Owen W. Siler
Encyclopedia
Admiral Owen Wesley Siler (January 10, 1922 – July 17, 2007) served as the fifteenth Commandant
of the United States Coast Guard
from 1974 to 1978.
Owen Siler was born in Seattle, Washington
and raised in Santa Maria, California
. He graduated from Santa Maria Junior College in 1940, and transferred to the United States Coast Guard Academy
in New London, Connecticut
, graduating a year early due to World War II
. Upon graduation, he was assigned to the assault troop transport ship, USS Hunter Liggett (APA-14)
, and participated in the invasion of Bougainville
.
During the war, he quickly advanced through the ranks serving as Gunnery Officer, Assistant Navigator, and Deck Watch officer. In the immediate aftermath of the war, he participated in the U.S. occupation of Northern Honshū
, Japan
.
Upon returning to the United States in April, 1946, he briefly served as a Personnel Officer at the Coast Guard Training Center in Alameda, California
, before his assignment as Navigator of the USCGC Taney.
He received a Master of Science degree in International Affairs from George Washington University
in 1968.
His Coast Guard career highlights 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 St. 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 so. He also oversaw the expansion of the Coast Guard's marine environmental protection program, with the passage of the Fisheries Conservation and Management Act of 1976, to include an increase of the service's jurisdiction along the nation's coastline to more than two million square miles.
Following his retirement from the Coast Guard, he moved to Savannah, Georgia
. He died from complications of heart failure at the age of 85 in Atlanta, Georgia
, and was buried in Savannah.
Commandant of the Coast Guard
The Commandant of the United States Coast Guard is the highest ranking member of the United States Coast Guard. The Commandant is normally the only four-star Admiral in the Coast Guard and is appointed for a four-year term by the President of the United States upon confirmation by the United...
of the United States Coast Guard
United States Coast Guard
The United States Coast Guard is a branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven U.S. uniformed services. The Coast Guard is a maritime, military, multi-mission service unique among the military branches for having a maritime law enforcement mission and a federal regulatory agency...
from 1974 to 1978.
Owen Siler was born in Seattle, Washington
Seattle, Washington
Seattle is the county seat of King County, Washington. With 608,660 residents as of the 2010 Census, Seattle is the largest city in the Northwestern United States. The Seattle metropolitan area of about 3.4 million inhabitants is the 15th largest metropolitan area in the country...
and raised in Santa Maria, California
Santa Maria, California
Santa Maria is a city in Santa Barbara County, on the Central Coast of California. The 2010 census population was 100,062, putting it ahead of Santa Barbara for the first time and making it the largest city in the county...
. He graduated from Santa Maria Junior College in 1940, and transferred to the United States Coast Guard Academy
United States Coast Guard Academy
Founded in 1876, the United States Coast Guard Academy is the military academy of the United States Coast Guard. Located in New London, Connecticut, it is the smallest of the five federal service academies...
in New London, Connecticut
New London, Connecticut
New London is a seaport city and a port of entry on the northeast coast of the United States.It is located at the mouth of the Thames River in New London County, southeastern Connecticut....
, graduating a year early due to World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. Upon graduation, he was assigned to the assault troop transport ship, USS Hunter Liggett (APA-14)
USS Hunter Liggett (APA-14)
USS Hunter Liggett was a Harris-class attack transport that served with the US Navy during World War II.Hunter Liggett was built as SS Pan America in 1922 by the Bethlehem Shipbuilding Corporation of Sparrows Point, Maryland, and after sailing for many years as a passenger ship was transferred to...
, and participated in the invasion of Bougainville
Bougainville campaign (1944-45)
The Bougainville campaign was fought by the Allies in the South Pacific during World War II to regain control of the island of Bougainville from the Japanese forces who had occupied it in 1942. During their occupation the Japanese constructed naval aircraft bases in the north, east, and south of...
.
During the war, he quickly advanced through the ranks serving as Gunnery Officer, Assistant Navigator, and Deck Watch officer. In the immediate aftermath of the war, he participated in the U.S. occupation of Northern Honshū
Honshu
is the largest island of Japan. The nation's main island, it is south of Hokkaido across the Tsugaru Strait, north of Shikoku across the Inland Sea, and northeast of Kyushu across the Kanmon Strait...
, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
.
Upon returning to the United States in April, 1946, he briefly served as a Personnel Officer at the Coast Guard Training Center in Alameda, California
Alameda, California
Alameda is a city in Alameda County, California, United States. It is located on Alameda Island and Bay Farm Island, and is adjacent to Oakland in the San Francisco Bay. The Bay Farm Island portion of the city is adjacent to the Oakland International Airport. At the 2010 census, the city had a...
, before his assignment as Navigator of the USCGC Taney.
He received a Master of Science degree in International Affairs from George Washington University
George Washington University
The George Washington University is a private, coeducational comprehensive university located in Washington, D.C. in the United States...
in 1968.
His Coast Guard career highlights 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 St. Louis
St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis is an independent city on the eastern border of Missouri, United States. With a population of 319,294, it was the 58th-largest U.S. city at the 2010 U.S. Census. The Greater St...
-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
United States Coast Guard Academy
Founded in 1876, the United States Coast Guard Academy is the military academy of the United States Coast Guard. Located in New London, Connecticut, it is the smallest of the five federal service academies...
, making it the first of the military service academies to do so. He also oversaw the expansion of the Coast Guard's marine environmental protection program, with the passage of the Fisheries Conservation and Management Act of 1976, to include an increase of the service's jurisdiction along the nation's coastline to more than two million square miles.
Following his retirement from the Coast Guard, he moved to Savannah, Georgia
Savannah, Georgia
Savannah is the largest city and the county seat of Chatham County, in the U.S. state of Georgia. Established in 1733, the city of Savannah was the colonial capital of the Province of Georgia and later the first state capital of Georgia. Today Savannah is an industrial center and an important...
. He died from complications of heart failure at the age of 85 in Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta is the capital and most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia. According to the 2010 census, Atlanta's population is 420,003. Atlanta is the cultural and economic center of the Atlanta metropolitan area, which is home to 5,268,860 people and is the ninth largest metropolitan area in...
, and was buried in Savannah.