page_title: Morton Deyo
section_title: Early career
hierarchical_section_title: Morton Deyo / Early career
caption_attribution_description: English: US Naval Academy. Bancroft Hall. Photo between 1904 and 1908.
context_page_description: Vice Admiral Morton Lyndholm Deyo was an officer in the United States Navy, who was a naval gunfire support task force commander of World War II.
  Born on 1 July 1887 in Poughkeepsie, New York, he graduated from the United States Naval Academy in 1911, and served over a career of 38 years. His highest Navy rank in active service was Rear Admiral, attaining Vice Admiral at retirement. He was awarded three medals of personal honor, the Distinguished Service Medal, and the Legion of Merit with Gold Star.
  Deyo served in both the Atlantic and Pacific Fleets. In the Atlantic, he commanded the destroyers which provided the first American escort assistance to allied convoys to England just prior to the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. He later commanded naval gunfire support at Utah Beach in the Normandy invasion, Task Force 129 at the Bombardment of Cherbourg, as well as during the invasion of Southern France.
  When transferred to the Pacific, Rear Admiral Deyo assumed command of Cruiser Division 13. He commanded gunfire and covering force for the assault and occupation of Battle of Okinawa.
context_section_description: Morton Deyo's career ashore meshed with the seagoing responsibilities he would take on at each stage of his career. Training at the U.S. Naval Academy prepared him in engineering and seamanship. He graduated as a member of the Class of 1911. Most of his academy years were under Superintendent Captain John M. Bowyer at a time of two-year rotations. Deyo then took his first assignment at sea aboard the battleship USS Virginia.
caption: U.S. Naval Academy, Bancroft Hall. Class of 1911
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