This Military Service Page was created/owned by
Kent Weekly (SS/DSV) (DBF), EMCS
to remember
Deyo, Morton Lyndholm, VADM USN(Ret).
If you knew or served with this Sailor and have additional information or photos to support this Page, please leave a message for the Page Administrator(s) HERE.
Contact Info
Home Town Poughkeepsie, NY
Last Address Portsmouth, NH
Date of Passing Nov 10, 1973
Location of Interment U.S. Naval Academy Cemetery and Columbarium (VLM) - Annapolis, Maryland
Deyo served in both the Atlantic and Pacific Fleets during WWII. In the Atlantic, he commanded the destroyers which provided the first American escort assistance to allied convoys to England just prior to the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. He later commanded naval gunfire support at Utah Beach in the Normandy invasion, Task Force 129 at the Bombardment of Cherbourg, as well as during the invasion of Southern France.
When transferred to the Pacific, Rear Admiral Deyo assumed command of Cruiser Division 13 (CruDiv 13). He commanded gunfire and covering forces for the assault and occupation of Battle of Okinawa. During the battle, he was the last naval commander to form a battle line with battleships as they prepared to intercept the Japanese battleship Yamato. At the war's end, he accepted the surrender of Japanese forces at Sasebo, Kyushu and directed the Allied Occupation of Western Japan.
Other Comments:
Name of Award
Navy Distinguished Service Medal
Year Awarded
1945
Details behind Award:
Awarded for actions during the World War II
"The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Navy Distinguished Service Medal to Rear Admiral Morton Lyndholm Deyo (NSN: 0-7760), United States Navy, for exceptionally meritorious and distinguished service in a position of great responsibility to the Government of the United States, as Commander of the Gunfire and Covering Force during the amphibious assault against Japanese-held Okinawa Gunto and the subsequent conquest of this strategic enemy island, from 24 March to 4 May 1945.
...
The Force under Rear Admiral Deyo's command delivered effective bombardment to cover the successful amphibious landing executed by our troops and subsequently, provided gunfire support of the land campaign, at the same time fighting fiercely against repeated attacks by aircraft and suicide surface craft. Although his flagship was hit by an enemy suicide plane during one action, Rear Admiral Deyo synchronized the units of his force to destroy enemy gun emplacements and strongpoints, disperse troop concentrations, harass hostile counterattacks and support attacks by our troops. Continuing these operations without interruption, the Gunfire and Covering Force under his direction destroyed a number of Japanese planes and frustrated all attempts launched by the enemy to attack our transports with suicide boats.
...
By his courage, leadership, judgment and unwavering devotion to duty, Rear Admiral Deyo contributed to the success of this major operation and upheld the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service." General Orders: Commander, Amphibious Forces Pacific: Serial 1570 (September 7, 1945) Action Date: March 24 - May 4, 1945 Service: Navy Rank: Rear Admiral Company: Commander Division: Naval Gunfire and Covering Force
World War II/Asiatic-Pacific Theater/Okinawa Gunto Operation
From Month/Year
March / 1945
To Month/Year
June / 1945
Description The Battle of Okinawa, codenamed Operation Iceberg. was fought on the Ryukyu Islands of Okinawa and was the largest amphibious assault in the Pacific War of World War II. The 82-day-long battle lasted from early April until mid-June 1945. After a long campaign of island hopping, the Allies were approaching Japan, and planned to use Okinawa, a large island only 340 mi (550 km) away from mainland Japan, as a base for air operations on the planned invasion of Japanese mainland (coded Operation Downfall). Four divisions of the U.S. 10th Army (the 7th, 27th, 77th, and 96th) and two Marine Divisions (the 1st and 6th) fought on the island. Their invasion was supported by naval, amphibious, and tactical air forces.
The battle has been referred to as the "typhoon of steel" in English, and tetsu no ame ("rain of steel") or ("violent wind of steel") in Japanese. The nicknames refer to the ferocity of the fighting, the intensity of kamikaze attacks from the Japanese defenders, and to the sheer numbers of Allied ships and armored vehicles that assaulted the island. The battle resulted in the highest number of casualties in the Pacific Theater during World War II. Based on Okinawan government sources, mainland Japan lost 77,166 soldiers, who were either killed or committed suicide, and the Allies suffered 14,009 deaths (with an estimated total of more than 65,000 casualties of all kinds). Simultaneously, 42,000–150,000 local civilians were killed or committed suicide, a significant proportion of the local population. The atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki together with the Soviet invasion of Manchuria caused Japan to surrender less than two months after the end of the fighting on Okinawa.
