Background
Siler was born in Seattle, Washington and grew up in Santa Maria, California where he attended Santa Maria High School.
Siler was born in Seattle, Washington and grew up in Santa Maria, California where he attended Santa Maria High School.
He graduated from Santa Maria Junior College (now Allan Hancock College) in 1940, and transferred to the United States Coast Guard Academy in New London, Connecticut, graduating a year early due to World World War World War II Siler received a Master of Science degree in International Affairs from George Washington University in 1968.
Upon graduation, he was assigned to the assault troop transport ship, United States Ship Hunter Liggett, and participated in the invasion of Bougainville. During World World War II, Siler quickly advanced through the ranks, serving as a gunnery officer, assistant navigator, and deck watch officer In the immediate aftermath of the war, he participated in the United States. occupation of Northern Honshū, Japan.
Upon returning to the United States in April 1946, he briefly served as a personnel officer at the United States. Coast Guard Training Center in Alameda, California, before his assignment as navigator of USCGC Taney.
His career with the United States. Coast Guard included serving as a deck officer afloat, as an aviator performing search and rescue patrols, and ashore in the law enforcement, marine safety and environmental protection fields. Other assignments included chief of the search and rescue branch in Juneau, Alaska, deputy chief of staff in Washington, and commanding officer at Air Station Miami, where the station received a Coast Guard unit commendation for Cuban exodus operations during October and November 1965.
From 1971 until his appointment as Commandant, he served as Commander of the Saint Louis-based 2nd Coast Guard District. During Siler"s tenure as commandant he instituted a minority recruiting program and was instrumental in having women admitted to the United States. Coast Guard Academy, making it the first of the military service academies to do southern
He also oversaw the expansion of the United States. Coast Guard"s marine environmental protection program, with the passage of the Fisheries Conservation and Management Acting of 1976, to include an increase of the service"s jurisdiction along the United States. coastline to more than two million square miles.
Following his retirement from the United States. Coast Guard, Siler moved to Savannah, Georgia. He died in Savannah, Georgia from complications of heart failure on July 17, 2007, at the age of 85, and is buried in Arlington National Cemetery.