EARL L. DeWISPELAERE

Captain DeWispelaere, USN (ret), 88, died, 17 July 2019 at Chapel Hill, North Carolina.

He graduated in 1952 from Yale University in the NROTC program. During his naval career, CAPT DeWispelaere graduated from the U.S. Navy Submarine School, U.S. Naval Intelligence School, Armed Forces Staff College, Defense Attaché School and the Foreign Service Language School.

CAPT DeWispelaere served aboard a number of ships, including USS BEXAR (APA-237), USS SEA DOG (AGSS-401), USS POMPON (SSR-267), USS BAYA (AGSS-318), and USS POMODON (SS-486) as Executive Officer, and commanded USS TIRU (SS-416) Feb. 10, 1965-Jan. 9, 1967. He also served on the staff of the Office of Naval Intelligence (Head, Soviet Navy Unit); the Commander, Submarine Flotilla ONE (Assistant Operations and Plans Officer); the Commander Submarine Forces Pacific (Force Intelligence Officer); the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations (Special Programs Office/Project Officer) and the Naval Intelligence Support Center (Head, Undersea Technology Department). From June 1976 to August 1979, he was Defense and Naval Attaché in the American Embassy Oslo, Norway.

Upon return from Norway, CAPT DeWispelaere was assigned to the Office of Naval Intelligence where he was “double-hatted” as the Assistant for Interagency Coordination (0-009K) and as the Head of Security Policy division (OP-009D). He was also assigned (“triple-hatted”) as the Head of the Security Department of the Naval Intelligence Command. On July 1, 1981, Captain DeWispelaere assumed duties as the Assistant for Special Programs (OP-090J) in the office of the Director, Navy Program Planning, where he remained (through three OPNAV reorganizations) until his final retirement after 46 years of service August 27, 1998.

CAPT DeWispelaere’s medals include the Legion of Merit (with gold star in lieu of second award), the National Defense Service Medal (with three bronze stars), the Korean and United Nations Service Medals, the Navy Expeditionary Medal, the Vietnam Service Medal, the Navy Commendation Medal, the Navy and Defense Meritorious Service Medals, the Navy Distinguished Service Medal and the Department of Navy Civilian Distinguished Service Medal. He also was awarded the Norwegian Order of Saint Olav, Degree of Commander, for his service as Defense and Naval Attaché.