Vice Admiral Samuel Lee Gravely, Jr. was a gifted surface warfare officer and leader. He achieved several breakthroughs during his naval career including being the first African-American to command a combatant ship, to be promoted to flag rank, and to command a naval fleet, according to his Naval History and Heritage Command (NHHC) biography.
Samuel Lee Gravely Jr. was born in Richmond, Virginia, on June 4, 1922, and attended Virginia Union University for three years before postponing his education to enlist in the Naval Reserve in 1942, two years before the Navy commissioned its first black officers.
Gravely's naval career spanned from 1944 to 1982. He was a distinguished veteran of World War II, and the Korean and Vietnam Wars. His life and military service exemplify outstanding leadership qualities.
Gravely could not always determine when an opportunity would arise but he made sure that he had prepared himself to be able to respond to it. He understood that obstacles must be turned into opportunities. For example, when the officers club prevented Gravely from entering, he used the time to complete Navy correspondence courses, according to NHHC. The additional education and training helped him in his career.
Gravely broke ground repeatedly during his 38-year career, recording a series of firsts in naval education and appointments to increasingly visible leadership roles, according to an obituary published in the New York Times, Oct. 26, 2004.
In 1962, He became the first black officer to command a United States warship when he was named commanding officer of the destroyer Falgout, which patrolled the Pacific Barrier between the Aleutian and Midway Islands.
The next year, he and another officer were the first African-Americans to attend the Naval War College, a 10-month course of study for the Navy's most promising officers, according to the New York Times.
Gravely became a rear admiral in 1971 while commander of the Jouett, a guided-missile frigate that cruised off the coast of Vietnam.
In 1976, he was appointed by President Gerald R. Ford to be vice admiral, in charge of the Navy's Third Fleet, a command of 100 warships and 60,000 Sailors and Marines based at Pearl Harbor, according to the New York Times.
Gravely was a keen strategist as he faced more than a few challenges. He didn’t accept the status quo and he never stopped learning and expanding his horizons.
Gravely’s career suggests that leaders must be realistic and optimistic, according to the NHHC.
Gravely believed that success and respect were not given to anyone; they had to be earned. He began his career as a seaman apprentice at Great Lakes in 1942 and rose through the ranks to become a three-star admiral.
"Success in life is the result of several factors. My formula is simply education plus motivation plus perseverance. Education is paramount. Motivation: one must decide what he wants to do in life, how best to get there and to proceed relentlessly towards that goal. Perseverance: the ability to steadfastly proceed to your goal despite all obstacles. It is the ability to overcome,” said Vice Adm. Gravely.
Admiral Gravely received the Legion of Merit, Bronze Star, Meritorious Service Medal and Navy Commendation Medal. He died Oct. 22, 2004.
The USS Gravely (DDG-107), an Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer, is named in his honor.
Gravely is the 57th destroyer in her class. Her keel was laid down on Nov. 26, 2007 at Northrop Grumman Shipbuilding's Ingalls Shipbuilding shipyard in Pascagoula, Mississippi. Gravely was launched on March 30, 2009. She successfully completed sea trials in June 2010.
Alma B.C. Gravely, Adm. Gravely's widow, christened the ship, May 16, 2009. Gravely was commissioned at Wilmington, North Carolina Nov. 20, 2010.
To learn more about U.S. Navy history, please go to the Naval History and Heritage Command website: www.history.navy.mil/.