Rear Adm. George Washington Allen, USN, ret., a longtime Coronado resident, died March 20 in a local hospital as a result of injuries sustained in an automobile-pedestrian accident March 8. He was 88. Born in Yancy County, N.C., Aug. 7. 1891, Allen resided in Coronado since 1939 A veteran of World Wars I and 11, Allen’s naval career spanned 39 years. He attended Stanley McCormack Institute in Burnsville, N.C., prior to joining the Navy in 1908. During World War I, Allen was commissioned an ensign and in 1917 served aboard the USS Wyoming, a battleship operating with the British fleet. During World War 11, he served as assistant naval attache to Great
Britian and on D-Day was in command of mine sweeping squadrons clearing mines and obstacles on Omaha and Utah beaches during the five-and-a-half hour period prior to the combined landing forces at Normandy. Allen also commanded Task Force Group 52.8 in the Pacific and was in charge of clearing mines at the Port of Negoya, Japan, in 1945. In 1946 he retired from the Navy and recently wrote a book entitled “Sails to Atoms--Seaman to Admiral,” which portrayed highlights of his 39 years in the Navy.
Allen was a member of Graham Memorial Presbyterian Church, the Navy League, the Retired Officers Association and the Military Order of World Wars. He is survived by his wife, Rouye E. Allen of Coronado; a sister, Mrs. Nell Warner of Palo Alto; and a grandchild, William Gise. Memorial services were held Monday at Graham Memorial Church followed by full military honors and burial in Glen Abbey Memorial Park in Bonita under the direction of PinkhamMitchell Mortuary of Imperial Beach.