Frank L. DeLorenzo

DeLorenzo, Frank L. Captain DeLorenzo passed away on May 27, 2011. He was 96 years old. Known as "DeLo" to his many friends, he was born in Milwaukee, WI on August, 1, 1914. He graduated from Marquette University with B.S. and J.D. degrees in 1939. While in Law School there he was a contributor to, and on the staff of, the Marquette Law Review. He came to Pensacola later in 1939 and entered flight training as an Aviation Cadet in class 130-C. He received his wings from Adm. A.C. Read, the first man to fly the Atlantic Ocean. DeLo was commissioned as an Ensign in May of 1940. He was designated Naval Aviator Number 6449. His first assignment was to Patrol Squadron Twelve, flying PBY CATALINA's out of San Diego, California. He was later ordered to Patrol Squadron Thirteen and flew the four engine PB2Y CORONADO seaplane throughout the Pacific during WW II. He was extremely proud to have been one of the pilots that flew Admiral Chester Nimitz to Honolulu on Christmas Day, 1941, in order for him to become the new Chief of all Naval Forces in the Pacific, early in WW II. DeLo was the last surviving pilot of that crew. Capt. DeLorenzo also flew in the strikes on Wake Island, Kwajalein, vEniwetok and Saipan during the Marshall and Gilbert campaigns, and was awarded the Air Medal with four gold stars. Later during WW II he flew patrols out of Kwajalein, Eniwetok and Saipan Islands and his squadron finally returned to the U.S. in December of 1944. After the cessation of WWII hostilities, he was assigned to the Naval Air Transport Service (NATS) and was a plane commander in R5D aircraft, while attached to VR-12 and VR-8 in Honolulu. VR-8 flew the route from Oakland, CA. to Guam in the Marianas. He returned to Pensacola in 1948, and was assigned as Senior Aircraft Engines Instructor in the Naval School of Pre-Flight. It was during this tour that he and his wife, Helen, met many prominent and "old" Pensacola families that would bring them back to Pensacola where they would happily retire!! After that he was assigned to the Staff of the Commander in Chief of the Atlantic Fleet in Norfolk, Virginia, where he was associated with various NATO Naval exercises that took him to England, Scotland and Norway. In 1953 and '54 he commanded Patrol Squadron Thirty-Four, flying PBM-5's out of Trinidad, British West Indies. Under his command, the squadron won the Fleet Battle Efficiency Pennant marking it as the best patrol squadron in the Atlantic Fleet! He returned to Pensacola once again, later in 1954 and served as the Administrative Officer of the Naval Air Station until 1956, when he was ordered to the attack carrier USS KEARSARGE (CVA-33) as Operations Officer and later as Executive Officer, with the carrier operating in the Western Pacific. Prior to reporting to the KEARSARGE he carrier qualified in SNJ's aboard USS SAIPAN. He was next assigned to the Senior Naval War College in Newport, R.I.. where he was promoted to the rank of Captain in 1959. Upon graduation from War College he was assigned as the Missile and Satellite Range Operations Officer of the Pacific Missile Range at Point Mugu, California where he was associated with numerous early space projects. His next assignment was to recommission and Command a ship, the fleet oiler, USS KENNEBEC (AO-36) in Brooklyn, NY. After transiting the Panama Canal and operating in the Pacific Fleet, he was detached from KENNEBEC in 1962 and reported as Chief of Staff to the Commander Middle East Force operating out of Bahrain Island in the Persian Gulf. In that capacity he traveled all throughout the Middle East in several small seaplane tenders known as the "LITTLE WHITE FLEET" and met many Heads of State including the late Shah of Iran and the Rulers of Kuwait, Bahrain, Abu Dhabi, Qatar, and Dubai. His next two assignments were as Commanding Officer of the Naval Air Station, Corpus Christi, Texas from 1964 to 1966 and Commanding Officer of the Headquarters Support Activity, Taipei, Taiwan in the Republic of China from 1966 to 1968. He was also Chief of Staff to the Commandant, Twelfth Naval District in San Francisco where he and His family lived in beautiful Government Quarters on the top of Yerba Buena Island in the center of San Francisco Bay, where the two sections of the Bay Bridge are anchored. He was an avid golfer and a long time member of the Pensacola Country Club and a past member of the Board of Directors of the PCC. During his golfing career DeLo was credited with four "holes in one". He was one of the original founders of the Ex-Aviation Cadet Organization and EMCEE'd many of its reunions. He was an active and ardent supporter of the National Museum of Naval Aviation and Alzheimer's research and support activities. In addition to his Air Medals, he was awarded numerous Campaign Medals as well as the Army Commendation Medal and the Joint Service Commendation Medal. He retired in 1970 after accumulating 6000 plus flight hours and completing 31 continuous years of active duty in the Navy. He was pre-deceased by his dear and lovely wife of 60 years, Helen Baker DeLorenzo. He is survived by his son, Tony, and daughter-in -law, Linda Binion DeLorenzo, a grandson, Tony, Jr. and wife, Faith, and great-granddaughters, Lily and Ceili. Memorials may be made to the Nat'l Museum of Naval Aviation, 1750 Radford Blvd, Ste C, NAS Pensacola, FL 32508 or Covenant Hospice, 5401 N 12th Ave, Pensacola, FL 32504 or to St. John Catholic Church, 303 So. Navy Blvd. Pensacola, Fl. 32507. Visitation will be on Tuesday, May 31, 2011, from 10:00 AM till 11:00 AM at St. John's Catholic Church, with a Funeral Mass at 11:00 AM, at St. John's Catholic Church, with burial to follow at Barrancas National Cemetery. Condolences may be left at www.oaklawnfunerals.com Oak Lawn Funeral Home is in charge of funeral arrangements.