This Deceased Navy Profile is not currently maintained by any Member.
If you would like to take responsibility for researching and maintaining this Deceased profile please click
HERE
Contact Info
Home Town Pueblo
Last Address Port Orchard, WA
Date of Passing Jun 23, 2009
Location of Interment Forest Lawn Cemetery - Bremerton, Washington
Official Badges
Unofficial Badges
Additional Information
Last Known Activity:
Lieutenant Commander Michael LeRoy Reiter, USN (Ret), Port Orchard, WA died peacefully at home on June 23, 2009 following a long illness. At the time of his passing he was surrounded by his loving family and his first wife and caregiver, Patricia Jones.
Born on Dec. 22, 1942, Mike was raised in Pueblo, Colorado. Following graduation from Pueblo County High School, where he was a nose guard on the Hornet's football team, he joined the United States Navy. Mike's decision, to serve his country and see the world, would pave the way to a life-long career.
He was a Limited Duty Officer (Administration), serving the Navy for more than 30 years, from July 19, 1961 thru December 1, 1991, successfully advancing to hold every rank from Seaman Recruit to Lieutenant Commander. Such an ascendancy in rank, rare by naval standards then and now, placed him in an honored group, known as "mustang" in military circles.
He served on major Pacific staffs including; Commander First Fleet; Commander Naval Air Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet; Commander in Chief, U.S. Pacific Fleet. Mike had two tours of duty in Washington D.C. on the personal staffs of Chief of Naval Operations, first with Admiral Elmo R. Zumwalt, Jr. and then with Admiral James Holloway. He was personal staff to Chief of Naval Personnel Admiral Jeremy Boorda who later became chief of naval operations. Boorda was the first enlisted sailor in U.S. Naval history to rise through the ranks to the position of chief of naval operations. Mike had great respect for Admiral Boorda and their shared experience.
Mike's service at sea included duty aboard several ship types including destroyers and attack troop transports. He always felt his most rewarding tour was aboard the USS Constellation (CV 64) where he served as ship's secretary and personnel officer from March 1978 until Feb. 1980. The Constellation can be seen today at Puget Sound Naval Ship Yard.
He also served a three year tour as officer in charge, personnel support activity detachment, Bangor, WA from September 1984 to October 1987.
The most devastating assignment Mike had was during the height of the Vietnam conflict while serving aboard the USS Frank E. Evans (DD 754). In the early morning hours of June 3, 1969 on the South China Sea, the Frank E. Evans was cut in two by a collision with the Royal Australian Navy aircraft carrier, Melbourne. At least a third of the Frank E. Evans sank almost immediately resulting in 74 officers and enlisted personnel being lost at sea. Mike, two decks below the main deck when the impact occurred was also cast into the sea, eventually rescued by the crew of the Melbourne. He would always say that it was an act of God that he survived.
In his 30 years of naval service, Mike earned three Meritorious Service Medals, two Navy
Commendation Medals, two Navy Achievement Medals and various service and campaign medals and ribbons.
He was preceded in death by his father and mother, Frank L. Reiter and Doris L. (Goins) Reiter,
both of Pueblo, his infant son, Patrick LeRoy and a sister, Karen James of McPherson, Kansas,
Jan Alston, an aunt of Florence, CO.
He is survived by his wife, MarDel (Hansey) Reiter of Salt Lake City, Utah who was a big
help in caring for him with his illness. His children, Pamela K. Reiter of Costa Mesa, CA and Shawn (Sylvia) Reiter of Port Orchard, WA. His first wife Patricia of 22 years, mother of Pamela, Shawn and Patrick LeRoy Reiter, became his caregiver during the last two years He is also survived by his brother, Gary (Arlene) Reiter of Westcliffe, CO and two aunts, Betty Sturdevant and Jean Leo of Portland, OR. He also leaves behind three grandchildren, Cory and Colin Nichols, Travis Reiter, his uncle, Charles Reiter of Pueblo, CO and numerous nieces and nephews.
Mike enjoyed all of his family very much and felt they were the greatest blessing he had in life. He also enjoyed woodworking and sports, especially basketball. Mike completed several marathons, finishing the The Big Island Marathon in 3:35:43, his personal best.
He will be greatly missed by all who knew and loved him and fondly remembered.
Visitation: 11:45 a.m. - 12:45 p.m., June 27, 2009 at the Lewis Funeral home in Bremerton followed by the graveside service. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints Missionary Fund.
- See more at: http://www.lewischapel.com/obituary/Michael-Leroy-Reiter/Port-Orchard-WA/683436#sthash.1cGeumL4.dpuf
USS FRANK E. EVANS (DD 754), an Allen M. Sumner class destroyer, was named in honor of Frank Evans, a leader of the American Expeditionary Force in France during World War I. She served in late World War II and the Korean War, and Vietnam War before being cut in half in a collision with the Australian aircraft carrier HMAS Melbourne in 1969.
Her keel was laid at the Bethlehem Steel Company shipyard in Staten Island, New York. She was launched on 3 October 1944 sponsored by Mrs. Frank E. Evans, widow of General Evans, and commissioned on 3 February 1945, with Commander H. Smith in command.
Frank E. Evans arrived at Pearl Harbor on 18 May 1945 for her final training, and crossed to Eniwetok, Guam, Ulithi, and Okinawa on escort duty. Reaching action waters on 24 June, she was assigned to radar picket and local escort duty, often firing on enemy aircraft. At the close of hostilities, she patrolled the Yellow Sea and the Gulf of Chihli, embarked released Americans from prisoner of war camps near Dairen, Manchuria, covered occupation landings at Jinsen, Korea, and continued to operate in the Far East until 6 March 1946, when she sailed from Tsingtao for San Francisco, California. Immobilized there on 31 March, Evans was decommissioned and placed in reserve on 14 December 1949.
Recommissioned on 15 September 1950 for duty in the Korean War, Evans sailed from San Diego, California on 2 January 1951 for duty with the 7th Fleet. On 26 February, she began her part in the lengthy siege of Wonsan, during which she engaged enemy shore batteries eleven times. On 18 June, she was struck by 30 shrapnel hits, which caused minor wounds to four crew members before the destroyer silenced the enemy battery.
During this tour of duty, Evans also bombarded targets in the Songjin-Chongjin area, rescued downed aviators, and coordinated and controlled day and night bombing missions by United Nations aircraft. She returned to San Diego on 4 September 1951.
Evans sailed on 22 March 1952 for her second Korean tour, serving on patrol and shore bombardment duty along the coast of Korea and on the Taiwan Patrol before returning to her new home port, Long Beach, California, on 6 November 1952. Her tour in the Far East from 13 June to 20 December 1953 coincided with the Korean armistice, and was devoted primarily to patrol duty.
From 1954 to 1960, Evans completed five deployments to the Far East, as well as joining extensive training operations along the west coast and in the Hawaiian Islands, occasionally with Canadian ships.
From 1962 to 1963, the ship was the fictitious Appleby in the NBC military comedy series
Ensign O'Toole, starring Dean Jones in the title role.
On the night of 2-3 June 1969, Evans was participating in SEATO exercise SEA SPIRIT in the South China Sea with elements of the Royal Australian Navy and other allied navies. Evans was operating in company with the Australian aircraft carrier HMAS Melbourne. At flying stations, Melbourne signalled Evans, which was to port of the carrier, to take station astern of her. The most plausible action by Evans would have been to make a turn to port (away from the carrier) and describe a circle, taking station astern of the carrier. Because of confusion as to Melbourne's course and intentions and errors of judgment, instead of turning to port, Evans turned to starboard onto a collision course. After being warned by Melbourne, she came hard right, while Melbourne simultaneously (or nearly so) came hard left. Evans was cut in half in the ensuing collision. Her bow section sank in two minutes, taking 74 of her crew down with it. At the time of the collision, Evans's captain was asleep. The officer of the deck failed to notify him when he executed the station change as required by the Commanding Officer's standing orders. Evans was stricken from the Naval Vessel Register on 1 July 1969. The stern section was salvaged and sunk as a target in Subic Bay on 10 October 1969.