to 4 May 1945, Task Force 54 under the command of Rear Adm. Deyo commanded battleships, cruisers and destroyers in the bombardment of Kerama Retto and the southeast coast of Okinawa, Japan. Following the war, he directed the landing of occupation forces in Northern Japan. Cold War Morton Deyo's last duty station, from 1946 to 1949, was as Commandant of the First Naval District, headquartered at the Boston Navy Yard. The First Naval District exercised administrative supervision of all Navy activities in the New England states, except for Connecticut. Working out inter-service and inter-department conflicts was a serious goal for the U.S. Navy going into the Cold War. As of September 1945, the qualifications for a district commandant were those of a line officer eligible for command at sea, and the shipyard (specialist) commands were no longer to be held by the same officer. Deyo met the new qualification for District Commandant, and had served at Boston twice before as an instructor and aide to the Commandant during a time of reorganization. Inefficiency from command conflicts were taken under study even before the war ended by the "Farber Committee". The main feature of reform related to the various types of authority over district activities. The Commandant was to have coordinating "military command" over all activities in the district akin to Army districts. The Navy Secretary directed satisfactory relationships. With a background of local relationships, technical expertise, leadership and diplomatic skills, Morton Deyo was the man chosen to make it happen. He retired at the end of his tour with a promotion to vice admiral. In retirement he lived at Hooke's Cove in Kittery Point, Maine. In 1959 he was elected as an honorary member of the New Hampshire Society of the Cincinnati. Admiral Deyo died November 10, 1973 at his home in Kittery Point, Maine. Namesake The destroyer was the 27th and the first ship to be named to honor Vice Admiral Deyo. She was commissioned on March 22, 1980. The Deyo was last home-ported in Norfolk, Virginia. Stricken from the Navy list on April 6, 2003, she was sunk as a target on August 25, 2005 in the Atlantic. Biographical timeline Milestones 1887, July 1 Born, Poughkeepsie, N.Y. 1916 Married Maria Ten Eyck Decatur Mayo 1949 Retired from navy as vice admiral 1973, Nov. 10 Died, Portsmouth, N.H. Early service 1911 Graduated, United States Naval Academy 1911–1913 Served on