Morton Deyo
Morton Lyndholm Deyo (July 1, 1887 – November 10, 1973) was a U.S. Navy admiral who served for 38 years and fought in World War I and World War II. Born in Poughkeepsie, New York, he graduated from the United States Naval Academy in 1911. Early in his career he served on battleships and destroyers in the Caribbean and Atlantic, and after World War I he taught seamanship at the Naval Academy and held various sea and staff assignments.
In World War II, Deyo rose to senior command. He led destroyer squadrons and, in the Normandy campaign, commanded naval gunfire support for Utah Beach and Cherbourg and oversaw bombardments during the invasion of Southern France. In the Pacific, he commanded Cruiser Division 13 and led gunfire support for the Okinawa operation, coordinating battleship fire and air defense. He was the last naval commander to form a battle line with battleships in the Pacific to counter the Japanese fleet, and after Japan's surrender he accepted the surrender at Sasebo and directed the Allied occupation of western Japan.
After the war, Deyo served as Commandant of the First Naval District in Boston from 1946 to 1949. He retired as a vice admiral. His decorations included the Navy Distinguished Service Medal and the Legion of Merit (two awards), as well as the French Legion of Honour. He died in 1973 at his home in Kittery Point, Maine, and he is buried at the United States Naval Academy Cemetery. The destroyer USS Deyo (DD-989) was named in his honor.
This page was last edited on 3 February 2026, at 02:50 (CET).