Background
William Blandy was born in New York City 28 June 1890.
William Blandy was born in New York City 28 June 1890.
Blandy graduated first in his class from the United States Naval Academy in 1913.
As Chief of the Bureau of Ordnance for two years beginning in Feb 1941 “he served the Navy well... in developing, adapting, and manufacturing the Swedish Bofors and Swiss Oerlikon as the indispensable 40mm and 20mm antiaircraft weapons”. From early 1944, Rear Adm Blandy led task forces of amphibious and support carrier groups in the Central Pacific. He took part in the capture of Kwajalein, Saipan, and Iwo Jima, then commanded the assault on Kerama Retto that preceded the main Okinawa landings on 1 Apr 1945. Blandy directed the atomic tests at Bikini Atoll in July 1946. Promoted to full admiral, he commanded the Atlantic Fleet from Feb 1947 until retiring on I Feb 1950. He died 12 Jan 1954 at St Albans Hospital, NY.
