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Adapted from "Captain Roy Cramer Voils, Supply Corps, U. S. Navy," [biography, dated 18 July 1957] in Biographies, 20th century collection, Navy Department Library.

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  • Biography
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  • World War II 1939-1945
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Roy Cramer Voils

20 December 1902 – 12 February 1998

Roy Cramer Voils was born in Sandborn, Indiana, on 20 December 1902, son of William W. Voils and the late Mrs. Sarah Cramer Voils. He attended Antioch College, Yellow Springs, Ohio, where he was manager of Intramural Athletics, a member of the Student Council, Circulation Manager of the College paper, Vice President of the Student Loan Association, President of Antioch Union, and Treasurer of Hanchett Hall; and was graduated with the degree of Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration in 1928.

After graduation from college he spent a year in the Public Utility business in Columbus, Ohio. He resigned his position in August 1929 and for five years was employed by the B. F. Goodrich Company of Akron, Ohio as a Traveling Auditor. In 1934 he became District Operating Manager for Goodrich, with headquarters in Washington, DC, handling company operations in the District of Columbia, Virginia, Maryland and parts of North Carolina, West Virginia and Delaware. He continued in that work until called to active duty on 7 April 1941, having been commissioned Lieutenant in the Supply Corps of the US Naval Reserve on 6 December 1940. Through subsequent advancement and his transfer to the US Navy in 1946, he attained the rank of Captain, USN, to date from 1 July 1956.

He began his naval service as a student at the Army Industrial College, Washington, DC, and in July 1941 reported for duty in the Purchase Division of the Bureau of Supplies and
Accounts, Navy Department, where he also handled indoctrination of new Supply Corps officers. He remained there after the outbreak of World War II until August 1943, and in September and October of that year had training at the Naval Supply Depot, Oakland, Calif.

Ordered next to the Staff of Commander SEVENTH Fleet, he served as Logistics Plans Officer at Headquarters ashore in Australia, new Guinea and the Philippine Islands, and afloat in USS Wasatch (AGC-9) in Philippine waters, and in USS Rocky Mount (AGC-3) in Korea and China waters from December 1943 until November 1945. He was with the Commander SEVENTH Fleet at the Japanese surrender at Seoul, Korea, in September 1945 and on board Rocky Mount, the first US Naval vessel to arrive at Shanghai, China, after the Japanese surrender there.

“For exceptionally meritorious conduct…as Logistics Plans Officer on the Staff of the Commander SEVENTH Fleet during operations against enemy Japanese forces in the Pacific War Area from December 1943 to September 2, 1945,…” he was awarded the Legion of Merit, with Combat “V”. The citation further states that he handled the logistics problems of his command during a period of large-scale operations against the enemy and contributed materially to the success of our operations in the Admiralties, Hollandia, Wakde, Biak, Noemfoor, Sansapor, Morotai, Leyte and Lingayen. Serving on board the USS WASTACH under the combat conditions and ashore at Tolosa, Leyte, Philippines, in the face of enemy action, he rendered valuable assistance to his Commander in completing his assigned missions…”

He returned to the United States from Shanghai in USS Teton (AGC-14), arriving in San Diego in January 1946, and after a period of terminal leave and his transfer to the regular Navy, was sent to Brooklyn, New York in April 1946 to set up the Naval Ship’s Store Office. He remained there as Executive Officer until June 1947, and from July of that year until July 1951 was attached to the Naval War College, Newport, Rhode Island, first as a student (Logistics Course), and from June 1948 as a Staff Instructor in Logistics, Strategy and Tactics. He remained in Newport until January 1954, serving as Executive Officer of the Naval Supply Depot except from May to August 1952, when he was both Commanding Officer and Executive Officer of that Depot, and from November 1953 until January when he was a patient at the Naval Hospital.

In February 1954 he reported to the Office of the Secretary of Defense, Washington, DC, assigned to the Foreign Procurement Office, under the Assistant Secretary of Defense (International Security Affairs). From January 1957 to June 1957 he was concerned with scheduling and expediting deliveries in Foreign Military Assistance Programs in the same office.

On 26 June 1957 he reported to the Commander Philadelphia Naval Shipyard for duty as Supply Officer, and to Commander Naval Base for additional duty as Base Supply Officer.

In addition to the Legion of Merit with Combat “V”, Captain Voils had the American Defense Service Medal; Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal with two stars; American Campaign Medal (Asia Clasp); China Service Medal (extended); National Defense Service Medal; the Philippine Liberation Ribbon with one star; and the Philippine Republic Presidential Unit Citation Badge.  He also wore the Department of Defense Military Badge.

[END]
Published: Wed Feb 27 15:45:47 EST 2019