Rear Admiral Louise Currie Wilmot (born December 31, 1942) is a retired United States Navy officer who was the first woman to command a United States Naval base. When she retired after 30 years of service, she was the highest ranking female naval officer in the United States.
Louise Currie Wilmot | |
|---|---|
 Rear Admiral Louise Currie Wilmot | |
| Born | December 31, 1942 Wayne, New Jersey |
| Allegiance | United States |
| Service | United States Navy |
| Years of service | 1964–1994 |
| Rank | Rear Admiral |
| Commands | Philadelphia Naval Base Naval Training Center Orlando Navy Recruiting Area Five, Great Lakes Navy Recruiting District, Omaha |
| Awards | Navy Distinguished Service Medal Defense Superior Service Medal Legion of Merit (4) Meritorious Service Medal Joint Services Commendation Medal |
| Other work | Deputy Executive Director, Catholic Relief Services |
Early life
editRaised in Wayne, New Jersey, Wilmot attended Wayne Valley High School and earned a degree in history from the College of Saint Elizabeth in Morris Township, New Jersey, in 1964.[1]
Navy career
edit- Commanding Officer, Navy Recruiting District, Omaha (1979–)
- Commander of the Navy Recruiting Area Five in Great Lakes, Michigan (1985–)
- Executive Assistant and Naval Aide to the Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Manpower and Reserve Affairs
- Vice Chief of Naval Education and Training in Pensacola, Florida
- Commander of the Naval Training Center in Orlando, Florida (1989–)
- Commanding Officer, Naval Base Philadelphia (1993–1994)
Wilmot retired in 1994. She was the highest ranking female Naval officer at that time.
Awards and decorations
editWilmot's decorations include the Navy Distinguished Service Medal, the Defense Superior Service Medal, the Legion of Merit (with three gold stars), the Meritorious Service Medal, and the Joint Services Commendation Medal.
Education
editWilmot earned a master's degree from George Washington University in 1978 and was recognized with the GW Alumni Association's Distinguished Alumni Award in 1994.
Post-navy career
editFollowing retirement Wilmot joined Catholic Relief Services as deputy executive director of public outreach.
Wilmot's papers are kept by the Special Collections and Archives Department of the United States Naval Academy.[2]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ Louise C. Wilmot Papers, 1918–1999 (bulk 1964–1997): Finding Aid, United States Naval Academy, October 2010. Accessed February 27, 2018. "Louise Currie Wilmot was born on December 31, 1942 in Wayne, New Jersey to Woodrow and Dorothy Currie. After completing high school, Wilmot attended the College of Saint Elizabeth, graduating in June 1964 with a Bachelor of Arts in History."
- ^ "Guide to the Louise C. Wilmot Papers, 1918; 1964-1999". Archived from the original on 2012-09-21. Retrieved 2011-08-22.
Further reading
edit- Godson, Susan H. (2001). Serving Proudly: A history of Women in the U.S. Navy. Annapolis, MD: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 1-55750-317-6. OCLC 46791080.
- Ebbert, Jean and Marie-Beth Hall (1999). Crossed Currents: Navy Women in a Century of Change [Third Edition, Revised and Updated]. Washington, D.C.: Brassey's. ISBN 978-1-57488-193-6. OCLC 41090799.
- Fagenson-Eland, Ellen; Pamela J. Kidder (Winter 2000). "A conversation with rear admiral Louise Wilmot: Taking the lead and leading the way". Organizational Dynamics. 28 (3). Elsevier: 80–91. doi:10.1016/S0090-2616(00)88451-X.
External links
edit- Louise C. Wilmot Papers, 1918; 1964-1999 MS 414 held by Special Collections & Archives, Nimitz Library at the United States Naval Academy
- "LOUISE CURRIE WILMOT (1964)". College of Saint Elizabeth. Archived from the original on 2008-01-09. Retrieved 2008-04-21.