Naval History and Heritage Command

Finding Aid (PDF 152KB)

Scope and Content Note

This collection consists of general correspondence, photographs, published works, public . addresses, newspaper articles, audio, military propaganda, class reunion material, and letters and articles of Walter S. DeLany, Sr.'s death. All of DeLany's material concerns mainly his military career, as well as his personal life. Series I contains· DeLany's correspondence, both business and personal. It mainly consists of letters he wrote to his son, Walter DeLany, Jr. There are also correspondence written to DeLany from Henry Stassen, invitations and cards, letters Mrs. DeLany wrote to her son, and a congratulatory letter. Most of the correspondence falls within 1912-1958.

Series II, Public Addresses, contains photocopies, as well as original copies, of DeLany's public addresses. Most of these addresses were given within the few years before his retirement, 1948-1952. He spoke at various events including bicentennials, dedications, luncheons, award ceremonies, memorial services, as well as different types of club occasions and holiday gatherings.

Series III, Newspaper Articles, contains articles from various newspapers about DeLany or his personal life, such as his family and friends. Many of the articles contain information on his post-retirement life. They give details of events he attended and the many awards and honors he received due to his military career and services to his community. These articles vary in date, but fall within 1934-1995.

Series IV, Class Reunions, provides different pamphlets and books from DeLany's class reunion. DeLany attended a 40th class reunion for the US Naval Academy's class of 1912 in 1952. He also attended the Reading High School class of 1908 reunions in 1953 and 1963.

Series V, Military Propaganda, is a small collection of military paraphernalia DeLany has taken in over his career. ·There are five books within a series called Fragments from France. These books are mainly war propaganda cartoons from World War I. The dates range from 1915-1918. Within the series, there is also an undated piece which is a ballad called The Return of the Ancient Mariner. The ballad contains many sarcastic innuendoes of the military.

Series VI, Published Works, regards two different published-works that were in DeLany's collection. One work was given to DeLany, The Chronology of the Civil War (1962), and the other was written by DeLany himself, Bayly's Navy. Bayly's Navy is a piece which was written about Admiral Sir Lewis Bayly and published by the Naval Historical Foundation. This small book was published after DeLany's death in the fall of 1980.

Series VII, DeLany's Death, contains information on DeLany's passing away.· Within this series there are letters written to Mrs. DeLany concerning her husband's death. Some of these letters are from Arleigh Burke, D.A. Long, T.B. Hayward, along with others. In memoriam, there is also information given about DeLany's Honor Guard and honorary pallbearers that attended his funeral. Along with the information given is a copy of Shipmate which displayed a small obituary within its journal about DeLany. All of this information was given in between September through November 1980. There is also an original document of the proclamation of Vice Admiral Walter S. DeLany Day from the mayor of Titusville, Truman Scarborough, Jr.

Series VIII, Photographs, are photographs of DeLany's life, both personal and business. These pictures were taken mainly in between 1891-1955. This collection contains photographs of his family, friends, and colleagues, including several pictures of DeLany serving in the Navy on USS Craven, USS Minnesota, USS Honolulu, USS New Orleans. The series includes photographs given to DeLany by Fleet Admiral Chester Nimitz and Vice Admiral Albert Ware Marshall.

Series IX, Audio, consists of two records that were given to DeLany of his retirement ceremony reception in City Hall, New York.

Series X, Certificates, contains two certificates that were issued by Dwight D. Eisenhower in 1953. These are Certificates of Appointment as Deputy Administrator Mutual Defense Assistance Control Act of 1951.

Preferred Citation

This collection should be cited as Papers of Walter S. Delany, Archives Branch, Naval History and Heritage Command, Washington, D.C.