Rear Admiral Frank Hank Winston Corley Jr.

“Hank” (Age 89)

Rear Admiral Frank W. (Hank) Corley, Jr. retired naval officer, congressional staffer and business consultant, died on May 2, 2015.

Admiral Corley was born at Stuart Circle Hospital, Richmond, Virginia on the 6th of June 1925 while his daddy was jumping Princess Royal at the Deep Run Hunt Club; he jumped, she didn't and the broken collar bone further memorialized the day. He grew up on the family horse farm, Fair-a-Far, near Bon Air, Virginia and attended Richmond and Chesterfield County public schools, graduating from Westhampton High School in 1942.

He enlisted in the Navy's V-12 college program in 1943, later transferring to the V-5 Naval Aviation program before entering the Naval Academy in 1944 ; he graduated in 1947 (class of 1948A).

He attended the University of Richmond from 1942 to 1944, the United States Naval Academy from 1944 to 1947, the School of International Service at the American University from 1960 to 1963 and the Department of State Senior Seminar in Foreign Policy from 1968 to 1969. He held BS, an MA in International Relations and Organizations and a PhD in International Studies. He received the prestigious Pitman B. Potter Medal for being the year's outstanding student of international relations and law. President Kennedy gave his famous cold war address at his graduation from American University in 1963. In addition, he received an honorary Bachelor of Letters degree from the University of Richmond, a gracious act of recognition by the University of the many World War II enrollees in their Navy V-12 program.

Admiral Corley was a surface warfare officer whose active duty included destroyers, the carrier Bataan, the heavy cruiser Macon and naval gunfire spotting in Korea with Fleet Marine Force Pacific. His commands included USS Beale, Destroyer Division 212 and Destroyer Squadron 17. Ashore, he had two tours on the Joint Staff (JCS) the first as Deputy Assistant for JCS Matters to the Director, Joint Staff; the second as the Assistant Deputy Director for Operations (National Military Command System). He served as Chief, International Negotiations Branch, Politico-Military Policy Division, CNO Staff. He was Deputy Director of Naval Education and Training. He held joint commands as Commander of NATO’s Iberian Atlantic Command, Oeiras, Portugal and as Chief of the Military Assistance Advisory Group, Lisbon Portugal from 1974 to 1977 and retired from that post in September 1977.

He served three combat tours during the Korean War and two during the Vietnamese War. He was awarded the Legion of Merit with gold star in lieu of a second award ; the Bronze Star with combat distinguishing device and two gold stars in lieu of second and third awards : the Government of Portugal's Order of Avis ; the Vietnam Navy Distinguished Service Order ; the Vietnam Gallantry Cross with gold star ; the Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation ; the Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation ; the U. S. Marine Corps Combat Operations Insignia ; and various theatre and campaign medals. His most cherished combat award was a poem written by Corporal Charles Hatley, USMC, entitled "Ode on the Death of Brer Rat," a tribute to his marksmanship and leadership in defending the trash pit on Hwang't'do island.

The admiral’s post Navy career included chief of staff to Congressman Caldwell Butler, Director of Washington Operations for ITT's Electro-Optical Products Division and a private consultancy to the electro-optical night vision community. In full retirement he turned his attention to enjoying fine red wines, do-it-yourself projects and collecting Beswick Beatrix Potter figurines. He co-authored Beswick Collectables: A Charlton Standard Catalogue in 2008 and acquired a splendid collection. His do-it-yourself projects including building his own wine cellar and building two for one of his daughters. At 80 years of age when she moved yet a third time, he single handedly took down all of the handmade redwood racks from one home and reinstalled them in her current wine cellar. He collected a fine cellar of predominantly red Bordeaux and California Cabernets and while greatly depleted, his family and friends enjoy some excellent vintages to this day.

He was former president of the Senior Seminar Alumni Association and member of its board of directors; former president of the Greater Washington Naval Academy Alumni Association; and vice president of the Little Hunting Creek Citizen’s Association from 1978 to 1988.

Admiral Corley is survived by his wife of 61 years, the former Jean Sayles of Bay City, Michigan whom he married in 1953 in the Marine chapel at Camp Catlin, Territory of Hawaii. Other survivors are their three children Alice Vallez Bensaude (Miguel), Dr. Sarah Taylor Corley (David Proffer), and Lt. Col. Frank W. Corley, III (Kerry); two grandchildren Kendyll and Winston Corley; and one brother Lt. Col. John Greene Corley (Peggy).

A Funeral Services will be held at Ft. Myer Old Post Chapel, on Thursday, October 29, 2015 at 9:00 AM with interment to follow at Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Virginia.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to Fisher House or the Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society.