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Adapted from "Captain Bion Barnett Bierer, Jr., Supply Corps, United States Navy, Deceased" [biography, dated 11 June 1951] in Modern Biographical Files collection, Navy Department Library.

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  • Biography
Wars & Conflicts
  • World War II 1939-1945
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  • NHHC-Library

Bion Barnett Bierer, Jr.

2 July 1905-4 August 1994


Photo of Captain Bion B. Bierer, Jr. copied from page 488 of the 1926 edition of the U.S. Naval Academy yearbook 'Lucky Bag'.

PDF Version [4.1MB]

Bion Barnett Bierer, Jr., was born on July 2, 1905, in Cumberland, Maryland, son of the late Captain Bion B. Bierer, USN, and Mrs. Bessie Roberts Bierer. He attended Central High and the Columbian Preparatory School, Washington, DC, before his appointment, at large, to the US Naval Academy, Annapolis, Maryland, in 1922. Graduated and commissioned Ensign in the Supply Corps of the US Navy, on June 3, 1926, he subsequently attained the rank of Captain to date from August 1, 1943.

Following graduation from the Naval Academy in 1926, he was assigned to USS Idaho as Assistant Supply Officer and in September 1928, reported as Purchasing Officer at the Naval Supply Depot, San Diego, California. From April 1929 until September 1931, he had duty in Washington, DC, serving as Assistant Officer, under instruction and later Disbursing Officer at the Navy Yard, followed by duty as Disbursing Officer and Commissary Officer at the Naval Air Station, Anacostia.

Completing his Washington assignments, he had three years’ service with various destroyers attached to the Scouting Force, after which he returned to the Untied States and reported in October 1934, as Assistant Supply Officer at the Navy Yard, Portsmouth, New Hampshire. Between March 1937 and November 1939, he served as Disbursing and Commissary Officer, Officer in Charge of the Commissary Store and Cashier of the Bank of American Samoa at the Naval Station, Tutuila, Samoa, and when relieved of that assignment transferred to the Naval Supply Depot, Norfolk, Virginia, as Assistant to the Supply Officer.

In September 1940, he joined USS Quincy, as Supply Officer and continued to serve aboard that vessel until August 9, 1942, when she was sunk during the action off Savo Island. After three months’ duty on the staff of Commander South Pacific, he transferred in November 1942, to the staff of Commander Service Squadron, Pacific Fleet, as Senior Assistant Supply Officer.

From March 1944 until November 1945, he was Officer in Charge of the Stock Control Branch and later Officer in Charge of the Stock Division, Bureau of Supplies and Accounts, Navy Department, Washington, DC, and was subsequently ordered to the Naval Supply Depot, Balboa, Canal Zone, assuming the duties of Supply Officer in Command of that depot. In November 1946, he reported as District Supply Officer, Fifteenth Naval District, with headquarters at Fort Amador, Canal Zone, and remained in that capacity until June 1948, when he became Executive Officer at the Naval Supply Depot, Norfolk, Virginia. In March 1950, he transferred in a similar capacity, to the Naval Supply Depot, Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania.

Captain Bierer has the American Defense Service Medal, Fleet Clasp (USS Quincy); the American Campaign Medal; the European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal; the Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal with one star; and the World War II Victory Medal.

He died August 4, 1994.  

END 

Published: Mon Jul 20 11:15:32 EDT 2020