Henry C. Bruton

Henry Chester Bruton (15 March 1905 – 15 August 1992

Bruton graduated with Bachelor of Science degree on 3 June 1926 and was commissioned Ensign at that date. He subsequently served aboard the battleships California and Mississippi within the Pacific Fleet before received orders to report for instruction at the Naval Submarine Base New London, Connecticut in June 1929. Concurrently with the transfer order for submarine training, Bruton was promoted to Lieutenant (junior grade).

Upon the completion of the training in January 1930, Bruton was assigned submarine S-47 under lieutenant Dorrance K. Day and took part in peacetime patrol cruises in the Pacific Ocean. During his time with that vessel, he also completed torpedo instruction before being ordered to the Naval Postgraduate School in June 1932. Within his studies, he was sent to the University of California, Berkeley and graduated with a Master of Science degree in Radio engineering in June 1935.

Bruton then joined the submarine Narwhal and participated in the peacetime patrols with the Pacific Fleet off the coast of Hawaii until March 1936 when he was transferred to the staff of Submarine Squadron 5 under Commander Andrew Carl Bennett operating with the Asiatic Fleet. He was promoted to Lieutenant in June 1936 and served as Squadron Communications officer until the beginning of 1937 when he assumed command of submarine S-39. While aboard that vessel, Bruton conducted patrols along the China coast during Second Sino-Japanese War.

In April 1940, Bruton departed Far East and returned stateside for Instruction in the Office of Judge Advocate General of the Navy. He completed the postgraduate course in law and earned a Juris Doctor degree from the George Washington University Law School. Additionally to his degree he also became a member of the Bar of U.S. District Court of appeals for the District of Columbia and a member of the Order of the Coif.

World War II

During World War II, he first commanded the submarine . Bruton was three times awarded the Navy Cross for his command of the Greenling in four wartime patrols, in which it sank 75,000 tons of shipping, including a destroyer attacking it. Legion of Merit (4) - awarded twice for actions during World War II, once for contribution to Operation Castle, and once "for exceptionally meritorious and distinguished service in a position of great responsibility to the Government of the United States as Director, Communications-Electronics Division, Headquarters, United States European Command, from 30 June 1958 to 31 July 1960."