Antone R. Gallaher
{{short description|U.S. Navy officer (1909–1982)}}
{{Infobox military person
| name = Antone R. Gallaher
| nickname = Tony
| birth_name =
| birth_date = {{birth date|1909|8|19|df=y}}
| death_date = {{death date and age|1982|10|14|1909|8|19|df=y}}
| birth_place = Augusta, Georgia
| death_place = San Diego County, California
| image = Antone R. Gallaher (5).jpg
| image_size =
| caption =
| allegiance = United States of America
| branch = United States Navy
| serviceyears = 1928–1929
1933–1963
| rank = Captain
| commands = {{plainlist|
- Submarine Flotilla 1
- {{USS|Prairie|AD-15|6}}
- Submarine Development Group 2
- Submarine Division 11
- USS Bang
- USS R-13
}}
| battles = World War II
| awards = Navy Cross (4)
}}
Antone Renkl Gallaher (19 August 1909 – 14 October 1982) was a United States Navy captain. A decorated veteran of World War II, he earned the Navy Cross four times as commander of the submarine USS Bang in the Pacific theater.
Early life and education
Gallaher was born and raised in Augusta, Georgia.{{cite book |url=https://archive.org/details/luckybag1933unse/page/185/mode/1up |title=Lucky Bag |date=1933 |page=185 |publisher=U.S. Naval Academy |access-date=2023-07-27}}{{cite book |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=4Yg0AAAAIAAJ&pg=PA1318 |chapter=Biography of Capt. Antone R. Gallaher, U.S. Navy |title=Military Cold War Education and Speech Review Policies: Hearings before the Special Preparedness Subcommittee of the Committee on Armed Services, U.S. Senate |date=1962 |pages=1318–1319 |publisher=U.S. Government Printing Office |location=Washington, D.C. |access-date=2023-07-27}} He enlisted in the Navy on 6 June 1928. After serving aboard the light cruiser {{USS|Cincinnati|CL-6|6}}, Gallaher was sent to the United States Naval Academy Preparatory School in Norfolk, Virginia in October 1928. Appointed to the Naval Academy, he was discharged from active duty on 4 July 1929.{{cite web |url=http://veterantributes.org/TributeDetail.php?recordID=1947 |title=Antone R. Gallaher |publisher=Veteran Tributes |access-date=2023-07-27}} Gallaher graduated from the Naval Academy with a B.S. degree in June 1933.{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=zqgPAAAAIAAJ&pg=PA318 |title=Register of Alumni: Graduates and Former Naval Cadets and Midshipmen |date=1 July 1956 |page=318 |publisher=The United States Naval Academy Alumni Association, Inc. |access-date=2023-07-27}}
Commissioned as an ensign, Gallaher served aboard the cruiser {{USS|Indianapolis|CA-35|6}} until December 1935. Promoted to lieutenant (junior grade), he attended the Submarine School in New London, Connecticut from January to May 1936. Gallaher later completed a course in strategy and tactics at the Naval War College in June 1953.{{cite book |url=https://archive.org/details/RG19RegisterofOfficers18841977/page/n111/mode/1up |title=Register of Officers 1884–1977 |date=1977 |page=105 |publisher=The United States Naval War College |access-date=2023-07-27}}
Career
From June to December 1936, Gallaher served aboard the submarine USS R-11. He was then reassigned to USS S-37 in the Pacific from February 1937 to May 1939. From July 1939 to February 1942, Gallaher served aboard USS R-4 based at Naval Base Cavite in the Philippines.
From February 1942 to April 1943, Gallaher served as the commanding officer of USS R-13 based at Key West, Florida training submarine crew members. In July 1943, he was sent to the Portsmouth Navy Yard in Kittery, Maine to supervise the final preparation of USS Bang for her commissioning. Gallaher then served as her commanding officer from December 1943 to March 1945. He commanded her first five war patrols, subsequently receiving the Navy Cross for each of the first four.{{cite news |url=https://media.defense.gov/2019/Apr/10/2002112318/-1/-1/1/AH194508.pdf |title=Decorations and Citations |date=August 1945 |page=58 |magazine=All Hands |access-date=2023-07-27}}{{cite web |url=https://valor.militarytimes.com/hero/20434 |title=Antone Renkl Gallaher |website=Military Times |publisher=Sightline Media Group |access-date=2023-07-27}}
From April 1949 to May 1950, Gallaher served as commander of Submarine Division 11 with his pennant on USS Tilefish. From June 1950 to July 1952, he returned to the Naval Academy to teach marine engineering, seamanship and navigation. Gallaher was promoted to captain in January 1952.{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=WKZuAKR99SgC&pg=PA15 |title=Register of Commissioned and Warrant Officers of the United States Navy and Marine Corps |date=1 January 1957 |page=15 |publisher=Bureau of Naval Personnel |access-date=2023-07-27}} From July 1953 to August 1955, he served as the commanding officer of Submarine Development Group 2, Atlantic with his pennant on USS K-1.
From 1955 to 1956, Gallaher served as department head and professor of mathematics at the Naval Academy. He remained at the Naval Academy until 1958, serving first as secretary of the Academic Board and then as an aide to the superintendent.{{cite book |url=https://archive.org/details/luckybag1956unse/page/30/mode/1up |title=Lucky Bag |date=1956 |page=30 |publisher=U.S. Naval Academy |access-date=2023-07-27}} From September 1958 to October 1959, Gallaher was commanding officer of the destroyer tender {{USS|Prairie|AD-15|6}}. He was then given command of Submarine Flotilla 1 until November 1960.{{cite web |url=http://www.navsource.net/archives/09/03/0315.htm |title=USS Prairie (AD-15) |website=NavSource |access-date=2023-07-27}}
From December 1960 to August 1962, Gallaher served in staff positions at the Pentagon. In September 1962, he became director of Navy recruiting for the 8th Navy Recruiting Area based in San Francisco, California. Gallaher retired from active duty on 1 July 1963.{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=doOUmxsdWNkC&pg=PA256 |title=Register of Retired Commissioned and Warrant Officers, Regular and Reserve, of the United States Navy |date=1 October 1978 |page=256 |publisher=Bureau of Naval Personnel |access-date=2023-07-27}}
Personal
Gallaher was the son of Edward Joseph Gallaher and Erma (Renkl) Gallaher. He had two sisters and two brothers.{{cite news |url=https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/126532826/james-daniel-gallaher#view-photo=121274443 |title=J. Daniel Gallaher |date=3 June 1968 |page=A15 |newspaper=Augusta Chronicle |access-date=2023-07-27}}
Gallaher married Mary Catherine MacKay (31 October 1913 – 8 August 1994). They had six daughters and a son.{{cite news |title=Mary Catherine Gallaher |newspaper=Death Index, 1940-1997 |publisher=State of California Department of Health Services, Center for Health Statistics |location=Sacramento, California}}
After retirement, Gallaher lived in San Diego County, California. He died at a hospital there on 14 October 1982. Gallaher was cremated and his ashes were scattered at sea.{{cite news |url=https://sandiegouniontribune.newsbank.com/search?date_from=1982&date_to=1982&pub%5B%5D=136E6CB81C5E443C&text=Capt+Antone+Gallaher |title=Mass said for A.R. Gallaher, retired officer |date=27 October 1982 |newspaper=Evening Tribune |location=San Diego, California |access-date=2023-07-27}}{{cite news |title=Antone Renkl Gallaher |newspaper=Death Index, 1940-1997 |publisher=State of California Department of Health Services, Center for Health Statistics |location=Sacramento, California}}
References
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Category:Military personnel from Augusta, Georgia
Category:United States Navy sailors
Category:United States Naval Academy alumni
Category:United States Navy personnel of World War II
Category:United States submarine commanders
Category:Recipients of the Navy Cross (United States)
Category:United States Naval Academy faculty
Category:Naval War College alumni