W. Graham Claytor, Jr.
| W. Graham Claytor Jr. | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| President and CEO of Amtrak | |
|
In office 1982–1993 |
|
| Preceded by | Alan Stephenson Boyd |
| Succeeded by | Thomas Downs |
| United States Deputy Secretary of Defense | |
|
In office August 21, 1979 – January 16, 1981 |
|
| President | Jimmy Carter |
| Preceded by | Charles W. Duncan Jr. |
| Succeeded by | Frank Carlucci |
| United States Secretary of the Navy | |
|
In office February 14, 1977 – August 24, 1979 |
|
| President | Jimmy Carter |
| Preceded by | J. William Middendorf |
| Succeeded by | Edward Hidalgo |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
March 14, 1912 Roanoke, Virginia |
| Died | May 14, 1994 (aged 82) Bradenton, Florida |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse(s) | Frances Claytor |
| Alma mater |
University of Virginia (B.A.) Harvard Law School (J.D.) |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |
 United States of America
|
| Service/branch |
 United States Navy
|
| Years of service | 1941 - 1946 |
| Rank |
 Lieutenant Commander
|
| Battles/wars | World War II |
William Graham Claytor Jr. (March 14, 1912 – May 14, 1994) was an American lawyer, naval officer, and railroad, transportation and defense administrator for the United States government, working under the administrations of three US presidents.
He is remembered for his actions as the captain of the destroyer escort USS Cecil J. Doyle (DE-368), during World War II which helped to save 316 lives during the USS Indianapolis tragedy. Over 30 years later, Claytor's moderate actions on behalf of the rights of female and gay service personnel as Secretary of the Navy were considered progressive for the time. He is also credited with a distinguished transportation career, including ten years as president of the Southern Railway and 11 years as the head of Amtrak, guiding the passenger railroad through a particularly difficult period in its history. He was named the Virginian of the Year in 1977.
Claytor was born in Roanoke, Virginia on March 14, 1912, and grew up in both Virginia and Philadelphia. He was the son of Gertrude Harris Boatwright Claytor, a lyric poet, and W. Graham Claytor (1886–1971), who was vice-president of Appalachian Power.
Claytor graduated from the University of Virginia in Charlottesville, Virginia in 1933. He then graduated from Harvard Law School summa cum laude in 1936. He then clerked for Learned Hand, Judge of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit. He then moved to Washington D.C. to become law clerk to U.S. Supreme Court Associate Justice Louis Brandeis before joining the prestigious Washington law firm Covington and Burling.
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