William Dewayne Austin

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Commander (retired) William Dewayne Austin, (12 August, 1890 – ) served in the United States Navy.

Life & Career

Austin was born in Kentucky and was appointed to the Naval Academy from the same state, graduating with the Class of 1914 and being commissioned Ensign on 76 June, 1914.[1] During World War I he was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant (Junior Grade) on 6 December, 1917, and to the temporary rank of Lieutenant on 15 October, 1917.[2] He served on destroyer Sterett for most of the war and immediately afterwards, and may have commanded the ship in 1919, though sources are not clear on this.[3][4]

In the postwar period, Austin was promoted to the permanent rank of Lieutenant on 1 July, 1920.[5] He served in a variety of positions ashore and afloat, but was never appointed to a command position, other than being the Officer-in-Charge of the Recruiting Station in Indianapolis from 1926 to 1928.[6][7]

Austin was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant Commander on 14 April, 1926.[8] After serving as Executive Officer of stores ship Bridge an onboard light cruiser Memphis, Austin was placed on the Retired List for ineligibility for promotion on 30 June, 1935.[9][10][11]

He was recalled to active duty in World War II, and was promoted to the rank of Commander on the Retired List on 25 February, 1942.[12]

Austin returned to inactive duty after the war. As of yet, no date of death has been found for him.


See Also

Bibliography

Naval Appointments
Preceded by
Donald T. Hunter
Captain of U.S.S. Sterett
before 1 Apr, 1919[13] – 10 Jul, 1919
Succeeded by
Thomas L. Gatch

Footnotes

  1. Register of Officers, 1915. pp. 74-75.
  2. Register of Officers, 1919. p. 68.
  3. Navy Directory 1 April, 1919 pp. 15, 482.
  4. Navy Directory 1 March, 1918 p. 8.
  5. Register of Officers, 1921. p. 50.
  6. The Indianapolis News 7 October, 1926 p. 28.
  7. Register of Officers, 1929. p. 50.
  8. Register of Officers, 1927. pp. 52-53.
  9. Brooklyn Daily Eagle 19 May, 1931 p. 10.
  10. Register of Officers, 1934. pp. 50-51.
  11. Register of Officers, 1935. pp. 418-419, 502.
  12. Register of Officers, 1942. p. 600.
  13. Navy Directory 1 April, 1919 p. 482