Delbert D. Black (11 July 1922 – 5 March 2000) was a senior sailor in the
United States Navy
The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. It is the largest and most powerful navy in the world, with the estimated tonnage ...
who served as the first
Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy from 13 January 1967 to 1 April 1971.
Early life and family
Black was born in
Orr, Oklahoma, graduating from high school in 1940. He enlisted in the
United States Navy
The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. It is the largest and most powerful navy in the world, with the estimated tonnage ...
on 14 March 1941.
Delbert "Del" Black was married to Irma Black for 50 years and had a son Donny D. Black. Grandfather to Dylan and Nathan Black.
Naval career
Upon completion of recruit training in
San Diego
San Diego ( , ; ) is a city on the Pacific Ocean coast of Southern California located immediately adjacent to the Mexico–United States border. With a 2020 population of 1,386,932, it is the List of United States cities by population, eigh ...
, Black was assigned to the and was aboard during the attack on Pearl Harbor on 7 December 1941. He later served at Receiving Station, Pearl Harbor; ;
Naval Air Base Samar,
Philippines
The Philippines (; fil, Pilipinas, links=no), officially the Republic of the Philippines ( fil, Republika ng Pilipinas, links=no),
* bik, Republika kan Filipinas
* ceb, Republika sa Pilipinas
* cbk, República de Filipinas
* hil, Republ ...
; , ; ; U.S. Navy Ceremonial Guard, Washington, D.C.;
Yokosuka, Japan
is a city in Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan.
, the city has a population of 409,478, and a population density of . The total area is . Yokosuka is the 11th most populous city in the Greater Tokyo Area, and the 12th in the Kantō region.
The city ...
ship repair facilities; ; ; ; Recruiting Duty, Columbia, Tennessee; ; ; and Fleet Anti-Air Warfare Training Center (FAAWTC),
Dam Neck, Virginia. During his career, he advanced from striking for the rate of
Gunner's Mate
The United States Navy and United States Coast Guard occupational rating of gunner's mate (GM) is a designation given by the Bureau of Naval Personnel (BUPERS) to enlisted sailors who either satisfactorily complete initial Gunner's Mate "A" scho ...
to the rank of
Master Chief.
Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy
On 13 January 1967, the
Secretary of the Navy
The secretary of the Navy (or SECNAV) is a statutory officer () and the head (chief executive officer) of the Department of the Navy, a military department (component organization) within the United States Department of Defense.
By law, the se ...
announced the appointment of Master Chief Gunner's Mate (GMCM) Black as the first Senior Enlisted Advisor, the position that would evolve into Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy. As such, he was the highest rated
enlisted
Enlisted may refer to:
* Enlisted rank
An enlisted rank (also known as an enlisted grade or enlisted rate) is, in some armed services, any rank below that of a commissioned officer. The term can be inclusive of non-commissioned officers or ...
man in the United States Navy, serving as the enlisted representative to the
Chief of Naval Operations
The chief of naval operations (CNO) is the professional head of the United States Navy. The position is a statutory office () held by an admiral who is a military adviser and deputy to the secretary of the Navy. In a separate capacity as a memb ...
. His function was to counsel the highest ranks of the Navy on issues associated with enlisted guidance, leadership, and policy. Black was the first enlisted man to write a foreword for ''
The Bluejacket's Manual
''The Bluejacket's Manual'' is the basic handbook for United States Navy personnel. First issued in 1902 to teach recruits about naval procedures and life and offer a reference for active sailors, it has become the "bible" for Navy personnel, pro ...
''.
Retirement and later work
![Delbert Black grave](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/79/Delbert_Black_grave.jpg)
Upon retirement from active duty, Black continued his involvement with the Navy through retired and active duty organizations. He was an active member of the
USO
The United Service Organizations Inc. (USO) is an American nonprofit-charitable corporation that provides live entertainment, such as comedians, actors and musicians, social facilities, and other programs to members of the United States Armed F ...
Council of Central Florida; the
Fleet Reserve Association
The Fleet Reserve Association (FRA) is a non-profit U.S. military and veterans organization headquartered in Alexandria, Virginia. chartered by the United States Congress that represents the interests of enlisted Navy, Coast Guard, and Marine vet ...
; and Co-Chairman on the Secretary of Navy Committee on Retired Personnel. He died at his home in Winter Park, Florida from a heart attack at the age of 77. He is buried in
Arlington National Cemetery
Arlington National Cemetery is one of two national cemeteries run by the United States Army. Nearly 400,000 people are buried in its 639 acres (259 ha) in Arlington, Virginia. There are about 30 funerals conducted on weekdays and 7 held on Sa ...
, Section 11, Site 496 LH.
At a 13 March 2015 ceremony at the Navy Memorial in Washington, D.C., Navy Secretary
Ray Mabus
Raymond Edwin Mabus Jr. (; born October 11, 1948) is an American politician and lawyer. A member of the Democratic Party, he served as the 75th United States Secretary of the Navy from 2009 to 2017. Mabus previously served as the State Auditor ...
and Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy (AW/NAC)
Michael D. Stevens
Michael D. Stevens is a United States Navy sailor who served as Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy (MCPON). He became the 13th MCPON on September 28, 2012, when he accepted the passing of the ceremonial cutlass from outgoing MCPON Rick D. Wes ...
announced that an
Arleigh Burke-class destroyer
The ''Arleigh Burke'' class of guided-missile destroyers (DDGs) is a United States Navy class of destroyer built around the Aegis Combat System and the SPY-1D multi-function passive electronically scanned array radar. The class is named for ...
, ''
USS Delbert D. Black
USS ''Delbert D. Black'' (DDG-119) is an of the United States Navy.
Etymology
She is named in honor of Master Chief Petty Officer Delbert Black, the first Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy (MCPON), who died in 2000. He is remembered for ...
'', would honor Delbert Black.
Awards and decorations
* 7 gold
Service stripe
A service stripe is an embroidered diagonal stripe worn on the sleeve(s) of some military and paramilitary uniforms. In the case of the United States military, service stripes are authorized for wear by enlisted personnel on the lower part of the ...
s.
References
External links
Biography
{{DEFAULTSORT:Black, Delbert
1922 births
2000 deaths
People from Love County, Oklahoma
Master Chief Petty Officers of the United States Navy
United States Navy personnel of World War II
Burials at Arlington National Cemetery
Recipients of the Navy Distinguished Service Medal
People from Winter Park, Florida
United States Navy personnel of the Korean War
United States Navy personnel of the Vietnam War