Biography

Walter Eddy was born in Washington DC in 1917.  He attended Charlotte Hall Military Academy where he was on the baseball team, manager of the basketball team, school bugler, member of the rifle team, and a Lieutenant in the Cadet Corps.  At graduation Walter received The National Society of the Sons of the American Revolution Award.  In 1936, Walter entered Rhode Island State College.  He was a member of Phi Mu Delta Fraternity and was enrolled in ROTC.  Walter graduated with honors from Rhode Island State College and was commissioned in the U S Army Reserve in 1940. Shortly after graduation he transferred his commission to the United States Marine Corps.

Lt Eddy first attended the Marine Corps Basic School in Philadelphia. He was then transferred to Quantico, VA as the OIC of the rifle range and then to Aberdeen, MD Army Ordnance Proving Grounds as the Executive Officer of the Marine Corps Ordnance School.  In 1942, Lt Eddy was again transferred to Quantico where he was promoted to Captain. Captain Eddy boarded a ship in San Diego, heading to the South Pacific.   He spent the next three years fighting the Japanese in places such as Funafuti, British Samoa, Tarawa, Guam, and Okinawa. He took part in three major amphibious assaults.   During the amphibious assault on Tarawa, he was the Commanding Officer of the Automatic Weapons Group. During the amphibious assault on Okinawa, now Major Eddy was the Operations Officer of an artillery battalion.  

In 1945, Major Eddy returned to the United States and transferred to Headquarters Marine Corps, Arlington, VA.   He was assigned as the Ordinance Officer in the logistics section of the Division of Plans and Policies.  In 1949, he attended the Marine Corps Senior Course at Quantico.  Upon graduation, Major Eddy was transferred to Hawaii, as a Ground Intelligence Officer on the Staff of the Commander in Chief Pacific and was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel.  

While at Pacific Command, the Korean War broke out and LtCol Eddy worked the Korean situation.  He was even called upon to brief President Truman about the ground situation in Korea.  LtCol Eddy also participated in the Southeast Asian Treaty negotiations in Singapore.

In 1952, LtCol Eddy was transferred to Camp Lejeune, NC as the Executive Officer of the Shore Party Battalion, and then as Commander, 1^st Battalion 8^th Marines.  In 1954, his next assignment was in Japan as the Division Ordinance Officer, 3^rd Marine Division, before becoming the Commander 2^nd Battalion, 3^rd Marines at Camp Fuji.  In 1955, LtCol Eddy was transferred to the Commanding General Fleet Marine Force Atlantic as the Assistant G-4 and Force Ordinance Officer where he served until his retirement in 1960. LtCol Eddy’s military decorations include the Navy Unit Commendation, American Defense Service Medal, the Asian-Pacific Campaign Medal, WWII Victory Medal, and the National Defense Service Medal, among others.  

Following his retirement, Walter remained in Virginia working for the Episcopal Diocese of Virginia as the Special Assistant to the Bishop.  In 1967, he and his family moved to Maine where he became the first Vocational Rehabilitation Officer for the Maine State Prison system.

In 1980, Walter again retired, but remained active in volunteer work for the National Cancer Society, the Heart Association, and Meals on Wheels.   In 2002, Walter was awarded the Coastal Retired and Senior Volunteer of the Year award. LtCol Walter L. Eddy Jr. died in 2018, age 101.  Walter had married Margaret Ray in 1942. They were married for 71 years before her death in 2013. They had three sons, Philip, Michael, and Andrew.

LtCol Walter Eddy spent his entire life serving his community, state, and country during peace and war. His exemplary devotion to duty and outstanding leadership are in the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit upon himself and the University of Rhode Island.