Wallin, Homer N. (Homer Norman), 1893-1984

Homer Norman Wallin (December 6, 1893 – March 6, 1984) was a vice admiral in the United States Navy, best known for his salvage of ships sunk in the attack on Pearl Harbor.

In 1941, Captain Wallin became material officer for commander, Battle Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet, and was serving in that position when Japan attacked Pearl Harbor on 7 December 1941. Aboard the battleship California, he witnessed the destruction that day and remained aboard his ship until she was listing badly from torpedo hits and the commander issued the order to abandon.

Early in 1942, Wallin was placed in charge of the Pearl Harbor Navy Yard's Salvage Division. Through most of that year, he directed the Pearl Harbor ship salvage effort, a huge task that enabled the Navy to recover the use of three sunken battleships. From November 1942 to August 1943, he was force maintenance officer for the South Pacific Force, then spent a few months at the Bureau of Ships. Rear Admiral Wallin was supervisor of shipbuilding and inspector of ordnance at Seattle and commander of the naval station at Tacoma, Washington, beginning in October 1943. Wallin was awarded the Distinguished Service Medal for his salvage achievements at Pearl.

Following World War II, Wallin commanded the Philadelphia and Norfolk Naval Shipyards. In February 1951, he became chief of the Bureau of Ships, a post he held until August 1953, when he took command of the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard. He retired from active service on 1 May 1955 and was simultaneously advanced to the rank of vice admiral on the basis of his combat awards. In 1968, retired Vice Admiral Wallin published a memoir of his service, especially the Pearl Harbor salvage operations, titled Pearl Harbor: Why, How, Fleet Salvage and Final Appraisal.

Wallin died in Seattle, Washington in 1984 at the age of 90. He is interred at Willamette National Cemetery, Portland, Oregon.