Edward Carlton Allen, Jr., was born on January 16, 1916, at Portsmouth, Va., where he graduated from Wilson High School in 1931. He attended the College of William and Mary at Norfolk for two years before entering the U.S. Coast Guard Academy, New London, Conn., with an appointment as Cadet on July 1, 1934. He was graduated from the Academy with a B.S. Degree and a commission as Ensign on June 2, 1938.
His earlier assignments were served at sea on board the Coast Guard Cutters Mendota and Sebago, both based at Norfolk, Va. He then served as assistant engineer on board the Cutter Alexander Hamilton of Norfolk from July 1941 until that vessel was sunk off the coast of Iceland as a result of an enemy torpedo hit on Junary 29, 1942, during World War II.
During the remainder of the war period, he served as gunnery officer and navigator on board the attack troop transport Leonard Wood in the invasions of North Africa and Sicily, and in the Pacific invasions of the Gilberts, Kwajalein, Eniwetok, Palsu, Saipan, Leyte Gulf, and Lingayan Gulf. For this service he received the Bronze Star Medal, nine battle stars, and a Navy Unit Citation.
From June 1945 to September 1948, he served as Assistant Commandent of the Cadets at the Coast Guard Academy. During the following year he was Executive Officer of the Cuttter Duane, based at Boston, Mass. After two years of study, he received a Degree of "Juris Doctor" from the George Washington University Law School in October 1951. From there he was assigned to the Legal Division at Coast Guard Headquarters, Washington, D.C., until June 1952.
The next two years saw him as Legal Officer of the Fifth Coast Guard District, Portsmouth, Va. After next commanding the Cutter Sebago in the Gulf out of Mobile, Ala., from August 1954 to September 1955, he became Legal Officer of the Third Coast Guard District, New York. Detached from that post in May 1959, he commended two cutters out of New York during the following two years - the USCGC Rockaway first, then the USCGC Spencer - on ocean sation patrol in the Atlantic.
From August 1961 to August 1962, he was Commanding Officer of the Mediterranean Section, Naples, Italy, following which he was stationed in London as Senior Coast Guard and Merchant Marine Detail Officer, Europe, for two years.
He became Assistant Superintendant of the Coast Guard Academy in August 1964. During that tour of duty, the then CAPT Allen was nominated by the President for the appointment of two-star flag officer on December 1966, and confirmed by the Senate on March 23, 1967, to rank as permanent Rear Admiral from July 1, 1967.
In June 1967, he assumed the duties of the Commander, 5th Coast Guard District, Portsmouth, Va., which includes Coast Guard activities in Maryland, Virginia, and North Carolina. He retired from that post on August 1, 1971.
Following is a resume of RADM Allen's appointments in rank: Ensign, June 2, 1938; Lieutenant (jg), June 2, 1941; Lieutenant, July 1, 1942; Lieut. Commander, August 1, 1943; Commander, November 1, 1950; Captain, January 1, 1960; Rear Admiral, July 1, 1967.
RADM Allen holds memberships in the District of Columbia Bar, the Bar of Military Court of Appeals, the Institute of Navigation of the United Kingdom, the Institute of Marine Engineering, United Kingdom, Phi Delta Phi Legal Fraternity, and the Order of the COIF, George Washington Unversity Law School. He was a member of the Staff of the Law Review while attending Law School, and was a Company Commander while a Cadet at the Coast Guard Academy.
RADM Allen is married to the former Bernice L. Harrignton of Endicott, N.Y. They have four children, Martha, Edward C., III, Roger, and Laurie.