Neil C. Porter papers (MSC-350)

Biographical note

Captain Neil Claiborne Porter, USN (Ret.) was born on January 17, 1913 in Coalgate, Oklahoma to Irvine Craig (1886-1921) and Alethea Wallace Porter (1888-1968). Porter grew up in Homewood, Alabama and after going to the Birmingham Southern College, he joined the U.S. Army and attended U.S. Military Academy, West Point. He later joined the U.S. Navy in 1936 after serving as a civil service engineering aid with the U.S. Army Engineers in the Atchafalaya Hydrographic Survey. In 1939, he was commissioned an ensign and began his career as a naval aviator. He started first as a naval aviation cadet at the Naval Air Station in Pensacola, Florida and was later an instructor pilot there from 1940-1943.

During World War II, he served as executive officer and later commanding officer of a four engine landplane bomber-photographic squadron in the Pacific, seeing action in the Marshal-Gilbert campaign, and the Mariana campaign. He later served as Ships Officer on the aircraft carrier, Yorktown, and seeing action in the Philippines, and in the Caroline Islands. He was selected as Air Operations Officers for the Commander, Seventh Fleet, Vice Admiral (later Admiral) T. C. Kinkaid.

Following the war, he held a variety of assignments including executive officer of the USS Gilbert Islands (CVE-107) stationed at Quonset Point, commanding officer of a Naval Air Transport Squadron of DC-6 aircraft (VR-22) in Norfolk, Virginia, and commanding officer of the Naval Air Facility at Lajes Field in the Azores. His final assignment with the Navy was at the Naval War College where he acted as the Assistant Head of the Academic Plans Department. In that role, he was in charge of long range academic planning and the College’s evaluation of function.

Porter retired from the Navy on June 30, 1962 and remained in Newport, RI with his wife and family. Throughout his naval career he earned the following: four Distinguished Flying Crosses, the Bronze Star, four Air Medals, the Presidential Unit Citation, the Navy Unit Commendation, the China Service Medal, the American Defense Service Medal, the American Area Medal, the Asiatic-Pacific Area Medal, the World War II Victory Medal, the Navy Occupation Medal, the Philippine Liberation Ribbon, the Korean Service Medal, the United Nations Service Medal and various letters of commendation.

In retirement, Porter was active with the Trinity Church, Newport Art Association, Clambake Club, Newport Garden Club, and Redwood Library. Captain Neil C. Porter passed away on November 13, 2015 at the age of 102.

Neil C. Porter was married to Madeline Ritt Porter (1915-1998) for sixty years and they had two children: Neil C. Porter, Jr. and Charles R. Porter. Madeline was the daughter of Lieutenant Commander Charles Henry (1890-1965) and Emeline Vars Ritt (1892-1934). Her father served in the Navy for thirty years as a paymaster.

Chronology