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ATTENTION INVITED TO  

ROUTINE

R 262142Z OCT 12 PSN 214209K18

FM CNO WASHINGTON DC

TO NAVADMIN
ZEN/OU=DOD/OU=NAVY/OU=ADDRESS LISTS(UC)/CN=AL NAVADMIN(UC)

INFO ZEN/CNO WASHINGTON DC

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SUBJ: PASSING OF REAR ADMIRAL DONALD (MAC) SHOWERS, USN (RET) UNCLASSIFIED/ 
PASS TO ALL OFFICE CODES; FM CNO WASHINGTON DC//DNS// TO NAVADMIN INFO CNO 
WASHINGTON DC//DNS// 

NAVADMIN 320/12

MSGID/GENADMIN/CNO WASHINGTON DC/DNS/OCT//

SUBJ/PASSING OF REAR ADMIRAL DONALD (MAC) SHOWERS, USN (RET)//

RMKS/1. ON 19 OCTOBER 2012, THE NAVY AND THE NATION LOST A TRUE PATRIOT AND 
INTELLIGENCE PIONEER, REAR ADMIRAL DONALD (MAC) SHOWERS, USN (RET).

2. COMMISSIONED IN SEPTEMBER 1941, REAR ADMIRAL SHOWERS SPENT THE OPENING 
PHASE OF HIS REMARKABLE NAVAL CAREER AT STATION HYPO, COLLOCATED WITH PACIFIC 
FLEET HEADQUARTERS IN HAWAII. HE WAS A KEY MEMBER OF THE TEAM OF INTELLIGENCE 
AND CRYPTOLOGIC PROFESSIONALS THAT GAVE FLEET ADMIRAL CHESTER NIMITZ THE 
TIMELY AND ACTIONABLE INTELLIGENCE NEEDED TO POSTURE A SEVERELY OUTGUNNED, BUT 
DETERMINED U.S. NAVY FORCE FOR ITS HISTORIC VICTORY OVER THE IMPERIAL JAPANESE 
NAVY AT MIDWAY.

3. FOR THE REMAINDER OF WORLD WAR TWO AND WELL INTO THE COLD WAR, REAR ADMIRAL 
SHOWERS DEDICATED HIMSELF TO DEVELOPING AND PERFECTING THE CULTURE AND CRAFT 
OF OPERATIONAL INTELLIGENCE. HIS EARLY INNOVATIONS TRANSFORMED THE NAVY'S 
APPROACH TO INTELLIGENCE AND REMAINS FOUNDATIONAL TO THE TACTICS, TECHNIQUES 
AND PROCEDURES IN USE TODAY. THROUGH ASSIGNMENTS THAT INCLUDED STAFFS IN 
ENGLAND, ITALY, SAN DIEGO, HAWAII AND WASHINGTON DC, HE WAS INSTRUMENTAL IN 
ELEVATING INTELLIGENCE AS AN INDISPENSABLE DISCIPLINE OF MODERN NAVAL WARFARE.

4. AS THE DEFENSE INTELLIGENCE AGENCY'S CHIEF OF STAFF, HE LED THE EFFORT TO 
ISOLATE AND CORRECT SECURITY LEAKS THAT HAD GIVEN THE NORTH VIETNAMESE 
ADVANCED KNOWLEDGE OF U.S. STRATEGIC AIR COMMAND OPERATIONS.  ALSO DURING 
VIETNAM, HE FORMED AN INTERAGENCY GROUP OF SENIOR REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE 
INTELLIGENCE AGENCIES, THE SERVICES AND THE JOINT CHIEFS OF STAFF, 
STREAMLINING INFORMATION SHARING, ENHANCING U.S. COMBAT EFFECTIVENESS AND 
SAVING AMERICAN LIVES.

5. FOLLOWING RETIREMENT FROM THE NAVY IN 1972, RADM SHOWERS SERVED WITH THE 
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY UNTIL 1983, SERVING AS A SPECIAL ASSISTANT TO THE 
DIRECTOR AND MEMBER OF THE INTELLIGENCE COMMUNITY MANAGEMENT STAFF. AT THE END 
OF HIS LONG AND DISTINGUISHED CAREER, HIS PERSONAL AWARDS INCLUDED THE BRONZE 
STAR AND NAVY UNIT COMMENDATION FOR SERVICE IN WORLD WAR II, THE LEGION OF 
MERIT, THE NAVY DISTINGUISHED SERVICE MEDAL, AND THE NATIONAL INTELLIGENCE 
DISTINGUISHED SERVICE MEDAL AWARDED BY THE DIRECTOR OF CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE 
AGENCY.

6. REAR ADMIRAL SHOWERS' INSPIRATIONAL LEADERSHIP AND LEGENDARY DEDICATION TO 
EXCELLENCE MOTIVATED GENERATIONS OF SAILORS, FROM NAVAL INTELLIGENCE 
PROFESSIONALS TO THE INDIVIDUAL COMMUNITIES THAT NOW FORM THE INFORMATION 
DOMINANCE CORPS. HE LEAVES US WITH AN ENDURING LEGACY OF EXEMPLARY HONOR, 
COURAGE, AND COMMITMENT.

7.  RELEASED BY VICE ADMIRAL R. W. HUNT, DIRECTOR, NAVY STAFF.//

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