This Military Service Page was created/owned by
Sheila Rae Myers, HM3
to remember
Mahler, William Albert, Jr., CAPT.
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Contact Info
Home Town Piitsburgh, PA
Last Address Pittsburgh, PA
Date of Passing May 16, 1989
Location of Interment Arlington National Cemetery (VLM) - Arlington, Virginia
Wall/Plot Coordinates 2 3397-8
Official Badges
Unofficial Badges
Additional Information
Last Known Activity:
William Mahler was born in 1908. He never knew his mother, but he described his father as wonderful and acted as both father and mother. From a young age, he wanted to be a priest. His reason was that he and the other kids really admired one of the priests who taught at their school, although he didn't describe what that meant in detail. His thinking was "when I grow up, I want to be like him".
His civilian duties were interuptted when he decided to join the Navy and minister to the soldiers and sailors. Other than his service during heavy fighting, probably the most notable thing he did while in the Navy was to write the dedication prayer for the sunken USS Arizona. That prayer can still be seen at the memorial.
He continued as a priest when he was discharged from the Navy. He was also interested in literature and wrote essays and poems.
Other Comments:
The information contained in this profile was compiled from various internet sources.
On 15 September 1946, the Secretary of the Navy re-designated the repair base Naval Station, San Diego. By the end of 1946, the base had grown to 294 buildings[4] with floor space square footage of more than 6,900,000 square feet (640,000 m2), berthing facilities included five piers of more than 18,000 feet (5,500 m) of berthing space. Land then totaled more than 921 acres (373 ha) and 16 miles (26 km) of roads. Barracks could accommodate 380 officers and 18,000 enlisted men. More than 3,500 sailors could be fed in the galley at a single sitting on the base.
Later, in the 1990s, the Naval Station became the principal homeport of the then U.S. Pacific Fleet, when the Long Beach Naval Shipyard was closed for the final time on 30 September 1994. Naval Station San Diego was realigned under Commander, Navy Region Southwest and became one in a triad of metropolitan Navy bases that now make up the bulk of the metro area Navy's presence. With that change, the base became the hub of all Navy port operations for the Region, assumed logistical responsibility for both Naval Medical Center San Diego and the Region headquarters and was re-designated Naval Base San Diego.
