John C. Standish

MIDDLETOWN, RI, John C. "Myles" Standish, CDR, USN (Ret) of Middletown, RI, died on Monday, July 6, 2009.He was the husband of the late Lucille E. Standish.Born in Whitman, Plymouth County, MA he was the son of the late Harold and Ruth (Corthell) Standish.Myles graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in June 1943. A few months later he was aboard the USS Hornet CV-12 loading up for the shakedown cruise and thence to Pacific waters to join up with a task force. Shortly after his tour and the end of the war, he was assigned to another Essex class carrier, the USS Princeton CV-37 in the Pacific for most of three years. He transferred to the Navy Supply Corps. His first duty was as supply officer of the Navy Auxiliary Air Station, Charlestown, RI. This was a short three-month tour due to the shrinking of the military forces by the Department of Defense after World War II. Next he served at the Navy Supply Depot in Newport, RI, which was engaged in loading out destroyers for deployment to Korean waters. Several months of that and he joined them as the supply officer of Landing Ship Dock USS Catamount, LS-17 followed by a tour as the assistant supply officer of the repair ship USS Dionysus AR-21 being re-commissioned in San Diego. His final afloat tour was as the supply officer of the USS Yosemite, AD-19, the flagship of the Cruiser Destroyer Force, U.S. Atlantic Fleet. Sandwiched among these tours were duties ashore at the Navy Shipyard, Portsmouth, NH; the logistic section of the U.N. Joint Staff of the Iceland Defense Force; the supply department of the Seabee Center, Davisville, RI; four years in the Navy Special Projects Office in Washington, D.C. on the provisioning team for selection of repair parts of the weapons systems of the first two classes of the Polaris Missile Submarines; duty at the Naval Supply Center in Newport. His final duty was as the supply officer of the Naval Station, Newport. Myles was an active member of the United Congregational Church, Middletown, RI, serving at various times on boards and committees, including a 13-year stint as chairman of the Investment Committee.He was an enthusiastic sport fisherman. An eleventh generation descendant of the pilgrims via the marriage of Myles and Barbara's son Alexander to John and Priscilla Alden's daughter, Sarah, he named his Boston Whaler, The Mayflower. From early spring to late Fall it was a familiar sight on Narragansett Bay and nearby offshore waters for many months. He also enjoyed doing freelance writing, mostly fish tales for the New England Fisherman Magazine. From late October to early April, he labored in the garage rehabilitating his boat and trailer. He'd take a break often to go upstairs to warm up and compose letters to the editor of the Newport Daily News and to town, state and federal officials to improve or rectify environmental, developmental, traffic, financial, political and international matters.His son Myles Alan predeceased him. He is survived by his son, Steve of Charlestown, RI; daughter Elaine Jolley of Newport, RI; sister Shirley Curtin of Brockton, MA; brother Lawrence of New Smyrna Beach, FL;' and five grandchildren; Myles, J.C., Nathan, Derek and Courtney Hernandez and four great grandchildren,His funeral and burial will be private.Calling hours will be held on Saturday, July 11, 2009, from 8-10 in the Memorial Funeral Home, 375 Broadway, Newport, RI.In lieu of flowers, donations in his memory may be made to Save the Bay, 18 Market Square, Newport, RI 02840.