In Memory Of
Lawrence J. Reilly Sr.
1924
2018
Lawrence J. Reilly Sr.
June 18, 1924 — May 23, 2018
Lawrence John Reilly Sr., retired US Navy Master Chief Gunner's Mate and combat veteran of World War II and Vietnam, died on Wednesday, May 23rd, at the age of 93. Affectionately known as Pop to his family and as Chief Dad to his younger Navy shipmates, he is survived by four of his five children, 12 grandchildren, 21 great-grandchildren, and uncountable shipmates and friends.
The Chief was married to the love of his life, Marion Louise Thomas Reilly, for nearly 68 years, until her death in 2012. He was also a survivor of the sinking of the USS Frank E. Evans (DD-754) in 1969, an incident in which his second son and namesake, Lawrence John Reilly Jr., was one of 74 sailors who died.
He was the son of Lawrence Ambrose and Ethel Reilly, brother of Sister Dorothy Reilly of the Catholic order Daughters of Wisdom, all of whom pre-deceased him, as did one daughter-in-law, Sandra Kay Douglas Reilly.
Chief Reilly was born on June 18, 1924, in Brooklyn, New York, and lived on Long Island until joining the Navy in 1942. He was a "plank owner" (member of the commissioning crew) of and served on the light cruiser USS Oakland (CL-95). On the Oakland, he participated in many of the major World War II Naval battles in the Pacific, including Kwajalein, Truk, Wake Island, Okinawa and the Battle for Leyte Gulf. He was one of the American gunners who made famous the so-called "Turkey Shoot" during the Battle of the Philippine Sea, which decimated the Japanese carrier-based air forces. For his service during these battles, he was awarded a Bronze Star with Combat V.
He was discharged from the Navy in 1948, joined the Naval reserves in 1955, and was recalled to active duty in 1961. He then served two deployments to Vietnam on the aircraft carrier USS Kearsarge and three on the Evans, the last of which ended with the sinking. He retired from the Navy in 1974, after serving for more than 25 years and achieving the highest possible enlisted rank of Master Chief. He was also the last known surviving Oakland "plank owner".
Larry and Marion Reilly had five children, sons, James Thomas Reilly, Lawrence John Reilly Jr., and Gerald Thomas Reilly, and daughters, Luanne Reilly Oda and Suzanne Reilly Thompson.
The Reilly family lived in Lindenhurst, New York, from 1950 to 1964, when a transfer of duty stations moved them to California, where they lived in Costa Mesa for more than 20 years. Larry & Marion moved to Englewood, Florida, where he was an avid golfer, and then, in 1999, to Syracuse.
Throughout his life, Larry Reilly was a loved and admired patriarch of his extended family, a devoted friend to many, and a respected mentor to his younger shipmates.
A memorial service for Chief Reilly will be private for the family.
To share a memory of Chief Reilly or leave a message for the family, please visit the guestbook below button above.
The Chief was married to the love of his life, Marion Louise Thomas Reilly, for nearly 68 years, until her death in 2012. He was also a survivor of the sinking of the USS Frank E. Evans (DD-754) in 1969, an incident in which his second son and namesake, Lawrence John Reilly Jr., was one of 74 sailors who died.
He was the son of Lawrence Ambrose and Ethel Reilly, brother of Sister Dorothy Reilly of the Catholic order Daughters of Wisdom, all of whom pre-deceased him, as did one daughter-in-law, Sandra Kay Douglas Reilly.
Chief Reilly was born on June 18, 1924, in Brooklyn, New York, and lived on Long Island until joining the Navy in 1942. He was a "plank owner" (member of the commissioning crew) of and served on the light cruiser USS Oakland (CL-95). On the Oakland, he participated in many of the major World War II Naval battles in the Pacific, including Kwajalein, Truk, Wake Island, Okinawa and the Battle for Leyte Gulf. He was one of the American gunners who made famous the so-called "Turkey Shoot" during the Battle of the Philippine Sea, which decimated the Japanese carrier-based air forces. For his service during these battles, he was awarded a Bronze Star with Combat V.
He was discharged from the Navy in 1948, joined the Naval reserves in 1955, and was recalled to active duty in 1961. He then served two deployments to Vietnam on the aircraft carrier USS Kearsarge and three on the Evans, the last of which ended with the sinking. He retired from the Navy in 1974, after serving for more than 25 years and achieving the highest possible enlisted rank of Master Chief. He was also the last known surviving Oakland "plank owner".
Larry and Marion Reilly had five children, sons, James Thomas Reilly, Lawrence John Reilly Jr., and Gerald Thomas Reilly, and daughters, Luanne Reilly Oda and Suzanne Reilly Thompson.
The Reilly family lived in Lindenhurst, New York, from 1950 to 1964, when a transfer of duty stations moved them to California, where they lived in Costa Mesa for more than 20 years. Larry & Marion moved to Englewood, Florida, where he was an avid golfer, and then, in 1999, to Syracuse.
Throughout his life, Larry Reilly was a loved and admired patriarch of his extended family, a devoted friend to many, and a respected mentor to his younger shipmates.
A memorial service for Chief Reilly will be private for the family.
To share a memory of Chief Reilly or leave a message for the family, please visit the guestbook below button above.
To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Lawrence J. Reilly Sr., please visit our flower store.
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