InJanuary1941hetransferredtocommandDestroyerDivisionFOURTEENandfromDecember1941toJune1942,commandedDestroyerSquadronSEVEN.

    ReturningtotheNavalWarCollegeinNewport,heagainhadinstructionpriortoreportinginDecember1942forfittingoutdutyintheUSSBALTIMOREattheBethlehemSteelCompany,ShipbuildingDivision,Quincy,MA.DetachedinMarch1943,beforethatcruiserwascommissioned,hethenassumedcommandoftheUSSALABAMA.TheALABAMAwithhersistership,theUSSSOUTHDAKOTA,formedBattleshipDivisionNINE,andservedfirstintheAtlanticwiththeBritishHomeFleet,basingintheOrkneyIslandsforsupportingoperationsintheArticOceanbetweenIceland,MurmanskandtheBritishIsles.

    InAugust1943thedivisionwasorderedtothePacific.TheALABAMA,underhiscommand,servedthroughouttheGilbertIslandsoperations,theMarshall,Carolina,andMarianasIslandOperation,alsotakingpartinthefirstraidsonPalauIslands,andfurtheroperationswithTaskForce58.

    Capt.KirtlandreceivedaLetterofCommendationwithauthorizationtoweartheCommendationRibbonandCombat"V"fromtheCommanderinChief,U.S.PacificFleet,andalsowasawardedtheLegionofMeritwithCombat"V".Thecitationsfollows:

    LegionofMerit:ForexceptionallymeritoriousconductasCommandingOfficeroftheUSSALABAMA,fromApril1,1943toAugust23,1944.Participatinginnumerouscampaignsandactionsthroughoutthelongandarduousperiodsofoperations....(He)aidedininflictingextensivedamageanddestructionupontheenemyduringhazardousbombardmentoperations.HeboldlycounterednightanddayattacksbyJapaneseaircrafttoholdtoaminimumthedamagesustainedbythetaskforceofwhichtheALABAMAwasaunit.

    LetterofCommendation:Fordistinguishedservice...duringoperationsagainsttheJapanesebasesatTinian,SaipanandGuamintheMarianasonFebruary22,1944.Inthisaction,forthefirsttimeinthewarinthePacific,acarriertaskforcewasdiscoveredbytheenemyandobligedtofightitswaytoitsobjective...DuringthenightofFebruary21-22thescreenofwhichhisshipwasapart,shotdownatleasteightenemyplanesinflamesanddroveoffallothersbeforetheycouldinflictdamageuponthetaskforce.TheexcellenceofhisperformanceintheexecutionofhisdutiescontributedgreatlytothesuccessofourmissionandwasinkeepingwiththehighesttraditionsoftheNavalservices.

    DetachedfromcommandoftheALABAMAinAugust1944,hewasthenassignedtotheNavalOrdinancePlant,Louisville,KY,andsubsequentassignmentsreturnedhimtothePacificasCommandantoftheNavalOperatingBase,Okinawa.LaterheassumedcommandAmphibiousTrainingCommand,U.S.AtlanticFleet,withheadquartersatLittleCreek,VirginiaandinAugust1949reportedasCommander,TrainingCommand,U.S.AtlanticFleet,Norfolk,Virginia.WhendetachedinJuly1950hebecameAssistantChiefofNavalOperations(Logistics),NavyDepartment.

    Hewassoserving-whentransferredtotheRetiredListoftheNavyonJune30,1951,heremainedonactivedutyasPresident,PermanentGeneralCourt,ThirdNavalDistrict,NewYork,NY,untilJuly15,1953,whenhewasreleasedtoretiredstatus.

    http://ussslcca25.com/kirtland.htm