Rear Admiral Henry Crawford Perkins, United States Coast Guard, was born on 24 October 1904 at Pawtucket, R.I. He was graduated from Pawtucket High School before entering the U.S. Coast Guard Academy, New London, Conn., as a cadet it October 1922.
Graduated and commissioned Ensign on 24 October 1924, he subsequently was promoted in rank as follows: Lieutenant (jg), 24 October 1926; Lieutenant, 24 October 1928; Lieutenant Commander, 24 October 1932; Commander, 17 July 1942; Captain, 1 June 1943; and Rear Admiral, 1 July 1953.
His first command was the Coast Guard Receiving Unit, Goat Island, San Francisco, Calif., from June 1930 to January 1931. When the unit was decommissioned, he went to the Cutter Shoshone as navigator, serving until August 1931. He made on Bering Sea Patrol aboard the Shoshone. Following this assignment, he served as executive officer of the Cutter Tallapoosa at Juneau, Alaska, until September 1934.
He next was assigned to the Cutter Pandora at Miami, Fla., serving as her commanding officer until October 1938. At that time he returned to the Shoshone at Oakland, Calif., serving as executive officer until July 1939. His next tour of duty, at San Francisco from July 1939 to February 1943, included service as Director, Coast Guard Reserve; commanding officer, Coast Guard Detachment, Golden Gate International Exposition (until October 1940); and personnel officer.
For the next year he was commanding officer of the Cutter Taney in Pacific waters, and then took command of the Leonard Wood (APA-12), until December 1945. For the latter duty he was awarded the Bronze Star with Combat "V" and a Navy Citation "For meritorious service in connection with operations against the enemy as commanding officer of an attack transport during the amphibious assaults and capture of Saipan, Anguar, Leyte and Luzon".
Returning to the states in December 1945, Rear Admiral Perkins served as Chief, Eleventh Coast Guard District Personnel Division, Long Beach, Calif., until February 1947, when he was transferred to Seoul, Korea, for duty with the U.S. Military Government.
In July 1948 he was designated Chief of Staff, Twelfth Coast Guard District, San Francisco, with additional duty, from December of that year, as Deputy Area Commander, Western Area. He served in those capacities until August 1953 when he reported to Washington, D.C. to become head of all Coast Guard Operations.
On June 15, 1956, Rear Admiral Perkins became Commander of both the Eastern Coast Guard Area and the Third Coast Guard District with offices in New York, N.Y.
Resides the Bronze Star and Navy Citation ribbons, Rear Admiral Perkins' decorations include the Philippine Liberation with two stars, Asiatic-Pacific campaign with four stars, Navy Occupation (Korea), American Defense, American Area, World War II Victory and Philippine Presidential Unit Citation Badge.
Rear Admiral and Mrs. Perkins, the former Miss Dorothy I. of Dayton Wash., have two children Henry C., Jr., at Stanford University, Palo Alto, Calif.; and a married daughter, Mrs. Shirley W. Michel, Pittsburg, Pa.