Rear Admiral Daniel Vincent Gallery (1901 - 1977) earned for himself a special niche in Navy history on 4 June 1944, when a task force he was leading captured the German submarine, U-505, off the West Coast of Africa. It was the only German submarine ever boarded and captured by U.S. Forces, and the first foreign man-o-war captured by the U.S. Navy since 1815. Because of the havoc the dreaded U-boats had created for Allied Forces during World War II, the capture was hailed as a major coup for the Navy and American Intelligence.

Admiral Gallery was a former Assistant Chief of Naval Operations and former  Commander of the Hunter-Killer Force, Atlantic. During World War II, he earned the Bronze Star Medal for combat achievements as Commanding Officer, Fleet Air Base Iceland, and the Distinguished Service Medal for daring and skillful command of an anti-submarine task group built around his escort aircraft carrier USS GUADALCANAL, which sank three enemy submarines in the Atlantic before capturing the German submarine, U-505. Task Group 22.3 was awarded the Presidential Unit Citation in recognition of this remarkable achievement.

The German submarine is now a major exhibit at the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago, Illinois.Admiral Gallery served on the staff of the Deputy Chief of Naval Operations from September 1944 until June 1945. He subsequently commanded the aircraft carrier USS HANCOCK, and then served as Assistant Vice Chief of Naval Operations. He held several other key commands before retiring in 1960.

Admiral Gallery was also a writer, and during his lifetime wrote eight books and numerous articles, that combined his insight as a seasoned Navy veteran with humor. Not only did he write funny tales of the sea, but also penned serious essays and commentaries on the need for a strong Navy.

Famed American novelist Herman Wouk once said, "Daniel V. Gallery is a writer of humor and adventure, who somehow got diverted into becoming an admiral of the line in the United States Navy."

Admiral Gallery's "diversion" earned him the admiration and respect of his countrymen, and a permanent spot in history.

(Courtesy of The Arlington National Cemetery website)