Vice Admiral Lorenzo Sherwood Sabin Jr. (May 23, 1899 – June 2, 1988)
 Vice Adm. Lorenzo Sabin Jr. |
 Vice Adm. Lorenzo Sabin Jr. |
Vice Adm. Lorenzo Sabin Jr.’s obituary appeared in the June 6, 1988 edition of the San Diego (CA) Union:
Deceased Name: Vice Adm. Lorenzo Sabin Jr., 89, dies; former NATO official
Lorenzo Sherwood Sabin Jr. of La Jolla, a decorated retired Navy vice admiral who was chief of staff for the NATO Supreme Allied Command, died Thursday at Pleasant Valley Hospital in Camarillo, in Ventura County. He was 89.
Adm. Sabin held numerous decorations from this country, Britain, France, and the Philippines. He was a commander in amphibious assaults in World War II, receiving high honors for his service in the Normandy invasion and again for his role in 1954 and 1955 in Operation Passage to Freedom, in which more than 300,000 refugees were moved from North to South Vietnam.
He later served as chief of staff for the NATO Supreme Allied Command.
The rosary will be said at 9:45 a.m. Wednesday in Mary Star of the Sea Catholic Church in La Jolla, where he was a member. A Mass will be said at 10 a.m., followed by burial at El Camino Memorial Park.
Adm. Sabin was born in Dallas on May 23, 1899. He served briefly on the battleship Maine with the Atlantic Fleet in World War I while he was a student at the Naval Academy. He was commissioned ensign on June 6, 1921. He served on battleships in the Pacific Fleet until the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941.
In October 1942, he was named commander of the first flotilla of landing craft to cross the Atlantic and take part in amphibious assaults in Europe. He received the Legion of Merit with Combat V as commander of an attack group in the assault on Sicily. He commanded the assault convoy Force O, consisting of more than 200 small craft, in the attack on Normandy, assuming command just after the Omaha Beach landings. For services preceding and following D-day, he received the Gold Star in lieu of a second Legion of Merit, and a special citation listing his battle actions.
In addition to the Distinguished Service Medal, Legion of Merit, Commendation Ribbon and many other awards, he received the Philippine Independence Ribbon, Britain’s Companion of Distinguished Service Order and the French Croix de Guerre with Gold Star.
Adm. Sabin retired in 1961 after 44 years of active duty. He settled in La Jolla in 1963.
He was a popular speaker at patriotic observances, at veterans meetings, at Republican gatherings and for service clubs and business conferences. He wrote numerous commentaries, columns, book reviews and letters to the editor, published in The Union and in the Tribune during the 1960s.
Adm. Sabin was a charter member of the QED club, a member of the Naval Academy Alumni Association, the Retired Officers Association and the La Jolla Beach and Tennis Club.
His wife, Bird; a daughter, Joann Peters; and a grandson, George William Myer Jr., preceded him in death. He is survived by two daughters, Anne Myer of Camarillo and Paula Woods of Fairfax, Va.; 10 grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren.
Vice Adm. Lorenzo Sabin Jr. Signature
Lorenzo Sabin Military Grave Marker
Many thanks to Michael Norris for submitting the above photo to Find A Grave.
As a young Marine, I had the honor of serving as one of Admiral Sabin’s six Marine Orderlies during the 1954-55 Passage to Freedom operation. He was a fine officer, and a true gentleman. It was a privilege to serve in his command.
I grew up living across the street from Admiral Sabin. I remember him so well and think of him often. I remember some of his relatives who visited regularly. My mother thought he was a saint. God bless him.
Can you tell me what relation Admiral Sabin was to Judge C. B Sabin, Federal judge in late 19th century Galveston Tx, whose friend was Galveston attorney
Lorenzo Sherwood?