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Contact Info
Home Town Norfolk
Last Address Born: 19 December 1897 Norfolk, Virginia Died: 23 September 1963 (65) Naval Hospital, Great Lakes, IL
Sixth Captain of the Indiana BB-58, 01 May 1945 to 05 December 1945
Francis Paxton Old was born in Norfolk, Virginia on 19 December 1897. He was the son of Jonathan W. and Claudia Paxton Old. He attended the Severn School, Severn Park, Maryland prior to his appointment to the U. S. Naval Academy, Annapolis, Maryland.
As a midshipman he had World War I service on the battleships USS Nebraska and USS Arizona operating with the Atlantic Fleet during the summers of 1917 and 1918.
Old graduated and was commissioned Ensign in June 1919 with the Class of 1920. He subsequently progressed in rank attaining that of Rear Admiral to date from 27 November 1946: Rear Admiral. On 1 February 1954 he was transferred to the Retired List of the U. S. Navy and was advanced to the rank of Vice Admiral on the basis of combat awards.
During 1954 and 1955 Francis P. Old served as executive director of the Illinois Toll Road Commission.
Other Comments:
In addition to several WWII theatre ribbons, Admiral Old holds:
The Distinguished Service Medal
Three Legion of Merit medals
The Distinguished Service Order of Britain
The FrenchCroix de Guerre and the Légion d'honneur.
--pub. Milwaukee Sentinel, 2 July 1951.
Pennsylvania Class Battleship: Displacement 31,400 Tons, Dimensions, 608' 6" (oa) x 97' 1" x 29' 10" (Max). Armament 12 x 14"/45 14 x 5"/51, 4 x 3"/50 2 x 21" tt. Armor, 13 1/2" Belt, 18" Turrets, 3" +2" Decks, 16" Conning Tower. Machinery, 34,000 SHP; Geared Turbines, 4 screws. Speed, 21 Knots, Crew 915.
Operational and Building Data: Laid down by New York Naval Ship Yard, March 16, 1914. Launched June 19, 1915. Commissioned October 17, 1916. Decommissioned (War Loss). Stricken December 1, 1942.
Fate: Sunk by Japanese aircraft during attack on Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, December 7 1941. Arizona still rests in the berth where she sank. A Memorial to her crew was built over the wreck in 1962. 1,177 Officers and Men were lost with the ship and remain on duty inside her rusting hulk. The wreck is still bleeding fuel oil, more than 70 years after her sinking.
Other Memories As a midshipman he had World War I service on the battleships USS Nebraska and USS Arizona operating with the Atlantic Fleet during the summers of 1917 and 1918.
Old graduated and was commissioned Ensign in June 1919 with the Class of 1920
