Admiral Sheldon H. Kinney, 86; Commanded Ships in 3 Wars -- Rest in Peace

[ Show ]

Support VoyForums

[ Shrink ]

VoyForums Announcement: Programming and providing support for this service has been a labor of love since 1997. We are one of the few services online who values our users' privacy, and have never sold your information. We have even fought hard to defend your privacy in legal cases; however, we've done it with almost no financial support -- paying out of pocket to continue providing the service. Due to the issues imposed on us by advertisers, we also stopped hosting most ads on the forums many years ago. We hope you appreciate our efforts.

Show your support by donating any amount. (Note: We are still technically a for-profit company, so your contribution is not tax-deductible.) PayPal Acct: Feedback:

Donate to VoyForums (PayPal):

[ Login ] [ Contact Forum Admin ] [ Main index ] [ Post a new message ] [ Search | Check update time | Archives: [1], 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 ]

Subject: Admiral Sheldon H. Kinney, 86; Commanded Ships in 3 Wars

Author:
dec 11

[ Next Thread | Previous Thread | Next Message | Previous Message ]

Date Posted: January 11, 2005 11:01:25 EDT

Sheldon Hoard Kinney, a highly decorated rear admiral who commanded fighting vessels in three wars and later trained future seafarers at the State University of New York Maritime College and at the World Maritime University in Sweden, died on Dec. 11 at his home in Annapolis, Md. He was 86.

The cause was cancer, his family said.

Admiral Kinney began as a teenage signalman in 1935 and retired in 1972 as commander of the cruiser-destroyer force of the Pacific fleet.

As commander of the destroyer Bronstein in 1944, he received the Navy Cross for sinking three German U-boats and disabling a fourth in a single night's battle while escorting a convoy into the English Channel. The ship was awarded a Presidential Unit Citation for what the Navy later called "the most concentrated and successful antisubmarine action by a U.S. Navy ship during World War II."

During the Korean War another vessel under his command, the Taylor, earned a commendation for engagements at Wonsan Harbor. He later took charge of the Navy's first guided-missile frigate, the Mitscher, served on the staff of United States Naval Forces in Europe and commanded a gunfire support armada off Vietnam during the war in Indochina.

Born in Pasadena, Calif., Sheldon Kinney dropped out of high school to enlist in 1935. His superiors picked him from the ranks in 1937 to send to the Naval Academy. He graduated as a marine engineer early in 1941 with the midshipmen destined for immediate sea duty as World War II engulfed Europe.

He returned to Annapolis as an academic instructor in 1954 and in the late 1950's was on the staff of the chief of naval operations. He also earned master's and law degrees from George Washington University and graduated from the National War College.

From 1964 to 1967, by then a captain, he was commandant of midshipmen at Annapolis, supervising the military, physical and social development of its students.

When he retired from active service in 1972, Admiral Kinney became president of the SUNY Maritime College at Fort Schuyler, in the Bronx.

Ten years later, he became a founder, and later president, of the World Maritime University, formed by the International Maritime Organization, a specialized agency of the United Nations, in Malmo, Sweden. There, he helped put in place its master's and doctoral programs on all aspects of international seafaring.

Admiral Kinney is survived by his wife of 63 years, Elizabeth Douglas Kinney; two sons, Douglas S., of Washington, and Bruce H., of Snellville, Ga.; a brother, Donald, of Orange Park, Fla; three grandchildren; and a great-grandson. An older brother, Gilbert, who like him joined the Navy in the 1930's, is entombed at his duty station on the battleship Arizona at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.

[ Next Thread | Previous Thread | Next Message | Previous Message ]