Edward W. Carter III

CARTER EDWARD W. CARTER, III Rear Admiral, US Navy (Ret.) Rear Admiral Edward W. Carter, III USN (Ret.) age 81, of Virginia Beach, VA died on August 8, 2010. He is survived by his wife of 59 years, Billie, and his children, Betsy Williams and husband David of Manassas, Va., Michael and wife Eugenia of Madison, WI, Patrick and wife Nancy of Moscow, ID, and Rebecca Riordan and husband Stephen of Virginia Beach; nine grandchildren, Elisabeth Williams and husband, Cliff Gross, Nathan Williams, Matthew Carter, Andrew Carter, Ari Carter, Ilan Carter, Shannon, Joseph and Thomas Riordan; and a great granddaughter, Charlotte Williams-Gross. A native North Carolinian, he enlisted in the Navy in 1945 and entered the U.S. Naval Academy with a fleet appointment, Class of 1951. At sea, he served in the ship''s company of seven surface combatants and commanded USS Towers (DDG 9), USS Biddle (CG34), Cruiser-Destroyer Group Three, Task Force 35, Task Force 75, and the Operational Test and Evaluation Force. Ashore he served on the staffs of Chief of Naval Operations,the Chief of Naval Material, the Commander of the Naval Sea Systems Command and as Inspector General of the Navy. He held a Master of Science degree from MIT, and was a graduate of the Naval War College and the Air War College. He retired as a Rear Admiral in l985. He participated in seven Vietnamese War campaigns while in command of USS Towers and USS Biddle. When in command of USS Towers, which deployed as an escort to the Battleship USS New Jersey, she conducted more than 150 gun strike and fire support missions along the Vietnamese east and west coasts and rescued two downed Marine aviators. When he commanded USS Biddle she destroyed 15 enemy aircraft, and directed the rescue of 17 Navy, Marine, and Air Force aviators shot down in combat. In 1980 while he commanded Task Force 75, the ships of that Force rescued more than 650 Vietnamese "Boat People" refugees and transported them to safe haven ashore. His awards include the Distinguished Service Medal, Legion of Merit (four awards), Bronze Star Medal with Combat "V", Navy Commendation Medal, Combat Action Ribbon, Republic of Vietnam Navy Distinguished Service Order, two Navy Unit Commendation awards, two Meritorious Unit Commendation awards, and the Republic of Vietnam Meritorious Unit Citation with Gallantry Cross. In June, l989, "Carter Hall", located at the Naval Guided Missile School in Dam Neck, VA, was named in his honor. In retirement he was a Senior Fellow with the Center for Naval Analysis. He volunteered as a math mentor for students in Fairfax Co., VA. He continued his love of singing from days with the Naval Academy Choir to various church choirs at duty stations around the country. He was member of Our Saviour''s Lutheran Church, Virginia Beach. A memorial service will be held there on August 14, 2010 at 10:30 a.m. Burial with full military honors will be held at Arlington National Cemetery on December 8, 2010, at 3 p.m. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson''s Research or a charity of your choice.