Burns Tracy Walling

Burns Tracy Walling (February 4, 1855 – May 12, 1938) served as a United States Navy officer from June 20, 1876, to June 30, 1911. During and immediately after World War I (1917–1918) he served as Inspector of Engineering and Ordnance Material in Boston, Massachusetts.

After serving in several assignments, including conduct of a hydrographic survey of the Pacific Coast of Mexico and Central America, Walling served as an instructor in the department of physics and chemistry at the United States Naval Academy from December 1886 until September 1892. He was inspector of ordnance and equipment for the reconstruction of three Spanish Navy gunboats raised by Admiral George Dewey after the Battle of Manila Bay during the Spanish–American War. In May 1904, Walling began duty as commandant of U. S. Naval Station Culebra, Puerto Rico. He was the first commanding officer of the scout cruiser from April 11, 1908, to May 9, 1909, and Captain of the Yard at Naval Station New York from May 9, 1909, to October 28, 1909. Just before his retirement, from August 6, 1910, to June 30, 1911, he commanded Naval Station San Juan, Puerto Rico. He retired at the rank of commodore on June 30, 1911.

When President Woodrow Wilson requested that a Joint session of the United States Congress declare war on the German Empire and Congress approved the declaration on April 2, 1917, bringing the United States into World War I, Walling returned to duty as Inspector of Engineering and Ordnance Material at Boston, Massachusetts until November 18, 1919. He was relieved of all duty and returned to retirement on November 20, 1920.

Early life

Burns Tracy Walling was born February 4, 1855, at Coshocton, Ohio. His parents were Ansel Tracy Walling, a doctor, printer, newspaperman, lawyer, Ohio state legislator, and one-term member of the United States House of Representatives from Ohio (March 4, 1875 – March 3, 1877), and Sarah Ellen Burns Walling. In 1863, the family relocated to Circleville, Ohio. Walling graduated from the United States Naval Academy in June 1876, ranked fourth in a class of 42 midshipmen.

From September 1886 to June 1887, Walling served on the steam sloop-of-war , which was sent to the Asiatic Squadron. In June 1887, he joined the steam sloop-of-war , flagship of the Asiatic Squadron, aboard which he served until August 1888, when he was transferred back to Essex, which returned to New York City in April 1889. He was Captain of the Yard at Naval Station New York from May 9, 1909, to October 28, 1909, and from August 6, 1910, until his retirement on June 11, 1911, he was commandant of Naval Station, San Juan, Puerto Rico.

Walling retired on June 30, 1911, at the grade of commodore.

World War I

At the outset of U.S. involvement in World War I on April 2, 1917, Walling returned to duty as Inspector of Engineering and Ordnance Material at Boston, Massachusetts until November 18, 1919. He was relieved of all duty on November 20, 1920.

Author

In 1907, Walling wrote the manual Electrical Installations of the United States Navy.

Personal life

Walling was married on October 27, 1892, to Wilhelmina Boyd, daughter of a U. S. Navy captain, at Grace Church in Brooklyn, New York. The Wallings had two daughters, Grace, who married U.S. Navy Commander James Sutherland Spore, and a younger sister, Bernice.

Death

Walling died on May 12, 1938, at Los Angeles, California. He is buried in Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Virginia.