Leon Otto Alford
Captain Leon Otto Alford (15 September, 1893 – 1 January, 1956) served in the United States Navy.
Life & Career
Alford was born in Louisiana and appointed to the Naval Academy from the same state. He graduated with the Class of 1914 on 6 June, 1914 and was commissioned Ensign the same day.[1]
World WarI
Alford was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant (Junior Grade) on 6 June 1917, and to the temporary rank of Lieutenant on 15 October, 1917.[2] Having received submarine training, Alford was appointed to command submarine H-2 in February 1918 and remained in command until the end of the year.[3]
Alford was promoted to the permanent rank of Lieutenant on 6 June, 1920.[4] He was appointed to his second, and final, ship command as the first commanding officer of submarine S-36 in 1923 until 1924.[5]
He thereafter served in a series of sea and shore assignments, with multiple tours of duty on various battleships. He was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant Commander on 4 June 1925.[6] He was appointed Commander, Submarine Division 11 from 1933 to 1935.[7][8]
Alford was promoted to the rank of Commander on 30 June, 1935.[9] He was appointed Executive Officer of the cruiser Northampton in 1939.[10]
World War II
Alford was serving with the NROTC unit at Northwestern University when the United States entered the war. He was promoted to the rank of Captain on 1 January, 1942.[11] From May, 1942 to November, 1945, Alford served as the Inspector-of-Ordnance-in-Charge of the Naval Ammunition Depot in New Orleans, Louisiana.[12]
Placed on the retired list on 1 May, 1946 for incapacity in the line of service,[13] Alford died nearly a decade later while visiting his sister in Brookhaven, Mississippi.[14]
See Also
Bibliography
Service Records
| Naval Appointments | ||
| Preceded by Frederick C. Sherman |
Captain of U.S.S. H-2 2 Feb, 1918 – 28 Dec, 1918 |
Succeeded by Bruce P. Flood |
| Preceded by New Command |
Captain of U.S.S. S-36 4 Apr, 1923[15] – Jul, 1924[16] |
Succeeded by Walter A. Hicks |
Footnotes
- ↑ Register of Officers, 1915. pp. 74-75.
- ↑ Register of Officers, 1918. p. 70.
- ↑ Register of Officers, 1919. pp. 66-67.
- ↑ Register of Officers, 1922. p. 48.
- ↑ Register of Officers, 1924. pp. 56-57.
- ↑ Register of Officers, 1926. pp. 52-53.
- ↑ Register of Officers, 1934. pp. 48-49.
- ↑ News-Pilot (San Pedro, CA) 14 Mar, 1935 p. 9
- ↑ Register of Officers, 1935. p. 42.
- ↑ Honolulu Star-Bulletin 3 June, 1939 p. 16.
- ↑ Register of Officers, 1942. p. 32.
- ↑ The Times (Shreveport, LA) 7 January, 1945 p. 11.
- ↑ Register of Officers, 1949. p. 555.
- ↑ Clarion-Ledger (Jackson, MS) 2 January,1 956 p. 14.
- ↑ Register of Officers, 1924. pp. 56-57.
- ↑ Register of Officers, 1925. pp. 56-57.
