Julien J . LeBourgeois Julien Johnson LeBourgeois ( 23 November 1923 – 16 September 2012 ) was a retired vice admiral of the United States Navy . His career included service in World War II , the Cold War , and the Vietnam War , duty aboard and command of cruiser s and destroyer s , various planning and staff assignments , and a tour as President of the Naval War College . Early life . LeBourgeois was born in Southern Pines , North Carolina , on 23 November 1923 , the son of U . S . Navy Commander Henry Blow LeBourgeois and Dorothy Johnson LeBourgeois . He was raised in Long Beach , California , and Suva , American Samoa , and attended the Georgia Military Academy in College Park , Georgia . He entered the United States Naval Academy in 1941 , where he was a member of the track team , and graduated in 1944 after only three years due to the accelerated curriculum in use during World War II . Naval career . World War II . LeBourgeois first assignment was as a gunnery officer aboard the light cruiser , then in combat against the Japan ese in the Pacific . Aboard " Columbia " he saw action in the Palau campaign , including the Battle of Peleliu , and in the Leyte campaign , during which " Columbia " fought in the Battle of Surigao Strait , a part of the Battle of Leyte Gulf . " Columbia " also supported the invasion of Mindoro and took part in the invasion of Lingayen Gulf on Luzon , during which three " kamikaze " s struck " Columbia " and for which the ship was awarded a Presidential Unit Citation . After that , " Columbia " operated in support of the invasion of Balikpapan and took part in the 1945 antishipping sweep in the South China Sea . 1946 – 1965 . LeBourgeois remained aboard " Columbia " through the end of World War II in August 1945 and for an additional year beyond , leaving her in August 1946 to report for duty as gunnery officer and first lieutenant aboard the destroyer escort . In June 1947 he transferred to the destroyer and served as her gunnery officer , first lieutenant , and damage control officer over the next two years . Beginning in July 1949 , LeBourgeois attended first the Naval Intelligence School and then the Naval Language School in Washington , D . C . , becoming a qualified interpreter and translator in the French language . He then served in the Office of Naval Intelligence s Counterintelligence Division from June 1950 to July 1951 before moving on to Tangier , Morocco , where he was the assistant naval attaché at the American Legation . In October 1953 , LeBourgeois began his next assignment , a tour as communications officer on the staff of Commander , Destroyer Flotilla 4 . In August 1955 , he moved to the Current Intelligence Branch of the Joint Staff in the Office of the Joint Chiefs of Staff . In September 1957 , LeBourgeois began his next sea tour , joining the pre - commissioning detail of the new destroyer . When " Blandy " was commissioned on 26 November 1957 , he became her first executive officer . During his tour , which lasted until January 1959 , " Blandy " operated in the Atlantic and Mediterranean and , in 1958 , transported the Unknown Soldier s of World War II and the Korean War to Washington , D . C . , for final interment in the Tomb of the Unknowns in Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington , Virginia . After leaving " Blandy " , LeBourgeois attended the Armed Forces Staff College in Norfolk , Virginia , before becoming commanding officer of the destroyer on 28 July 1959 . While he was in command , " Norris " had the highest competitive score overall for destroyers in the United States Atlantic Fleet for the fiscal year 1961 and received the Battle Efficiency Award twice , among other awards . LeBourgeois relinquished command of " Norris " on 3 April 1961 and joined the staff of Commander , Destroyer Force , Atlantic Fleet , where he led a team of officers who prepared the first curriculum for the Destroyer School . He then attended the Industrial College of the Armed Forces in Washington , D . C . , from July 1961 to June 1962 . After completing his studies , he was assigned to the Strategic Plans Division of the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations , earning a Master ' s Degree in International Affairs from George Washington University in 1963 during his tour . From December 1962 to June 1965 , he was executive assistant and senior aide to the Deputy Chief of Naval Operations ( Plans and Policy ) . He received the Legion of Merit for this tour . Vietnam War . In September 1965 , LeBourgeois took command of the guided - missile frigate ( later reclassfied as a guided - missile cruiser ) ( later CG - 23 ) . Under his command , " Halsey " deployed off Vietnam in 1966 during the Vietnam War . During her deployment , LeBourgeois also served as Commander , Southern Anti - Air / Search and Rescue Element in the Gulf of Tonkin , where forces under his command rescued 17 airmen shot down over North Vietnam . He received the Bronze Star Medal with Combat Distinguishing Device . For the same period , " Halsey " was awarded the Navy Unit Commendation . " Halsey " also was awarded the Battle Efficiency Award , among other awards , for her performance under LeBourgeois command during 1966 . 1967 – 1977 . In July 1967 , LeBourgeois left " Halsey " for an assignment in the Systems Analysis Division in the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations . In April 1968 he became executive assistant and senior aide to the Chief of Naval Operations . He received a second award of the Legion of Merit for his service in this tour . In January 1970 , LeBourgeois , newly promoted to rear admiral , became Deputy Assistant Chief of Staff ( Plans and Policy ) on the North Atlantic Treaty Organization ( NATO ) staff of the Supreme Allied Commander Europe ( SACEUR ) in Casteau , Belgium . He received the Distinguished Service Medal for this tour . In May 1972 , LeBourgeois was promoted to vice admiral and began an assignment as chief of staff to the NATO Supreme Allied Commander Atlantic ( SACLANT ) in Norfolk , Virginia . On 9 August 1974 , LeBourgeois became the 38th President of the Naval War College in Newport , Rhode Island . During his presidency , he consolidated and refined radical curriculum changes made by his predecessor , Vice Admiral Stansfield Turner . He also laid the groundwork for the creation of the Center for Advanced Research at the college and initiated the establishment of the Naval War College Museum , a museum of naval history and of the U . S . Navys regional history in Founders Hall . His tour as president ended on 1 April 1977 , at which time he was awarded a second Distinguished Service Medal . Upon completion of his Naval War College tour , LeBourgeois retired from the Navy as a vice admiral . Personal life . LeBourgeois was married to Priscilla Dudley LeBourgeois for nearly 64 years , and she survived him at his death . Other survivors include a son , Julien Dudley LeBourgeois , and daughter , Anne Armour LeBourgeois . Retirement and death . After retiring , LeBourgeois moved to New London , New Hampshire , where he led the creation of the popular " Adventures in Learning " continuing - education program at Colby - Sawyer College . In 2004 , the college presented him with the Town Award for his involvement in the community and his contributions to the school . He later moved to Williamsburg , Virginia . Suffering from heart and kidney disease , LeBourgeois died in a retirement community in Williamsburg on 16 September 2012 . He was to be buried at the United States Naval Academy Cemetery in Annapolis , Maryland , in October 2012 , but Hurricane Sandy forced a postponement of his funeral until 22 March 2013 , when his cremated remains were interred with full military honors .