William V. O'Regan

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William Vincent O'Regan
Rear Adm. O'Regan with Fleet Adm. Nimitz in 1957
Nickname(s)"Mickey"
Born(1900-04-25)April 25, 1900
New York, New York
DiedJanuary 13, 1978(1978-01-13) (aged 77)
Palo Alto, California
Allegiance United States of America
Branch United States Navy
Years of service1923–1958
Rank Vice Admiral
Commands heldNaval Det New York World's Fair [1]
Submarine Repair Unit Two
Submarine Repair Unit Pearl Harbor
Submarine Base Midway Island
Submarine Division Forty Two
Submarine Squadron Four
USS Dayton (CL-105)[2]
ComMinLant[3]
Cruiser Division Five
Mare Island Naval Shipyard[4]
Battles/warsWorld War II
Korean War
Awards Navy Cross
Legion of Merit (2)
Alma materUnited States Naval Academy

William Vincent O'Regan (25 April 1900 – 13 January 1978) was a decorated submarine commander during World War II who reached the rank of Vice Admiral in the United States Navy.[5][6][7]

Raised on Staten Island, O'Regan was appointed to the United States Naval Academy in 1919. He graduated in 1923 and was commissioned as an ensign.[6][7][8][9]

O'Regan was trained as a submarine engineering officer, serving aboard submarines or at submarine bases, but never given an individual submarine to command. Instead, he eventually commanded groups of submarines and other vessels. During World War II, he was given command of Submarine Squadron Four consisting of Thresher, Guardfish, Apogon and Piranha. "Mickey" O'Regan successfully led his "Mickey Finns" on a patrol near Formosa in the East China Sea in June–July 1944. The destruction of enemy shipping by his submarines earned him a Navy Cross.[5][6][7] He was also awarded the Legion of Merit for his full wartime service.[7]

After the war, he briefly commanded the cruiser Dayton in 1948.[2] Promoted to Rear Admiral, O'Regan assumed command of Cruiser Division Five in September 1952. During the Korean War, he earned his second Legion of Merit for leading the division off the North Korean coast from November 1952 to April 1953.[5][6][7]

From 1953 to 1957, O'Regan served as assistant chief of naval operations for logistics in Washington, D.C. His final assignment was to command the Mare Island Naval Shipyard in California. He retired from active duty in 1958 and was advanced to Vice Admiral on the retired list based on his wartime service record.[5][6]

After his military retirement, O'Regan moved to Los Altos, California and taught mathematics at Mountain View High School for twelve years. He died at the Veterans Administration hospital in Palo Alto.[5][6]

O'Regan and his wife Louise Farren O'Regan were buried at Arlington National Cemetery.[10][11] They had two sons and five grandchildren.[5][6]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Submarine Commanders". www.fleetorganization.com.
  2. ^ a b "Cruiser Photo Index CL-105 USS DAYTON - Photographic History of the U.S. Navy". Navsource. 1944-03-19. Retrieved 2020-01-09.
  3. ^ "Ship Collision". www.newspapers.com.
  4. ^ "Admiral Redman Has Easier Job". www.newspapers.com.
  5. ^ a b c d e f "Admiral William V. O'Regan, Submarine Commander". The New York Times. January 15, 1978. p. 28. Retrieved 2022-04-09.
  6. ^ a b c d e f g Pearson, Richard (January 17, 1978). "Adm. W. V. O'Regan, Headed Submarine Unit". The Washington Post. ProQuest 146980811. Retrieved 2022-04-09.
  7. ^ a b c d e "William Vincent O'Regan". Military Times. Sightline Media Group. Retrieved 2022-04-09.
  8. ^ Annual Register of the United States Naval Academy Annapolis, Md.: October 1, 1919. Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office. 1920. p. 178. Retrieved 2022-04-09.
  9. ^ Lucky Bag (PDF). Annapolis, Maryland: U.S. Naval Academy. 1923. p. 158. Retrieved 2022-04-09.
  10. ^ "O'Regan, William V". ANCExplorer. U.S. Army. Retrieved 2022-04-09.
  11. ^ "O'Regan, Louise F". ANCExplorer. U.S. Army. Retrieved 2022-04-09.


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