Catherine Dodson Callahan – Lieutenant Commander, United States Navy

From a contemporary press report:

Catherine Dodson “Cay” Callahan, 78, a retired Navy lieutenant commander and World War II veteran whose duties included service as a legislative liaison officer to the U.S. Congress, died of pneumonia November 7, 1998 at Suburban Hospital, Washington.

Commander Callahan, who lived in Washington, was born to a Navy family in Nashville. She grew up on naval installations in Chongqing, China; Manila; and various U.S. cities.

She began her naval career as a member of a graduating class of WAVE Midshipmen from Smith College in 1943. As a young communications officer, she served on the staff of Fleet Adm. Ernest J. King throughout World War II.

After her military retirement in 1961, she became special assistant to the executive director of the U.S. Catholic Conference and later executive director of the National Society of the Daughters of American Colonists.

She was a member of the Chi Omega fraternity, the National Society of  Colonial Dames of the America, the Daughters of the American Revolution and the Army and Navy Club. She also was a past president of the National Society of the Daughters of the Barons of Runnymede.

She leaves no immediate survivors.


CALLAHAN, CATHERINE DODSON
LT. COMMANDER, USN (Ret.)

On Saturday, November 7, 1998, CATHERINE DODSON CALLAHAN of Washington, DC. Devoted sister of the late Martha Callahan Atkinson; loving sister-in-law of Wade H. Atkinson Sr.; dear aunt of Wade H. Atkinson Jr. Friends may call at JOSEPH GAWLER'S SONS, INC., 5130 Wisconsin Avenue at Harrison Street N.W., on Thursday, November 12 from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m., where services will follow on Friday at 11 a.m. Interment services will be held at the Ft.Myer Chapel, Arlington National Cemetery on Friday, December 4 at 9 a.m.  Memorial contributions may be made in her name to the Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society, 801 North Randolph St., Arlington, VA  22203-1989.

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