William Graham Claytor Jr. (March 14, 1912 – May 14, 1994) was an American attorney, United States Navy officer, railroad executive, and administrator of railroad, transportation, and defense affairs for the United States government, working under the administrations of three US presidents.

He is remembered for his actions as the commanding officer of the destroyer escort during World War II, which helped to save 316 lives during the tragedy. Over 30 years later, Claytor's moderate actions on behalf of the rights of female and gay service personnel as Secretary of the Navy were considered progressive for the time. His transportation career included ten years as president of the Southern Railway and 11 years as the head of Amtrak, guiding the passenger railroad through a particularly difficult period. He was named the Virginian of the Year in 1977. In August 1945, Claytor sped without orders to investigate reports of men floating in the water. As Cecil J. Doyle approached the area at night, Claytor turned the ship's searchlights on the water and straight up on low clouds, lighting up the night, despite the risk of exposing his ship to possible attack by Japanese submarines. He is credited with leading the United States Navy into its first recognition of women's right to serve on ships and of rights of gays to leave the service without criminal records. His positions were considered by activists to be progressive for the time, leading to further progress years later in these controversial issues.

In 1979, he was appointed to the position of Deputy Secretary of Defense. General Colin Powell served as his military assistant.

In the summer of 1979, he took a brief leave from the Defense Department to serve as Acting Secretary of Transportation in President Carter's Cabinet. His service at the Transportation Department bridged the tenures of Secretary Brock Adams and Secretary Neil Goldschmidt.

Amtrak

In 1982, Claytor came out of retirement to lead Amtrak. He was recruited and strongly supported by John H. Riley, an attorney who was also the head of the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) under the Reagan Administration from 1983 to 1989.

Claytor maintained a good relationship with the U.S. Congress during his 11 years in the position. Within 7 years of being under Claytor's leadership, Amtrak was generating enough money to cover 72 percent of its $1.7 billion operating budget by 1989, up from 48 percent in 1981. This was achieved mainly through vigorous cost-cutting and aggressive marketing. He is credited with bringing political and operational stability to the nation's passenger train network, keeping the railroad functioning properly despite repeated attempts by the administrations of Ronald Reagan and his successor George H. W. Bush to eliminate its funding.

Claytor retired from Amtrak in 1993.

Legacy and heritage

Claytor was named the Virginian of the Year in 1977. In 1989, he was named Railroader of the Year by Railway Age magazine.

He was the brother of Robert B. Claytor, who became president of Norfolk and Western Railway in 1981 and was the first chairman and CEO of Norfolk Southern after it was formed by merger with the Southern Railway System in 1982. Robert B. Claytor is best remembered by many railfans for reactivating Norfolk and Western Railway's steam program, which rebuilt steam locomotives Class J 611 and Class A 1218 at the Steam Restoration Shop at Norris Yard in Irondale, AL, and operated excursion trips. Claytor Jr. would occasionally take the throttle as engineer with his brother on the steam excursions.

Claytor died on May 14, 1994.

At Amtrak's Washington, DC Union Station a passenger concourse was renamed "Claytor Concourse" in his honor.

See also

  • List of law clerks of the Supreme Court of the United States (Seat 4)
  • List of railroad executives

References

  • quotes from article by journalist Don Phillips of the Washington Post in a "Tribute to W. Graham Claytor Jr." published May, 1994
  • Survivors Groups official website for the U.S.S. Indianapolis