Louis Dreller

Louis Dreller (March 6, 1897 – May 8, 1970) was an American sailor and engineer. He served in the United States Navy from 1918 to 1951, rising to the rank of Rear Admiral.

Dreller was commissioned in 1918 as an engineering duty officer during World War I. For much of World War II, he was stationed for several years at the Philadelphia Navy Yard, working on designing and building ships for the war effort. For his efforts there he was awarded the Legion of Merit by the United States and the Order of the Southern Cross by Brazil. After the war, he served as Commander of the U.S. Navy Yard at Pearl Harbor.

Dreller was president of the American Society of Naval Engineers in 1951.

Personal life Louis Dreller (who was Jewish) was born March 6, 1897, in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. In 1918, he graduated from the University of New Hampshire with a degree in electrical engineering. He later earned a master's degree from Columbia University. He married Edythe Maharam. They had two daughters, Rusty (Selma) Kerr and Doris Sosin. He died May 8, 1970, at Bethesda Naval Hospital, and was buried in Arlington National Cemetery.

Career Upon graduating from the University of New Hampshire in 1918, Dreller was commissioned in the United States Navy as an ensign, initially for engineering duty only.

During his service in the Navy, Dreller served aboard the , , USS Preston, USS Tingey, , , , , and . Aboard these last two vessels, he was Base Force Engineering Officer and later Scouting Force Engineering Officer. The United States entered World War II the following day. At the time, Dreller was Force Engineering Officer with the Scouting Force. Also, Brazil awarded him the Order of the Southern Cross for his contributions in designing destroyers for the Brazilian Navy while serving in the Philadelphia Navy Yard. His other decorations included the (World War I) Victory Medal, the American Defense Service Medal, the Asiatic–Pacific Campaign Medal, the American Campaign Medal, and the World War II Victory Medal.

Publications