A Sailor's Life

Captain P.A. "Tony" Lilly, Jr., was a sailor from Tom Brokaw's Greatest Generation. He fought for our nation in three wars (World War II, Korea and Vietnam), was wounded during the Battle of Surigao Strait, awarded the Bronze Star with Combat "V" for heroism at the Siege of Wonsan, awarded two Legions of Merit during Vietnam, and retired after 30 years of service. Not many naval officers can boast of commanding five Navy ships in their careers.

Tony was primarily a naval officer – hence, the title of his memoirs. But he was also a consummate family man. From the time he fell in love and married Ginger until his deathbed 20 years after she predeceased him, he loved her with a deep and enduring passion. She brought two daughters into the marriage whom he embraced as his own as much as the two sons they had together.

His children describe him as "Mr.-do-it-yourself." They watched him building, fixing, repairing and maintaining everything. He built a bathroom and fine dining room furniture.

Within these pages, you will glean much of the humble man who was Tony. A frugal, patient, and unflappable leader who lost his mother at a tender age and suffered the worst of the Depression. Far from crushing him, the harsh times of Tony's youth steeled him to succeed. Tony modestly writes that he was not scholarly, but his aptitude and drive to succeed and, in fact, his achievements made him as much a scholar as the best.

Here is a chronicle by a consummate gentleman who beat the odds to become one of the unsung heroes of the Greatest Generation. This is his life story as a sailor in his own words.

Captain P.A. "Tony" Lilly, Jr. (USN (Ret.) was born in Marysville Hospital, California on December 29, 1917. He was raised in Kentucky from which he was appointed to the Naval Academy and graduated with the class of 1941 on February 8, 1941. He spent World War II in destroyers USS Stack (DD-406), USS Bush (DD-529) and USS Steinaker (DD-893) in both the Atlantic and Pacific Theaters. He was awarded the Purple Heart for wounds suffered while on "picket station" in Surigao Straits, Philippines.

He commanded the USS Dufilho (DE-423) and USS Uhlmann (DD-687) in the Korean War, the USS Lindenwald (LSD-6), USS Gridley (DD-21) and Destroyer Squadron 25. He also served in OPNAV, BUPERS, United Nations, Comphiblant Staff, Cincpacfleet Staff, and as Chief of Staff of the U.S. Seventh Fleet during the Vietnam War.

His decorations include two Legions of Merit, Bronze Star with combat "V", Vietnam Service Medal with one silver star, Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal (Korea), Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal with Device, American Defense Service Medal, Asiatic Pacific Campaign Medal with one silver star and one bronze star, Victory Medal (World War II), Navy Occupation Service Medal, China Service Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Korea Service Medal with four bronze stars, United Nations Service Medal, Philippine Liberation ribbon with two bronze stars, and several Presidential Citations.

Following retirement from the Navy in March 1970, he became Harbor Master of Maui County, Hawaii, where he was responsible for state harbors on Maui, Molokai and Lanai. He retired a second time in 1980.
He was married to Virginia Lilly with whom he had four children, Maile, Sheila, Michael and Anthony