Blake Wayne Van Leer
Blake Wayne Van Leer | |
---|---|
Commander in the United States Navy | |
Personal details | |
Born | Berkeley, California | January 13, 1926
Died | October 3, 1997 Arlington, Virginia | (aged 71)
Resting place | Arlington National Cemetery |
Children | 3 |
Relatives | Blake R Van Leer (father) Ella Lillian Wall Van Leer (mother) Maryly Van Leer Peck (sister) Anthony Wayne (great-great-uncle) |
Alma mater | Princeton University Duke University North Carolina State University Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute |
Awards | Moreell Medal Legion of Merit The Peltier Award American Campaign Medal Asiatic–Pacific Campaign Medal World War II Victory Medal National Defense Service Medal Korean Service Medal Antarctica Service Medal Vietnam Service Medal United Nations Korea Medal Vietnam Campaign Medal[1] |
Military service | |
Allegiance | United States of America |
Branch/service | United States Navy |
Years of service | 1943-1971 |
Rank | Captain, Commander |
Commands | Seabees |
Battles/wars | World War II Vietnam War |
Blake Wayne Van Leer (a.k.a. Blake W. Van Leer) (January 13, 1926 – October 3, 1997) was a prominent United States Navy officer and the son of Georgia Institute of Technology's president Blake R Van Leer and women's rights activist Ella Lillian Wall Van Leer.[2]
Early life and education[]
Van Leer was born in Berkeley, California on the 13th of January in 1926 and one of three children. He was part of a prominent academic and military family; his father Blake R Van Leer was a colonel and university president, his mother a Technologist and principal draftswoman in the Quartermaster general's research department. Van Leer is a descendant of the Van Leer family. His paternal fourth great-grandfather was Samuel Van Leer and fourth great-granduncle General Anthony Wayne who both played an important role in the American Revolutionary War.[3] Van Leer attended Needham B. Broughton High School, studied at North Carolina State University and received a bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering from Duke University. He later obtained a Civil Engineering degree from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, graduated from the Joint Forces Staff College and has a master's degree in Civil Engineering from Princeton University.[4]
Military service[]
In 1943, Van Leer enlisted in the Navy and held several prominent positions in the United States Navy. He quickly rose to the rank of a Lieutenant Commander and later a Commander of the construction Battalion known as the Seabees. As a commander, Van Leer led numerous engineering projects for the Navy during the Vietnam War and was later promoted to Captain.[5] in 1966 he led the SeaBee $100 million project for Military development and readiness and later received the Legion of Merit award.[6][7]
In 1969, Van Leer received the Moreell Medal, this medal is presented for outstanding contribution to military engineering by a civilian or military member of the U.S. Navy's Civil Engineer Corps [8]
In 1969, Van Leer created the well known Seabee "STINGER" system (Seabee Tactical Installed Navy Generated Engineering Resource), which is designed to quickly facilitate the development of troops, construction and resources efficiently during wartime. In 1970, Van Leer was assigned to Fegley Glacier to lead the nuclear research and power unit at McMurdo Station during Operation Deep Freeze.[9][10] Van Leer lead the construction and opening of Naval Radio Transmitter Facility LaMoure, which is uses a former OMEGA Navigation System station as a VLF transmitter for communications with the US submarine fleet.[11]
Personal life[]
After his retirement, Van Leer became owner of Urban Pathfinders, RSV Group and president of Pathfinders Inc. He had three children, Maryanne Van Leer, Wayne Van Leer and Blake R Van LeerII,all who would join the engineering world,while wed to Margret A. Van Leer. From 1982 to 1997 wed to Colleen Jennings Van Leer. Van Leer's family had several notable roles in the military. His father was a notable military officer, colonel, engineer and also received awards.[12] During his fathers tenure at Georgia Tech, women were admitted for the first time and steps were made towards integration.[13][14] His mother was in the Army Nurse Corps, a technologist at the research and development department in Washington.[15] Van Leer's sister Maryly Van Leer Peck is also a notable American academic who is the first woman to receive a M.S. and a Ph.D. in chemical engineering and worked as a lead rocket engineer at the United States Naval Research Laboratory.[16] Peck also received the National Community Service Award by the Daughters of the American Revolution organization and both Van Leers are a descendant of Samuel Van Leer, an American Revolutionary War Captain and General Anthony Wayne.[17]The family name Wayne is also the namesake in for Batman's secret identity, Bruce Wayne. The Batman co-creator Bill Finger cited both Robert the Bruce and "Mad" Anthony Wayne as the two sources of the fictional character's name.[18][19]
Awards and decorations[]
Van Leer is the recipient of the following awards:
- Legion of Merit
- The Peltier Award
- Moreell Medal
- Meritorious Service Medal
- National Defense Service Medal
- various campaign/unit awards.
See also[]
- SeaBee
- Ben Moreell
- Blake R Van Leer
References[]
- ^ "VAN LEER-BLAKE | the United States Navy Memorial".
- ^ "Biography of Van Leer Family".
- ^ "Samuel Van Leer welcomed the Revolution with enthusiasm".
- ^ "Georgia Tech Archives".
- ^ "Navy Civil Engineer, Volumes 11-12". 1970-04-14. Retrieved 2020-02-03.
- ^ "The Washington Post 1997". The Washington Post.
- ^ The History of Construction in Southeast Asia. U.S. Government Printing Office. 1975-04-14. Retrieved 2006-10-25.
- ^ "Past Moreell Medal Recipients".
- ^ "Antarctica Navy Base Details". U.S. Geological Survey.
- ^ "Naval Construction Forces". U.S. Navy.
- ^ "Navy Civil Engineer, Volumes 11-12". 1970.
- ^ "History of the ECE Department: 1930-1939". Georgia Tech Alumni Magazine. Retrieved 2013-07-09.
- ^ "Campus Map: Van Leer Building". Retrieved 2007-05-20.
- ^ Bobby Dodd (1984-12-30). "Bobby Dodd Interview". New York Times.
- ^ "The Georgia Tech Living History Program". gatech.com. Georgia Tech.
- ^ "Mother's an Engineer". Life. 14 September 1962. pp. 102–106. Retrieved 29 March 2018.
- ^ "Maryly VanLeer Peck". Florida Women's Hall of Fame. Florida Commission on the Status of Women. Retrieved 29 March 2018.
- ^ Kane, Andrae, pp. 41, 44.
- ^ "Batman's real name fused Scottish royalty with an American Revolutionary War hero". June 19, 2017.
External links[]
- United States Navy officers
- United States Navy engineering officers
- Van Leer family
- People from Berkeley, California
- 1926 births
- 1997 deaths
- Recipients of the Legion of Merit
- Joint Forces Staff College alumni
- North Carolina State University alumni
- Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute alumni
- Princeton University School of Engineering and Applied Science alumni
- Duke University Pratt School of Engineering alumni