W. Graham Claytor, Jr.

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W. Graham Claytor, Jr. : biography

14 March 1912 – 14 May 1994

William Graham Claytor, Jr. (March 14, 1912 – May 14, 1994) was an American lawyer, naval officer, and railroad, transportation and defense administrator for the United States government, working under the administrations of three US presidents.

He is remembered for his actions as the captain of the destroyer escort USS Doyle in World War II which helped to save 316 lives during the USS Indianapolis tragedy. Over 30 years later, Claytor’s moderate actions on behalf of the rights of female and gay service personnel as Secretary of the Navy were considered progressive for the time. He is also credited with a distinguished transportation career, including ten years as president of the Southern Railway and 11 years as the head of Amtrak, guiding the passenger railroad through a particularly difficult period in its history.

Education and early career

Claytor graduated from the University of Virginia in Charlottesville, Virginia in 1933. He then graduated from Harvard Law School summa cum laude in 1936. He then clerked for Learned Hand, Judge of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit. He then moved to Washington D.C. to become law clerk to U.S. Supreme Court Associate Justice Louis Brandeis before joining the prestigious Washington law firm Covington and Burling.

Legal Practice and Southern Railway

After World War II, he resumed practice of law in Washington DC. He became an officer of the Southern Railway in 1963, serving as president from 1967-1977. Notwithstanding his legal background, Claytor was known as an "operations" man, often riding the company’s trains, monitoring and questioning performance. In contrast to his predecessor, D. William Brosnan, Mr. Claytor was an "employee’s President," often chatting with the crews of the trains on which he rode, actively soliciting their suggestions on how to make the railroad run better. He carried this attitude with him during his later service as the President of Amtrak.

World War II – The USS Indianapolis Tragedy

In 1940, soon after the start of World War II, 28 year old Claytor attempted to enlist, but was initially rejected by the United States Navy as being too old. He finally joined under a special provision, based upon his previous experience in sports boating. He was assigned to the Pacific Theater.

Late in the war, Claytor became commander of the destroyer escort USS Cecil J. Doyle on patrol in the Pacific Ocean.Marks (April 1981), pp. 48-50. In August 1945, Claytor sped without orders to investigate reports of men floating in the water. As the Doyle approached the area at night, Claytor turned the ship’s searchlights on the water and straight up on low clouds, lighting up the night, despite the risk of exposing his ship to possible attack by Japanese submarines. These actions facilitated the rescue of the survivors of the sunken cruiser USS Indianapolis.

The Indianapolis had been on a secret mission, and due to a communications error, had not been reported as overdue (or missing). An estimated 900 men survived the sinking, but spent days floating in life jackets trying to fight off sharks. While only 316 were rescued out of a crew of 1199 who were aboard the Indianapolis, Claytor’s actions were widely credited by survivors with preventing an even greater loss of life.

Legacy and heritage

W. Graham Claytor Jr. was named the Virginian of the Year in 1977. In 1989, he was named Railroader of the Year by Railway Age magazine.

He was the brother of Robert B. Claytor, who became president of Norfolk and Western Railway in 1981 and was the first chairman and CEO of Norfolk Southern after it was formed by merger with the Southern Railway System in 1982. Robert B. Claytor is best remembered by many railfans for reactivating Norfolk and Western Railway’s steam program, which rebuilt steam locomotives J-611 and A-1218 at the Roanoke Shops at Roanoke, Virginia, and operated excursion trips. W. Graham Claytor Jr. would occasionally take the throttle as engineer with his brother on the steam excursions.