McCann, Allan R.
Allan Rockwell McCann was born in North Adams, Massachusetts, on 20 September 1896. He graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1917 and served in the battleship Kansas (BB-21) until 1919. He then received instruction in submarines and was then assigned to USS K-6 (SS-37). In 1921-24, Lieutenant McCann commanded the submarines N-4 (SS-56), L-3 (SS-42) and R-21 (SS-98). Two years of technical duties ashore were followed by command of USS S-46 (SS-157) in 1926-29.
During 1929-31, Lieutenant Commander McCann was assigned to the Bureau of Construction and Repair, where he was responsible for final development of a submarine rescue diving bell, which came to be called the "McCann Rescue Chamber". He commanded the submarine Bonita (SS-165) in 1931-34, then had service ashore, was First Lieutenant of the cruiser Indianapolis (CA-35) and served on the staff of Commander, Cruisers, Scouting Force. In 1939, while assigned to the Bureau of Navigation, Commander McCann was sent to help with rescue and salvage operations on USS Squalus (SS-192), which had accidently sunk off Portsmouth, New Hampshire.
In 1941-44, Captain McCann led two submarine squadrons, served in important positions at the Navy Department and was commanding officer of the battleship Iowa (BB-61). After promotion to the rank of Rear Admiral, he was Chief of Staff to Commander, Tenth Fleet, served with the Atlantic Fleet and Commanded Task Force 68, which escorted President Harry S. Truman to and from the Potsdam Conference. Late in 1945, following further duty in Washington, D.C., he became Commander, Submarine Force, Pacific Fleet. He was a member of the Navy's General Board and Inspector General of the Navy Department from September 1948 until May 1950, when he retired with the rank of Vice Admiral. Allan R. McCann died on 22 February 1978.
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