Walter John Kraus – Captain, United States Navy

From a contemporary press report

Retired Navy Captain Walter John “Walt” Kraus, 77, a resident of Annapolis, Maryland, for 20 years, died of cancer October 5, 2001, at the Charlotte Hall Veterans Home in St. Mary's County after a three-year illness.

The son of the late John and Anastasia Kraus, Captain Kraus was born June 19, 1924, in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and grew up in Amery, Wisconsin. He was one of 16 ensigns to enter the Naval Academy in 1945, from which he graduated in 1949.

His first tour of duty was on the USS Fort Marion, which participated in amphibious operations in Pusan, Hungnam and Wonson, Korea. He was the commanding officer of the submarine USS Cavalla during the Cuban blockade, Executive Officer of the Polaris submarine tender USS Canopus, deployed in Rota, Spain, and was the commanding officer of the Naval Communications Station in Keflavik, Iceland.

Captain Kraus attended the Naval Post Graduate School in Monterey, California, and received a master's degree from George Washington University.

His military decorations included three Bronze Stars and the Meritorious Service Medal.

After retiring from the Navy, he helped to organize a master's degree program for engineering management at The Catholic University of America, a program which he directed for 17 years.

He was a member of the Naval Academy Alumni Association and the Retired Officers Association. His interests included reading, racquetball and squash.

He is survived by his wife, Alice Kraus, whom he married in 1954; one son, John F. Kraus; two daughters, Jeanne Kraus of Bellaire, Texas, and Carol Hamal of Vienna, Virginia; and three grandchildren.

Visitation is from 2 to 4 p.m. Sunday at Taylor Funeral Home, 147 Duke of Gloucester St. Graveside services will be at 9 a.m. Monday at Arlington National Cemetery.

Memorial contributions in lieu of flowers may be made to Hospice of St. Mary's County, P.O. Box 625, Leonardtown, MD 20650.

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