Julien J. LeBourgeois

LeBourgeois was born in Southern Pines, North Carolina, on 23 November 1923, the son of U.S. Navy Commander Henry Blow LeBourgeois and Dorothy Johnson LeBourgeois. He was raised in Long Beach, California, and Suva, American Samoa, and attended the Georgia Military Academy in College Park, Georgia. He entered the United States Naval Academy in 1941, where he was a member of the track team, and graduated in 1944 after only three years due to the accelerated curriculum in use during World War II. ==Naval career==

World War II LeBourgeois first assignment was as a gunnery officer aboard the light cruiser , then in combat against the Japanese in the Pacific. Aboard Columbia he saw action in the Palau campaign, including the Battle of Peleliu, and in the Leyte campaign, during which Columbia fought in the Battle of Surigao Strait, a part of the Battle of Leyte Gulf. Columbia also supported the invasion of Mindoro and took part in the invasion of Lingayen Gulf on Luzon, during which three kamikazes struck Columbia and for which the ship was awarded a Presidential Unit Citation. After that, Columbia operated in support of the invasion of Balikpapan and took part in the 1945 anti-shipping sweep in the South China Sea. After leaving Blandy, LeBourgeois attended the Armed Forces Staff College in Norfolk, Virginia, before becoming commanding officer of the destroyer on 28 July 1959. While he was in command, Norris had the highest competitive score overall for destroyers in the United States Atlantic Fleet for the fiscal year 1961 and received the Battle Efficiency Award twice. He received the Bronze Star Medal with Combat Distinguishing Device. For the same period, Halsey was awarded the Navy Unit Commendation. Halsey also was awarded the Battle Efficiency Award for its performance under LeBourgeois command during 1966. His tour as president ended on 1 April 1977, at which time he was awarded a second Distinguished Service Medal. Upon completion of his Naval War College tour, LeBourgeois retired from the navy as a vice admiral. ==Personal life==

LeBourgeois was married to Priscilla Dudley LeBourgeois (née Priscilla Alden Dudley) for nearly 64 years, and she survived him at his death. Other survivors include a son, Julien Dudley LeBourgeois, and daughter, Anne LeBourgeois Grieves (née Anne Armour LeBourgeois). ==Retirement and death==

After retiring, LeBourgeois moved to New London, New Hampshire, where he led the creation of the popular "Adventures in Learning" continuing-education program at Colby-Sawyer College. In 2004, the college presented him with the Town Award for his involvement in the community and his contributions to the school. He later moved to Williamsburg, Virginia. Suffering from heart and kidney disease, LeBourgeois died in a retirement community in Williamsburg on 16 September 2012. He was to be buried at the United States Naval Academy Cemetery in Annapolis, Maryland, in October 2012, but Hurricane Sandy forced a postponement of his funeral until 22 March 2013, when his cremated remains were interred with full military honors. ==Notes==