Lloyd M. Mustin

Lloyd Montague Mustin (July 30, 1911 – January 21, 1999) was a vice admiral in the United States Navy and among the namesakes of USS Mustin (DDG-89). He took part in developing the Navy's first lead-computing anti-aircraft gun sight, which proved of major importance in the air-sea actions of World War II, and he served on the cruiser USS Atlanta during the naval battle of Guadalcanal. His ship was lost during that action, and with other survivors he landed on Guadalcanal and served ashore with a naval unit attached to the First Marine Division. His postwar service included commands at sea and development and evaluation of weapon systems. He later served as director of operations for the Joint Chiefs of Staff during the Vietnam War.

Early life and career Mustin was born on July 30, 1911, at the Navy Yard, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to a family steeped in naval tradition. His father, Captain Henry C. Mustin, USN, was a pioneer naval aviator who established the first naval air station and launched the first aircraft from a ship underway. The destroyer USS Mustin (DD-413) was named for him along with the Henry C. Mustin Naval Air Facility and the Mustin Beach Club at NAS Pensacola. Mustin's father died when he was twelve years old and his mother, Corinne DeForest Montague (great-granddaughter of Commodore Arthur Sinclair and a first cousin and close confidante of Wallis Simpson), married Vice Admiral George Murray, USN, a close friend and one-time student of Mustin's father. Murray was captain of USS Enterprise (CV-6) during the Battle of Midway and the Doolittle Raid. At the end of the war, he accepted the surrender of Japan in the Marianas on behalf of Commander in Chief, Pacific Fleet and Pacific Ocean Areas.

The destroyer USS Sinclair (DD-275) was named for Mustin's twice-great-grandfather, Commodore Arthur Sinclair, USN, who commanded the US Naval Squadron on Lake Ontario during the War of 1812. Additionally, his great grandfather, Captain Arthur Sinclair, USN, commanded one of Commodore Perry's ships in the opening of Japan. Mustin's great-uncle, LT Arthur Sinclair, fought in CSS Virginia during the Battle of Hampton Roads and in CSS Alabama during her sinking in the Battle of Cherbourg. His maternal uncle was General George Barnett, 12th Commandant of the United States Marine Corps, for whom the attack transport USS Barnett (APA-5) was named.

Mustin entered the United States Naval Academy in 1928 and graduated in 1932. His academy classmates included Richard Best, Bruce McCandless, and Henry Munson. After graduation, he was assigned to the cruiser Augusta (CA-31). She was commanded in Mustin's time by three future four-star admirals, among them Captain Chester W. Nimitz. He carried Nimitz's lessons with him throughout the remainder of his career. thumb Augusta Wardroom. Mustin is Second Row, 3rd from RightAfter four years he was transferred to the destroyer Lamson (DD 367), in which he served two years. After instruction in ordnance engineering at the Naval Postgraduate School and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MS 1940) he became assistant production officer at the Naval Gun Factory, Washington, D.C., and took part in developing the Mark 14 gunsight.

At the outbreak of World War II, Mustin was assistant gunnery officer in the cruiser Atlanta (CL 51) and was aboard when she was sunk during the Battle for Guadalcanal on the night of 13 November 1942. He survived the sinking and landed on Guadalcanal with survivors and served there for three months with the small naval unit attached to the First Marine Division For his three-month service at Guadalcanal, Mustin was decorated with the Navy Commendation Medal with Combat "V".

In 1943–1944 he had consecutive duty in the cruisers San Diego (CL 53) and Miami (CL 89). For outstanding service in the latter he received a second Navy Commendation Medal. He next served as gunnery, radar, and CIC officer on the staff of Commander Battleship Squadron Two, Vice Admiral Willis A. Lee Jr., USN, and in the summer of 1945 was with Admiral Lee in establishing the Operational Development Force, as gunnery, radar, and CIC officer.

While so serving he had additional duty from May to October 1958, in command of Task Force 88, a special task force organized to plan and conduct the Argus high-altitude nuclear tests which were fired in a remote part of the South Atlantic. In October 1958 he assumed additional duty in command of Antisubmarine Defense Group "Charlie", and from February through April 1959 commanded Task force 88 conducting combined ASW training operations with the navies and air forces of the countries on the west coast of South America.

Post-Retirement

Following his retirement from the Navy, Mustin was a member of the U.S. Olympic Committee for shooting sports and served as president of the National Rifle Association of America 1977–1979. Beside that, he was active in the Coronado Community Church and enjoyed deep-sea fishing. On his 80th Birthday, he caught a 300-pound Marlin at Cabo San Lucas, Mexico.

Vice admiral Lloyd M. Mustin died on January 21, 1999, aged 87, at his home in Coronado, California. He was buried beside his wife, Emily Morton Mustin (1914-1989), at United States Naval Academy Cemetery at Annapolis, Maryland. They had together two sons: Hank, who also served in the Navy and retired as Vice admiral and Thomas, who retired as Lieutenant Commander in the Navy.

Promotions Midshipman – 14 June 1928 Ensign – 2 June 1932 Lieutenant (junior grade) – 2 June 1935 Lieutenant – 1 July 1939 Lieutenant commander – 15 June 1942 Commander – 1 November 1943 to date from 18 November 1942 Captain – 1 January 1951 Rear admiral – 1 July 1958 Vice admiral – 21 August 1964

Decorations

Here is the ribbon bar of Vice admiral Mustin:

Commemoration The U.S. Navy guided-missile destroyer is named for the Mustin family, which includes many notable navy officers.