William R. Furlong facts for kids

Quick facts for kids William Rea Furlong
Born	(1881-05-26)May 26, 1881 Allenport, Pennsylvania
Died	June 2, 1976(1976-06-02) (aged 95) Bethesda, Maryland
Allegiance	United States of America
Service/branch	United States Navy
Years of service	1905–1946
Rank	Rear admiral
Commands held	Bureau of Ordnance Minecraft Battle Force Pearl Harbor Navy Yard
Battles/wars	Veracruz Expedition World War I World War II
Awards	Legion of Merit (2)
Relations	Capt. William R. Furlong Jr. USNR

William Rea Furlong (May 26, 1881 – June 2, 1976) was a brave U.S. Navy officer. He became a Rear Admiral during World War II. From 1937 to 1941, he was in charge of all naval weapons as the Chief of Naval Ordnance. After the surprise attack on Pearl Harbor, Admiral Furlong led the important job of fixing and rescuing damaged U.S. ships.

Early Life and Education

William Rea Furlong was born on May 26, 1881. His hometown was Allenport, Pennsylvania. He first went to a Normal School in California, Pennsylvania. There, he earned a degree to become a teacher. He worked as a teacher for almost two years.

In 1901, he was chosen to attend the United States Naval Academy. This famous school is located in Annapolis, Maryland. Furlong graduated in 1905. He started his Navy career as an ensign. His first assignment was on the armored cruiser USS Maryland. He served on this ship until 1909.

Advanced Studies and Early Missions

In 1910, Furlong joined the protected cruiser USS Chicago. This ship was a backup for the Massachusetts Naval Militia. He even commanded the Chicago for a short time in August 1910. He stayed on Chicago until 1912.

After that, he went to Columbia University in New York. He earned a Master of Science degree there in 1914. His studies focused on electrical and radio engineering. Soon after, he became the fleet radio officer. He worked for the commander-in-chief of the U.S. Atlantic Fleet. In April 1914, he took part in the Veracruz Expedition in Mexico. Later that year, he became the Fleet Radio Officer on the battleship USS New York.

Serving in World War I

After finishing his studies, Furlong continued as a fleet radio officer. He worked for Admiral Frank Friday Fletcher in the U.S. Atlantic Fleet. From 1916 to 1917, Furlong was a gunnery officer. He served on the battleships USS South Carolina and USS Nevada.

He then became a gunnery observer on the battleship USS New York. This ship operated in European waters. He also worked with the British Grand Fleet in the war zone. In March 1918, he was assigned to the Bureau of Ordnance. This department handles naval weapons.

Between the World Wars

After World War I, Furlong continued his important work. From 1919 to 1920, he was Chief of the Fire Control Section. This was at the Bureau of Ordnance in Washington D.C. He helped create new systems for aiming guns. These systems used electricity to control guns remotely.

From 1921 to 1923, he was an aide and fleet gunnery officer. He worked for the commander-in-chief of the United States Pacific Fleet. Then, from 1923 to 1926, he worked in the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations.

Commanding Ships and Divisions

From 1926 to 1928, Furlong was the executive officer of the battleship USS West Virginia. An executive officer is second in command. After that, he commanded the oiler USS Neches. He also led a division of six destroyers in the Pacific Ocean.

From 1928 to 1931, he worked in the Office of Island Government. This department was part of the Navy. From 1931 to 1933, he commanded the light cruiser USS Marblehead.

He then became an inspector of ordnance. This job was at the Naval Proving Ground in Dahlgren, Virginia. He worked there from 1933 to 1936. On June 23, 1938, he was promoted to Rear Admiral. He was then assigned as Chief of the Bureau of Ordnance.

World War II Hero

From February to December 1941, Admiral Furlong was in charge of Minecraft, Battle Force. This unit was based at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. He was at Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. This was the day of the surprise attack on Pearl Harbor by Japan. He was on his flagship, the minelayer USS Oglala. The ship was attacked and capsized during the battle.

After the attack, Admiral Furlong took on a huge task. From December 12, 1941, until almost the end of the war, he commanded the Pearl Harbor Navy Yard. His main job was to rescue and repair the ships sunk during the Japanese attack. He helped get these ships ready to fight again in the Pacific War. A famous achievement was overseeing the righting of the battleship USS Oklahoma. This ship had capsized after being hit by torpedoes.

In 1944, he received the Legion of Merit award. In 1945, he received a Gold Star. This meant he earned a second Legion of Merit. Admiral Furlong retired from the U.S. Navy on July 18, 1945. He had served his country for 44 years.

Life After the Navy

After retiring, Admiral Furlong lived in Washington, D.C. He also had a summer home in Roscoe, Pennsylvania. The Government of Finland honored him with the Order of the Cross of Liberty, 1st Class. This was a sign of their good friendship.

In 1949, Admiral Furlong was elected commander-in-chief. This was for the Military Order of the World Wars. He was also a member of the Naval Order of the United States. In 1949, he joined the District of Columbia Society of the Sons of the American Revolution. In 1950, he received the Freedoms Foundation award.

Admiral Furlong passed away on June 2, 1976, in Bethesda, Maryland. In 1981, his book was published. It was called So Proudly We Hail: The History of the United States Flag.

Legacy

Admiral Furlong's memory lives on. The Sons of the American Revolution give out the Admiral Furlong Award. This award honors non-government groups. It is given for proudly displaying the American flag.

Awards and Honors

Here are some of the awards Rear Admiral William R. Furlong received: