean Service Medal with two combat stars; and theUnited Nations Service Medal . He also has theKorean Presidential Unit Citation Badge and thePhilippine Republic Presidential Unit Citation Badge.ee also
Reference
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