Material documenting the life of WWII U.S. Navy Captain Victor Delano including accounts (1941-1986) of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor and duty in the USS West Virginia, by Victor Delano, Pearl Harbor artifacts, correspondence, Familygrams, ships logs, research studies, photograph albums, loose photographs, certificates, diplomas, medals and ribbons, clippings, programs, and publications. Also includes two packets of drawings of Admiral Horatio Nelson's flagship, H.M.S. VICTORY, 1970; and an article, entitled "TOP SECRET COMPHIBPAC OPERATIONS PLAN A11-45: The Story of the Invasion of Japan" by James Martin, ca. 1986.
Captain Victor Delano, was born in Washington, DC, 20 December 1919. He was the son of Capt. Harvey Delano, USN(Ret), and Marcia Murdock Delano. Delano attended public schools in Wichita, KS, Washington, DC and Newport, RI. He graduated from Severn School in 1937. Delano entered U.S. Naval Academy 2 July 1937. He graduated "with distinction" (8) and was commissioned an ensign in the U. S. Navy on 7 February 1941. Delano was stationed aboard the battleship USS WEST VIRGINIA at Pearl Harbor, 7 December 1941 when the Japanese attacked. In February 1942, he was assigned to the antiaircraft cruiser USS SAN JUAN (CLAA-54) and in January 1944 was transferred to the destroyer USS WEDDERBURN (DD-684). Immediately after WW II, Delano was appointed commander of the USS SHOVELER (AM-382) and of Mine Division 23. In 1946, he attended Postgraduate School at the Naval Academy and then Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He earned an Master of Science degree in Physics from MIT in February 1949. Delano was then assigned to the Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory until November 1951 where he worked on atomic weapons effects testing. He commanded the destroyer USS EVERSOLE (DD-789) 1952-53, during the Korean War. He later served on the staff, Commander Second Fleet; as executive officer, USS NEWPORT NEWS (CA-148); on the staff, Commander in Chief Atlantic Fleet; he commanded the USS TACONIC (AGC-17); he commanded Amphibious Squadron 8 and was Chief of Staff, Amphibious Force, Atlantic Fleet. His shore assignments included Bureau of Ordnance and Office of the Chief of Naval Operations. He also attended the Armed Forces Staff College and the Industrial College of the Armed Forces.
Captain Delano was married, 23 June 1951, to Jacqueline Stinson of Santa Fe, NM who died 30 August 1990. They had a daughter, Katherine D. Jahnig of Chevy Chase, MD and son, Harvey Delano II of Sacramento, CA, one granddaughter, Leigh Jacqueline Jahnig, and one grandson, Peter Delano Jahnig. He retired 1 December 1969.
Series 1: Japanese Attack on Pearl Harbor consists of a personal memoir of the Captain's experiences aboard the U.S.S West Virginia leading up to and during the attack on Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7,1941. Also included are two copies of a letter to a commanding officer detailing the events of Dec.7,1941. The second copy of the letter is has been reduced in size and is easier to read.
Series 2: Amphibious Squadron Eight consists of Familygrams from Delano, 2 June - 4 November 1965, to the crewmen and families of Amphibious Squadron. These familygrams, detail Captain Delano's Duty aboard the U.S.S Guadalcanal as well as Amphibious Squadron Eight's tour of the Caribbean and their involvement with the People-to-People and Handclasp programs. The cruise involving training for the U. S. Marines and peace-keeping service in the Dominican Republic. This sereis also includes the program from Captain Delano's change of command of the Amphibious Squadron Eight on April 22, 1965 is included as well. The series also includes three black & white photographic prints of a Battalion Landing Team, The U.S.S. Guadalcanal, and an aerial view of the US.S. Guadalcanal, U.S.S Capricornus, U.S.S Plymouth, and the U.S.S York County at sea.
Series 3: HMS VICTORY consists of two packets of reproduction drawings of Admiral Horatio Nelson's flagship at the Battle of Trafalgar (1805) H.M.S Victory. These drawings show details of the outside of the H.M.S Victory and also show parts of the ships that wouldn't normally be seen by tourists to the ship. Both sets of drawings are from 1970.
Series 4: COMPHIBPAC OPERATIONS PLAN A11-45 consists of a photocopy of an article, ca. 1985, by James Davis Martin entitled "Top Secret Comphibatic Operations Plan A11-45: Story of the Invasion of Japan." This manuscript attempts to describe what would have happened during War World II had America not used atomic weapons on Japan. It has a detailed description of the fighting strategy that would have been used against the Japanese instead of Atomic Bombs.
Gift of Capt. Victor Delano, U.S. Naval Academy Class of 1941 (USN ret.)
Gift of Kate Delano Jahnig
Encoded by Apex Data Services, March 2002
Processing completed by Spencer Tart, 4/26/2012
Finding aid and inventory revised by Jonathan Dembo, 10/22/2012
Literary rights to specific documents are retained by the authors or their descendants in accordance with U.S. copyright law.