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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.
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World War II/European-African-Middle Eastern Theater/Southern France Campaign (1944)
From Month/Year
August / 1944
To Month/Year
September / 1944
Description (Southern France Campaign 15 August to 14 September 1944) While the Germans were retreating in Italy in the summer of 1944, the Allies diverted some of their strength in the theater to the invasion of Southern France. After preliminary bombardment, a combined seaborne-airborne force landed on the French Riviera on 15 August. Marseilles having been taken, Sevmth Army advanced up the Rhone Valley and by mid-September was in touch with Allied forces that had entered France from the north.
My Participation in This Battle or Operation
From Month/Year
August / 1944
To Month/Year
September / 1944
Last Updated: Mar 16, 2020
Personal Memories
Memories Francis Old took part in the attack at Salerno, was chief of statt at Anzio and the southern France landings, and the invasions of Italy and France as the Commander Naval Forces, Northwest African Waters. He also participated in the Battle of Japan.
