OFFICE, COMMANDER, FIRST CO AST GUARD DISTRICT 1400 CUSTOM HOUSE,

BOSTON 9, MASS. - Capitol 7—3710, ext. 277

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: NO. 30-6l
CAPT SHIELDS DEPARTS 1CGD

Boston, March 18…

Captain William D. Shields, USCO, who has been Chief of Staff of the First Coast Guard District for the past nine months, has departed Boston and will report to the Coast Guard Receiving Center in Cape May, New Jersey as Commanding Officer. As Chief of Staff, Captain Shields assisted Rear Admiral Chester L. Harding with the general administration and direction of Coast Guard activities in Massachusetts, Maine, New Hampshire and Rhode Island. He had served the previous year as Chief of the Operations Division of the First CG District. His new duty will place him in charge of the Coast Guard's East Coast "boot camp."

Captain Shields' replacement in Boston will be Captain Simon R. Sands Jr., who has been head of the national Coast Guard Reserve program at Coast Guard Headquarters in Washington, D. C. for the past three years.  He will arrive in Boston in mid-April, In the meantime, Captain Carl H. Stober, currently assigned as Chief of the First District’s Merchant Marine Safety Division, will also serve as Acting Chief of Staff until Captain Sands arrival. During his two tours of duty in Boston, Captain and Mrs. Shields lived at 37 Parkman Street in Brookline, Mass.

BIOGRAPHY OF

CAPTAIN WILLIAM D. SHIELDS

UNITED STATES COAST GUARD

William Davis Shields was born the son of Dr. and Mrs. Edgar T. Shields on August 19, 1907 in Philadelphia, Pa. He attended elementary schools in Pennsylvania and California and Keystone Academy in Factoryville, Pa, In 1928, he entered the U. S. Coast Guard Academy at New London, Conn. and during three years, won a letter in basketball, was President of the Cadet Athletic Association, and was the Battalion Commander.

He was graduated and commissioned an Ensign in the Coast Guard on May 1, 1931, and subsequently advanced to: Lieutenant (j.g.), May 15, 1934; Lieutenant, May 15, 1936; Lieutenant Conmander, June 15, 1942; Commander November 1, 1942; and Captain, August 6, 1951.

From the Academy, he was assigned to the Coast Guard Destroyer Hunt, serving in the North Atlantic out of New York for 14 months.

In July of 1933, he reported to the Coast Guard Air Station at Miami, Fla. for preliminary flight training, and the following April, began flight training at the Naval Air Station in Pensacola, Fla. He earned his wings in July of 1938 and was assigned as an aviator to the Coast Guard Air Station in St. Petersburg, Fla.

From May of 1938 to November, 1939, he served as an aviator and watch officer on the Coast Guard Cutter Bibb, which, at that time, operated out of Norfolk, Va., During the next year—and—a—half, he was assigned to the Coast Guard Air Station at Charleston, S. C., the last five months of which he was Executive Officer.

He began another stint of sea duty in May of 1941 as an aviator and watch officer aboard the Coast Guard Cutter North Star which operated in Greenland waters on North At1antic Patrol. Eight months later, he was assigned to the Coast Guard Air Station in Miami, Fla. and served as an aviator for two years at this station, the last five months as Executive Officer. From January 1944 to October of that year, he was Commanding Officer of the Coast Guard Air Station at Biloxi, Miss.

His next tour was served in New Orleans, La. in the offices of the Eighth Naval District as Search and Rescue Officer. He was next advanced to Assistant Chief of the Coast Guard’s Aviation Division at Headquarters in Washington, D. C. and served in that post from April of 1945 to July of 1948. The following three years he commanded the Coast Guard Air Station at San Francisco, Calif. and he then returned to Washington, again as Assistant Chief of Coast Guard Aviation Division, for four years.

From July of 1955 to May of 1959, he served in the Miami offices of the Seventh Coast Guard District, first as Chief of the Search and Rescue Section, Chief of the Operations Division, and lastly as Chief of Staff.

He was next transferred to the Boston, Mass, offices of the First Coast Guard District and was Chief of the Operations Division until June of 1960 when he was advanced to the post of Chief of Staff of that command.

He has earned the following decorations: American Defense Service with Bronze " A" attachment American Campaign; European—African—Middle Eastern Campaign; World War II Victory; National Defense Service Modal; Coast Guard Expert Rifleman; and Coast Guard Expert Pistol Shot.

On June 9, 1934, he married the former Sally N. of St. Petersburg, Fla. and they have two married daughters, Mrs. Edwin C. Summers and Mrs. John D. Dempsey.