March 1960 - November 1960
Frank Lucius Pinney, Jr., was born in Washington. D. C., on March 17,
1913, son of Captain Frank L. Pinney, USN (now deceased) and Mrs. Mary
Brogden Pinney. He attended Sidwell Friends School in Washington,
graduating in 1929, and the next year prepared at Severn School, Sererna
Park, Maryland, for his entrance to to Naval Academy in 1930. As a
Midshipman he was Editor of the Lucky Bag, and Captain of the Tennis Team
in 1934. Graduated and commissioned Ensign on May 31, 1934 ,he
subsequently advanced in rank to that of Captain, his date of rank
November 20, 1952. After graduation from the Naval Academy, he had sea duty for six years,
serving first as a junior Watch and Division Officer, on board the USS
PORTLAND (CA 33), and from May 1938 to July 1940 as a Watch and Division
Officer in the USS HULL (DD 350). He then returned to Annapolis for
instruction in Ordnance Engineering at the Naval Postgraduate School,
continuing the course at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, from which
he was graduated with the degree of Master of Science in September 1942.
Reporting to the New York Naval.Shipyard, Brooklyn, New York, in
September 1942, be had duty in connection with fitting out the USS IOWA
(BB 61), and served as her Assistant Gunnery Officer and later as Gunnery
Officer from her commissioning in February 1943, until January 1945.
During his service on board, that battleship participated in the Marshall
Islands operation; Asiatic-Pacific raids of 19441 Hollandia operation;
Marianna, Western Carolines and Leyte operations; and the capture and
occupation of Tinian. He was awarded the Bronze Star Medal, with Combat
"V," and citation. Upon his return to the United States in January 1945, he was designated
Aide to Fleet Admiral William D. Leahy, USN, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs
of Staff, and served in that capacity for two years. In March 1947 he
assumed command of the USS HUGH PURVIS (DD 709), and after his detachment
two years later, reported in April 1949 to the Atomic Energy Commission,
Washington, D.. C., for duty in the Research and Development Division.
Completing that tour in May 1952, he assumed command in June of that year,
of Destroyer Division TWENTY-TWO, and remained in command for fourteen
months. In August 1953, he reported as a student at the Industrial College of
the Armed Forces, and upon completion of the course, served for two years
in the Bureau of Ordnance as Head of the Special Weapons Branch and
Program Director for Nuclear Applications. He assumed command of USS FREMONT (APA 44) in August 1956 and upon
detachment in November 1957, returned to Washington as Deputy Director of
the Fleet Ballistic Missile (Polaris) Program. In December 1959 he
received orders as Prospective Commanding Officer, USS TOPEKA (CLG 8).
Captain Pinney passed away in 1999
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