Naval History and Heritage Command

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Delmar Ross Capell was born in Fairfield, California, on May 7, 1905, son of Robert R. and Mae Weaver Capell. He attended Vallejo High School, Vallejo, California, and prior to his Naval Service was employed by Matson Navigation Company for seventeen years, including sea service as Freight Clerk and Purser of SS Maui, SS Matsonia, SS Wilhelmina, SS Manao, and SS Malolo, and General Agent, Matson Lines, Dallas and later in charge of passenger promotional activities in the Western United States.

Commissioned Lieutenant in the Supply Corps of the US Naval Reserve on March 3, 1941, he began Naval Service on December 7, that year, upon news of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. Through subsequent advancement and his transfer from the Naval Reserve to the US Navy, he attained the rank of Captain, USN on January 10, 1946.

From December 1941 until March 1948, including the entire World War II period, he was assigned to the Naval Supply Center, Oakland, California, whereas Officer in Charge of Freight Transportation, he organized and operated the terminal and shipping facilities with a maximum tonnage of 280,000 tons per month. There he had additional duty as Assistant to the Port director, San Francisco (Twelfth Naval District). He received a letter of Commendation, with authorization to wear the Commendation Ribbon, from the Secretary of the Navy, which follows, in part:

“ For meritorious service as Officer in Charge of Waterfront Division, Naval Supply Depot, Oakland, California, from December 8, 1941 to August 31, 1945. His intimate knowledge of ocean transportation and his conscientious and untiring efforts contributed in great measure to the continued and effective flow of supplies from Naval Supply Depot. Oakland, to the ships and to the forward areas in the Pacific. With great resourcefulness and unflagging energy he develop a smooth and efficient organization which served evert operating branch at the Navy Supply Depot and was responsible for the prompt loading of many hundreds of ships bound for the Pacific fighting fronts. His facility for obtaining maximum cooperation not only within his own organization but from all those with whom he came in contact was to a considerable degree responsible for the expeditious loading of ships and the maximum use of the Naval Supply Depot Waterfront facilities…”

In March 1948 he reported to the Naval Supply Center, Guam, Marianas, where he served until August 1949 as Operations Officer and as Contracting Officers Representative for Luzon Stevedoring Contract. In September 1949 he became deputy Director, Transportation Division, and Executive Administrator to the Assistant Chief of the Bureau of Supplies and Accounts, for Transportation, at the Navy Department, Washington, DC. While there until January 1952 he also served as the Bureau of Supplies and Accounts Member of the Joint Onsight Survey Team (Mediterranean). During the next two years he was Executive Officer and Industrial Relations Officer at the Naval Supply Depot, Seattle, Washington.

Under orders of January 6, 1954, he became staff Supply Officer to the Commander Military Sea Transportation Service Washington, DC., and served in that capacity until April 1957 when he was ordered to Boston, Massachusetts for duty as Officer in Charge, navy Regional Accounts Office, his current assignment.

In addition to the Commendation Ribbon, Captain Capell has the American campaign Medal; the Asiatic- Pacific Campaign Medal; the World War II Victory Medal; and the National defense Service Medal.

Captain Capell is a member of the Propeller Club of the US having been associated with the Ports of San Francisco, Guam, where he was President of the Port, Seattle, Washington, DC and currently Boston, Massachusetts. He is a past Director of the national Defense Transportation Association, Washington, DC and now a member of the Boston Club. An athlete in school he continues his interest in track, weight events, basketball and tennis. He is also a flyrod fisherman and particularly enthused in scatter-gun –hunting.   

He died July 9, 1969. 

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