Captain Stanley Carter Strong

Strong earned the Commendation Ribbon; Presidential Unit Citation; the Purple Heart Medal for wounds recieved in action; China Service Medal; American Defense Service Medal, Fleet Clasp; American Campaign Medal; Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal, with operation stars; Navy Occupation Service Medal, Asia Clasp; World War II Victory Medal; National Defense Service Medal; Korean Service Medal; United Nations Service Medal; and the Philippine Liberation Ribbon.

Stanley Carter Strong was born May 21, 1905 in Duluth, Minnesota, the son of Harry C. and Dorothy Clinton Strong. He attended Duluth Central High School, Augusta Military Academy, Virginia Military Institute and graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy, Annapolis, Maryland, with the Class of 1929.

Upon leaving Annapolis, Strong reported to the U.S.S. Memphis and served on that cruiser until October 1930. The following month he reported to the Naval Air Station, Pensacola, Florida, for flight training, receiving his designation as Naval Aviator in September 1931.

In January 1932 he reported for duty with the aviation unit in the Cruiser U.S.S. Houston followed in March 1932 with a two-month assignment to the U.S.S. Jason, a repair ship, when he joined Scouting Squadron Eight-A.

In May 1932 he returned to the Houston and remained with her until September 1933 when he reported to the seaplane tender Heron with the Asiatic Fleet.

After a brief stint with the Receiving Ship, New York, in February 1935, he returned to NAS, Pensacola, as a flight instructor until May of 1937. In June and July 1937 he was aboard the U.S.S. Enterprise, then transferred to the U.S.S. Yorktown, with Torpedo Squadrons 8 and 6.

He was back in the Enterprise in May 1938 and was serving as Hangar Deck officer on that carrier at the outbreak of World War II in December 1941.

A month later he was at the Naval Air Station, Jacksonville, Florida, as Operations Officer, where he remained until December 1943 when he was assigned as Executive Officer to the U.S.S. Kitkun Bay, a carrier escort that participated in the occupation of Saipan, Tinian and Guam.

From August 1944 to September 1945 Strong served in U.S.S. Essex (CV-9), first as Air Officer, then as Executive Officer; the carrier was involved in extensive operations in the Philippines, Okinawa and the Japanese home islands.

He received a Letter of Commendation from Commander, Third Fleet, for outstanding service as Air Officer of the Essex during operations at Luzon on October 24, 1944, and is entitled to the ribbon for the Presidential Unit Citation awarded the Essex. The letter reads, in part: "His consistently effectual and outstanding performance of duty contributed materially to the efficient, safe and expeditious conduct of these operations, added to the number of sorties made possible, and thus enabled a maximum of damage to be inflicted on the enemy..."

In October and November 1945 he was Commanding Officer, Naval Air Station, Atlanta, followed by duty on the Staff of Commander Fleet Operational Training Command, Atlantic, until July 1947.

From August 1947 to October 1948 he was Commander Transport Squadron Four based on the West Coast. In November 1948 he reported to the Navy Department as Communications Watch Officer, Office of the Chief of Naval Operations, a post he held until May 1949 when he became a member of the Military Liason Committee to the Atomic Energy Commission, Office of the Secretary of the Navy.

From April 1951 to April 1952 he was Commanding Officer of the U.S.S. Salisbury Sound (AV-13) in combat operations off Korea. This was followed by a year as Commanding Officer, Naval Air Station, Dallas, Texas. In May of 1954 he was ordered to take command of the U.S.S. Tarawa, a role he assumed on June 16. On April 25, 1955, he was ordered to return to the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations as Ship Aviation Member of the Ships Characteristics Board.

On September 9, 1957 Strong was assigned to the Office of the Bureau of Aeronautics General Representative, Western District, El Segundo, California.

Strong was married to the former Leonor Durfee of Honolulu, Hawaii; they had a daughter, Nancy Louise Strong.

The captain recieved his fourth stripe on March 30, 1945 and retired on 1 July 1959. In 1994 he was living in retirement in La Jolla, California.

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