Navy Cross

Awarded for actions during the World War II

The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Navy Cross to Captain John Perry Whitney (NSN: 0-57808), United States Navy, for extraordinary heroism and distinguished service in the line of his profession as Commanding Officer of the Escort Carrier U.S.S. KITKUN BAY (CVE-71), during a running surface and air engagement with major elements of the Japanese Fleet near the Island of Samar in Philippine waters during the Battle of Leyte Gulf on 25 October 1944. The forces involved in this engagement consisted of a small United States Task Unit of six escort carriers, including the KITKUN BAY, three destroyers, and four destroyer escorts against a Japanese Task Force composed of an estimated force of four battleships, five heavy cruisers, three light cruisers, and about ten destroyers. This surface action in which he was engaged is without precedent in the annals of Naval Warfare both in composition of forces involved and numbers of enemy forces engaged. By his superb seamanship he constantly maneuvered his ship to avoid enemy shellfire with such outstanding skill that he brought his ship safely through the engagement virtually unscathed. His cool demeanor in the face of overwhelming odds was an inspiration to all hands. His courage and determination to fight his ship to its utmost was reflected in the spirit of his officers and men in launching aircraft and performing their other duties while shells were falling on all sides. While continuously exposed to strafing, shrapnel, and shellfire, he displayed the highest degree of bold, aggressive, and fearless leadership which was in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.
General Orders: Commander 7th Fleet: Serial 0651 (February 9, 1945)

Action Date: October 25, 1944
Service: Navy
Rank: Captain
Company: Commanding Officer
Division: U.S.S. Kitkun Bay (CVE-71)
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Air Force Distinguished Service Medal

The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Distinguished Service Medal (Air Force) to Rear Admiral John Perry Whitney (NSN: 0-57808), United States Navy, for exceptionally meritorious and distinguished services to the Government of the United States, in a duty of great responsibility as Vice Commander, Military Air Transport Service, during the period 25 January 1948 to 12 February 1951. Admiral Whitney was assigned to duty with the United States Air Force as the officer qualified by record and experience in the fields of administration and air transport operation to assist in the integration of all military air transport into a unified major air command. The transformation of the theory of unification into an efficiently functioning major air command is to a marked degree attributable to Admiral Whitney's wisdom, understanding, judgment, and leadership. The brilliant role he portrayed as Senior Naval Representative in the establishment and direction of the unified Air Transport Service reflects great credit upon himself and the Armed Forces of the United States.
General Orders: Department of the Air Force, General Orders No. 59 (1950)

Action Date: January 25, 1948 - February 12, 1951
Service: Navy
Rank: Rear Admiral
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John Perry Whitney was born on September 25, 1900 in Brooklyn, New York. His hometown was Cedartown, Georgia .

Graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy with the Class of 1922.

He attended Naval Flight School at Naval Air Station Pensacola and was designated a Naval Aviator.

In 1940 through 1941he served as Commanding Officer on the old destroyer USS CLEMSON (AVD-4).

In 1943 he served as a member of the Permanent Joint Board on Defense US and Canada. The permanent Joint Board on Defense was set up by the United States and Canada in pursuance of a joint announcement of the President and Prime Minister W. L. Mackenzie King, dated August 17, 1940, at Ogdensburg, N. Y., for the purpose of carrying out studies relating to sea, land, and air problems, including personnel and mat6riel, and to consider, in the broad sense, the defense of the northern half of the Western Hemisphere.

In June 1944 as Commanding Officer of USS KITKUN BAY (CVE 71) he took part in the invasion of the Marinas in Task Unit 52.11.1. In this action he was awarded the Bronze Star for the period June 14 to August 4, 1944. Next KITKUN BAY participated in the Palau invasion forces with Task Unit 32.7.3, and finally saw action at Samar with Task Unit 77.4.3.

In 1945 he was designated as Deputy Commander of the Naval Air Transporation Command (disestablished on June 1, 1948 to make way for the joint Military Air Transporation Command).

From July 18, 1946 to August 11, 1947 he served as Commanding Officer of USS MIDWAY (CV 41). Shortly after this tour he was selected to the rank of Rear Admiral.

His first flag assignment was as Vice Commander, of the newly established joint Military Air Transporation Command, a new unit under the direction of the U.S. Air Force. He served from January 25, 1948 to Febuary 12, 1951. MATC had 766 USAF and 58 USN aircraft, and 54,164 personnel from USAF, USN, civil service. Under the single-manager concept, the cost-saving operation was to economically and efficiently implement a globe-circling function to air transport people, materiel, mail, strategic materials, and other cargo. For his service he was awarded the USAF Distinguished Service Medal.

In 1952 he served as Chief of Naval Air Basic Training, Naval Air Basic Training Command, at NAS Pensacola, FL.

Retired as a Vice Admiral.