IN LOVING MEMORY OF

Paul L.

Paul  L.  (Rear Admiral)  Lacy Jr. Profile Photo

(Rear Admiral) Lacy Jr.

July 14, 2013

Obituary

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Paul L. Lacy, Jr., Rear Admiral, USN (Ret.), of Cohasset, MA died peacefully on July 14, 2013.  Born August 2, 1920 in Dallas TX, Paul was a graduate of the United States Naval Academy, Class of 1943, and later received a Master of Science in Applied Physics from UCLA.  He first served on the USS Cleveland (CL-55), participating in the North African Invasion and the Solomon Islands Campaign.  After volunteering for submarine service, he was graduated from the U.S. Naval Submarine School in Groton, CT on April 1, 1944 and was ordered to new construction of the USS Sea Cat (SS-399) on which he made four war patrols.  Paul was a representative on the USS Missouri (BB-63) at the signing of the surrender on September 2, 1945.  He went on to command two diesel powered submarines, the USS Guitarro (SS-363) and the USS Pickeral (SS-524) prior to being selected amongst the first group of commanding officers of fleet ballistic missile nuclear submarines, commanding the Blue Crew of the USS Ethan Allen (SSBN- 608).  He was promoted to Rear Admiral in July, 1967 and served as Commander, Submarine Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet from 1970 to 1972.  Paul retired from the U.S. Navy in March, 1973.  Amongst his medals and awards are the Distinguished Service Medal, the Legion of Merit with Combat "V" and Gold Star, the Navy Commendation Medal with Gold Star, and the Navy Unit Commendation Medal with Gold Star.  He continued to serve the public after retirement from the navy in the Hawaii State Constitutional Convention in 1978 and was elected to serve two terms in the Hawaii State House of Representatives.  Later he was instrumental in the development of the USS Bowfin Museum in Pearl Harbor, which is dedicated to the Pacific Fleet submariners of World War II.

Paul was the husband of his beloved late Katherine M. Kerley of Honolulu, HI and is survived by his children William Lacy and his wife Martha of Gales Ferry, CT, Sheryl Lacy Anderson and her husband Michael of Cohasset, MA, Craig Lacy and his wife Marggy of Clarendon Hills, IL,  Jon Lacy of Mesa, AZ,  seven grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.

Admiral Lacy will join his wife, Kay, in burial at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific in Honolulu, HI at a date to be determined.  In lieu of flowers contributions may be made in his memory to St. Stephen's Episcopal Church, Cohasset, MA 02025 or to the USS Bowfin Submarine Museum, 11 Arizona Memorial Drive, Honolulu, HI 96818.


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