Naval History and Heritage Command

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Frank Patrick Delahanty was born in Fall River, Massachusetts, on December 31, 1890, son of the late Patrick F. and Mary A. (Hanley) Delahanty. He attended B. M. C. Durfee High School; Thibodeau’s Literary and Commercial College and Durfee Textile School, all in Fall River. Appointed Pay Clerk in the US Naval Reserve Force on March 31, 1917, he was commissioned Paymaster, with the rank of Ensign on January 15, 1918. Relieved of activity duty on August 21, 1919, he was subsequently appointed a Lieutenant (jg) in the Supply Corps of the US Navy on September 15, 1921, and thereafter advanced progressively in rank until his promotion to Captain to date from June 17, 1942.

He had World War I duty in the Second Naval District, Newport, Rhode Island (April 1917-August 1918); at the Naval Officers Training School, Montreal, Quebec, Canada; and as Supply Officer of USS Lake Oswega (October 1918 to August 1919). Returning to active service in 1921, he reported as Assistant Squadron Supply Officer on the staff of Commander Destroyer Squadrons, Scouting Fleet. He remained in that capacity until December of the same year, followed by successive duty as Supply Officer of USS Salinas and USS Sirus. Detached from the latter in March 1924, he was assigned to the Naval Supply Depot, South Brooklyn, New York.

Between September 1924 and June 1926 he had instruction at the Philadelphia (Pennsylvania) Textile School, followed by an assignment in the Supply Department at the Philadelphia Navy Yard. In May 1927 he joined the staff of Commander Destroyer Division THIRTY EIGHT as Disbursing Officer, and in July 1929 reported for duty with the Navy Motion Picture Exchange, New York, New York. After again serving from January 1930, at the Naval Supply Depot, South Brooklyn, he transferred in May 1933 to the Bureau of Supplies and Accounts, Navy Department, Washington, DC, and was assigned to the Clothing and Subsistence Divisions until May 1935.

He joined USS Wyoming as Supply Officer with further duty as Staff Supply Officer on the staff of Commander Training Squadrons, and when detached from that battleship in December 1937, became Officer in Charge of the Naval Disbursing and Transportation Office, San Pedro, California. Returning the Clothing Division, Bureau of Supplies and Accounts, in July 1939, he had temporary additional duty while there as General Inspector for the East Coast.

Ordered to the Pacific War Area, he served between February and June 1943 as Officer in Command of the Naval Supply Depot, Naval Advance Base, Noumen, New Caledonia, and later as Staff Supply Officer to Commander Service Squadron, South Pacific Force. “For exceptionally meritorious conduct…..” while serving in those duties, he was awarded the Legion of Merit. The citation continues in part: “(He) displayed outstanding ability and exercised sound judgment in handling the mass of detailed Naval supply problems arising in the area. He skillfully planned the establishment and expansion of the many supply activities in the Solomon Islands and Bismarck Archipelago areas. Through his tireless efforts and through knowledge of logistics and supplies he contributed materially to the success of our Naval forces against the enemy…..”

In November 1944 he reported as Supply Officer of the Portsmouth (New Hampshire) Naval Shipyard, with additional duty at the Naval Base there, and for “outstanding performance of duty…..” as Supply Officer of the Navy Yard, Portsmouth, he received a Letter of Commendation, with authorization to wear the Commendation Ribbon, from the Secretary of Navy. The citation follows in part: “…..Working tirelessly and with resourceful initiative in the execution of his vital mission, Captain Delahanty exercised outstanding professional and administrative ability and sound judgment to effect the expeditions development of the department into a major supply unit responsible for the procurement, stocking and distribution of ship board electrical fittings…..”

He joined the staff of the Commander in Chief, US Pacific Fleet, to serve from April 1946 to June 1948, when he became Supply Officer of Boston (Massachusetts) Naval Shipyard, his present assignment.

In addition to the Legion of Merit and Commendation Ribbon, Captain Delahanty has the World War I Victory Medal; the American Defense Service Medal; the Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal; and the World War II Victory Medal.

Captain Delahanty is a member of the Army and Navy Club, Washington, DC; the Veterans of Foreign Wars; the Delta Kappa Phi fraternity; and the Charitable Irish Society, Boston, Massachusetts.

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