Draft:Stan Leith

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Stanley Leith
Born	(1901-02-15)15 February 1901 Queens, New York, New York
Died	6 November 1981(1981-11-06) (aged 80) El Cajon, California
Allegiance	United States
Branch	Navy
Service years	1923 – 1953
Rank	Rear Admiral
Commands	USS Badger Mine Division Five Mine Squadron Two USS St. Paul
Conflicts	World War II Guadalcanal Campaign Solomon Islands campaign Philippines Campaign Korean War Battle of Inchon
Awards	Silver Star Legion of Merit (3 awards) World War II Victory Medal Korea Service Medal

Stanley Leith (February 15, 1901 – November 6, 1981) was a Rear Admiral in the United States Navy. During World War II, after commanding the Navy's Mine Division Five and Mine Squadron Two, he became the Force Operations and Plans Officer for the Amphibious Forces of the U.S. Pacific Fleet. After the war, he served as the Commander of the USS St Paul, followed by duty with the Joint Chiefs of Staff. In the Korean War, he served as the Chief of Staff to the Commander of Amphibious Forces of the Pacific Fleet, responsible for planning and directing amphibious operations in the war — including planning for the Battle of Inchon, a turning point in the war.

Early life

Stanley Leith was born in Queens, New York on February 25, 1901, the youngest child of Alexander Leith and Jane Abel Leith, immigrants from Scotland. He graduated from Flushing High School, in Queens, and the Marian Military Institute, before entering the US Naval Academy in 1919. He graduated from the Academy in June 1923, after serving on the USS Utah. He married Velma LaVanche Cook in October 1926; they had two children, Robert (b.1927) and LaVanche (b.1932).

Military service

Pre-War

Upon graduating from the Naval Academy, Ensign Leith assumed various roles on several Navy ships. In 1927, he was appointed to Lieutenant, Junior Grade, achieving the rank of full Lieutenant in 1931. He briefly taught electrical engineering at the Naval Academy in 1935, while obtaining a Bachelor of Science degree there, awarded in 1938. Leith was subsequently certified as a Lieutenant Commander in 1939.

During these early-career years, he served on the USS Gilmer, USS Detroit, USS Decatur, USS Antares, USS Melville, USS Argonne, USS Truxton, USS Hulbert, USS Claxton, USS Mississippi, USS Idaho and USS New York. In 1940, Leith became the Commanding Officer of the USS Badger (DD-126). Continuing his studies in 1941, he attended the Naval War College, submitting in November of that year a graduate thesis on U.S. foreign policy and international relations—just days before the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor.

Second World War

Within seven months of the start of the war, Leith had assumed the roles of Commander, Mine Division Five and Commander, Mine Squadron Two, responsible for the administration and operation of 19 destroyer-type minesweepers. These were primarily engaged in the Guadalcanal Campaign (a part of the larger Solomon Islands campaign), with operations involving convoying, minesweeping and landing of troops. The force he commanded at that time consisted of approximately 5,000 officers and men. Incidentally, Leith is also given credit for the idea for configuring the LST tank landing ships (e.g., the Wythe, redesignated APB-41) into self-propelled "floating barracks".

In 1943, Leith became the Force Operations and Plans Officer for the Amphibious Forces of the U.S. Pacific Fleet. In this role he prepared plans for amphibious landings in the Gilberts, Marshalls, Marianas, Iwo Jima and Okinawa, and participated in the execution of those plans. This involved the assignment and coordination of units of the Pacific Amphibious Force and directing the operation of those units, and the preparation and execution of plans entailing the coordination of a staff of 100 officers and 300 men. In this role, he was directly responsible to the Commander for organizing, planning, and executing the amphibious landings. Between 1943 and 1944, the force he oversaw expanded during from a few ships and men to over 3,000 ships and a half-million officers and men.

Post World War II

Just a few days before the Japanese surrender, Leith was released for home duty on the U.S. West Coast. By September 1945, he had been reassigned to the Army and Navy Staff College in Washington, D.C., where he became the Head of the Research Department, working on the curriculum for the soon to be established National War College and conducting various military research problems. Soon thereafter, he was assigned as Staff to the Commandant of the National War College.

Then in August 1947, Leith assumed command of the heavy cruiser USS Saint Paul (CA-73), and was promoted to the rank of Captain in September 1948, retroactive to May 1943. From 1948-1949, he served on the staff of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, in Washington DC, principally engaged preparing the Joint Budget for the Armed Forces, reviewing the Armed Forces budget for fiscal year 1950 submitted by General Eisenhower.

As the war in Korea became imminent, Leith was reassigned in January 1950 as Chief of Staff and Aide to the Commander of the Amphibious Forces of the Pacific Fleet, Vice Admiral Ingolf Kiland. In that position, he was responsible for the preparation an execution of plans and orders, for developing administrative procedures for the staff and the supervision and coordination of work of the Commander—thus directing the work of an office force of 80 officers and 250 men and dealing with the problems of the operations of an organization of tactical and administrative units consisting of 35,000 officers and men. This work included the planning for the amphibious invasion of Battle of Inchon in September, 1950.

Leith continued in amphibious force planning throughout the Korean War. As the war came to a close in 1953, and anticipating retirement that summer, Leith moved to the Staff of the Commandant of the Eleventh Naval District in San Diego, California.

Later life

Stanley Leith retired on July 30, 1953, with the Rank of Rear Admiral. Upon retirement, he joined the company Convair, a Division of General Dynamics Corporation, initially as Production Change Analyst in Manufacturing Control. By 1958, he had assumed the role of Chief of the Manufacturing Department at that company and was living in La Mesa, California. In 1954, he was elected a member of the National Geographic Society, and in 1956 was accepted as a "Companion" of the U.S. Naval Order. In his retirement, Leith enjoyed horse riding and maintained a small orchard.

Death

Rear Admiral Stanley Leith died on November 6, 1981. His remains were formally buried at sea on December 17, 1981, off the coast of San Diego, California, by the staff of the USS Ramsay (FFG-2). He was survived by his wife, Velma LeVanche Cook, son Robert Leith, daughter LaVanche Strasser, and nine grandchildren.

Honors and awards

For his valor and accomplishments in World War II and the Korean War, Leith received the following recognition:

• Silver Star
• Legion of Merit with Combat Distinguishing Service (Combat V) and Gold Stars in lieu of second and third awards
• World War II Victory Medal
• American Defense Service Ribbon, with Star
• Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Ribbon with Ten Combat Stars
• American Theater Ribbon
• Philippine Occupation Ribbon
• Presidential Unit Citation, US Navy
• Korea Service Medal

External links

• Modern Biographical Files, Naval History and Heritage Command

Category:Military personnel from New York City Category:United States Naval Academy alumni Category:United States Navy personnel of World War II Category:United States Navy personnel of the Korean War Category:Naval War College alumni Category:Naval War College faculty Category:Marion Military Institute alumni Category:Recipients of the Silver Star Category:Recipients of the Legion of Merit