Harold E. Shear

{{Infobox officeholder

| name = Harold E. Shear

| image = ADM Shear, Harold Edson.jpg

| image_size =

| alt =

| caption =

| office = United States Maritime Administrator

| term = October 19, 1981 – May 31, 1985

| president = Ronald Reagan

| preceded = Robert J. Blackwell

| succeeded = John A. Gaughan

| nickname = Hal

| birth_date = {{birth date|1918|12|6}}

| birth_place = New York City, New York

| death_date = {{Death date and age|1999|2|1|1918|12|6}}

| death_place = Groton Long Point, Connecticut

| resting_place = Arlington National Cemetery

| allegiance = United States

| branch = United States Navy

| serviceyears = 1938–1980

| rank = Admiral

| servicenumber =

| unit =

| commands = Allied Forces Southern Europe
Vice Chief of Naval Operations
United States Naval Forces Europe
{{USS|Sacramento|AOE-1}}
{{USS|Patrick Henry|SSBN-599}}
{{USS|Becuna|SS-319}}

| battles = World War II
Cold War
Vietnam War

| mawards = Defense Distinguished Service Medal
Navy Distinguished Service Medal (2)
Silver Star

| relations =

}}

Harold Edson Shear (December 6, 1918 – February 1, 1999) was an admiral in the United States Navy.

Born in New York City, Shear entered the United States Naval Academy on June 10, 1938. He graduated early with the Class of 1942 just twelve days after December 7, 1941.[http://militaryhonors.sid-hill.us/names/admshear.htm (oral history, per Mrs. Elizabeth Shear, conversation with MSSN Raymond Olsen, steward, Villa Nike, residence of Adm. Harold E. Shear, Naples, Italy, 1977–1980.]

During World War II, Shear served on the {{USS|Sawfish|SS-276}}, earning a Silver Star.{{Cite web|url=http://valor.militarytimes.com/recipient.php?recipientid=55131|title = Harold Shear - Recipient -}}

From 1952 to 1954, Shear was commanding officer of the diesel-electric submarine {{USS|Becuna|SS-319}}.{{cite book |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=zYp4AqI4oPcC&pg=PA778 |chapter=Nomination of Harold Edson Shear To Be Administrator of the Maritime Administration |title=Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: Ronald Reagan, 1981 |date=September 10, 1981 |page=778 |publisher=U.S. Government Printing Office |location=Washington, D.C. |access-date=2024-04-05}} From August 1954 to January 1955, he attended the Armed Forces Staff College.{{cite book |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=neub2shbvusC&pg=PA2 |chapter=Biographical Sketch of Adm. Harold E. Shear |title=Hearing before the Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, United States Senate, Ninety-Seventh Congress, First Session |date=September 25, 1981 |pages=2–3 |publisher=U.S. Government Printing Office |location=Washington, D.C. |access-date=2024-04-05}}

From 1959 to 1962, Shear served as the first Blue Crew commanding officer of the ballistic missile submarine USS Patrick Henry (SSBN-599).{{cite book |last=Stillwell |first=Paul |chapter=Shear, Harold E., Adm., USN (Ret.) |chapter-url=https://www.usni.org/press/oral-histories/shear-harold|title=Oral Histories |publisher=U.S. Naval Institute |date=22 May 2018 |access-date=9 November 2022}}

From August 1964 to June 1965, Shear attended the National War College. From July 1965 to October 1966, he commanded the fast combat support ship {{USS|Sacramento|AOE-1}} in Southeast Asia.{{cite web |url=https://www.navsource.org/archives/09/59/5901.htm |title=USS Sacramento (AOE-1) |publisher=NavSource Naval History |access-date=2024-04-05}}{{cite book |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=qj75O0d5ccMC&pg=RA4-PA331 |chapter=Admiral Harold E. Shear, U.S. Navy (Ret.), Maritime Administrator |title=Hearings before a Subcommittee of the Committee on Appropriations, House of Representatives, Ninety-Seventh Congress, Second Session |date=March 25, 1982 |pages=331–332 |publisher=U.S. Government Printing Office |location=Washington, D.C. |access-date=2024-04-05}}

As a full admiral, Shear held the commands of Commander in Chief, United States Naval Forces Europe from 1974 to 1975, Vice Chief of Naval Operations from 1975 to 1977, Commander in Chief, Allied Forces Southern Europe from July 18, 1977 to 1980.Photo of marble plaque in foyer Villa Nike, entitled Commander in Chief, Allied Forces Southern Europe Retiring at the age of 61 in May 1980, he later became the administrator of the United States Maritime Administration.{{Cite web|url=http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/index.php?pid=44229|title = Nomination of Harold Edson Shear to be Administrator of the Maritime Administration | the American Presidency Project}}

Shear died at his home in Groton Long Point, Connecticut after a long illness in 1999.{{cite web|url=http://www.usni.org/heritage/shear |title=Shear, Harold E. (1918–1999) | U.S. Naval Institute |publisher=Usni.org |date= |accessdate=2012-03-08}}{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1999/02/04/us/adm-harold-shear-80-a-leading-submariner.html |title=Adm. Harold Shear, 80, a Leading Submariner – New York Times |work=The New York Times |date=1999-02-04 |accessdate=2012-03-08}} He had married Elizabeth Perry (June 19, 1917 – February 28, 2013) in Falmouth, Maine on April 16, 1942.{{cite web |url=https://ancexplorer.army.mil/publicwmv/index.html#/search-all/results/1/CgVTaGVhchIJRWxpemFiZXRoGgFQ/ |title=Shear, Elizabeth P |website=ANCExplorer |publisher=U.S. Army |access-date=2024-04-05}} Harold and Elizabeth Shear are interred in Section 59 of Arlington National Cemetery.{{cite web |url=https://ancexplorer.army.mil/publicwmv/index.html#/search-all/results/1/CgVTaGVhchIGSGFyb2xkGgFF/ |title=Shear, Harold E |website=ANCExplorer |publisher=U.S. Army |access-date=2024-04-05}}