George K. MacKenzie, born 30 May 1910 in Brooklyn, N.Y., graduated from the United States Naval Academy

United States Naval Academy

The United States Naval Academy is a four-year coeducational federal service academy located in Annapolis, Maryland, United States...

 in 1931.

MacKenzie attended the Submarine School and Deep Sea Diving School and the advanced course in the Submarine Officers' School in addition to serving in Raleigh

USS Raleigh (CL-7)

USS Raleigh was an Omaha-class light cruiser of the United States Navy. She was the third Navy ship named for the city of Raleigh, North Carolina....

 (CL-7), Bonita

USS Bonita (SS-165)

USS Bonita , a Barracuda-class submarine and one of the "V-boats," was the third ship of the United States Navy to be named for the bonito....

 (SS-165), and Plunger

USS Plunger (SS-179)

, a , was the second ship of the United States Navy to be named plunger after a diver or a daring gambler. Unlike most American submarines of the day, she was not named for a fish or other sea-dwelling creature....

 (SS-179) and commanding Falcon (ASR-2) and Triton

USS Triton (SS-201)

USS Triton , a Tambor-class submarine, was the first submarine and third ship of the United States Navy to be named for Triton. Her keel was down on 5 July 1939 by the Portsmouth Navy Yard. She was launched on 25 March 1940 sponsored by Mrs. Ernest J. King, wife of Rear Admiral King, and...

 (SS-201). Lieutenant Commander MacKenzie was killed in action 15 March 1943 when three Japanese

Imperial Japanese Navy

The Imperial Japanese Navy was the navy of the Empire of Japan from 1869 until 1947, when it was dissolved following Japan's constitutional renunciation of the use of force as a means of settling international disputes...

 destroyer

Destroyer

In naval terminology, a destroyer is a fast and maneuverable yet long-endurance warship intended to escort larger vessels in a fleet, convoy or battle group and defend them against smaller, powerful, short-range attackers. Destroyers, originally called torpedo-boat destroyers in 1892, evolved from...

s sank Triton in waters just north of the Admiralty Islands

Admiralty Islands

The Admiralty Islands are a group of eighteen islands in the Bismarck Archipelago, to the north of New Guinea in the south Pacific Ocean. These are also sometimes called the Manus Islands, after the largest island. These rainforest-covered islands form part of Manus Province, the smallest and...

. For heroism and courageous devotion to duty he received the Navy Cross

Navy Cross

The Navy Cross is the highest decoration that may be bestowed by the Department of the Navy and the second highest decoration given for valor. It is normally only awarded to members of the United States Navy, United States Marine Corps and United States Coast Guard, but can be awarded to all...

.

Namesake

In 1945, the destroyer

Destroyer

In naval terminology, a destroyer is a fast and maneuverable yet long-endurance warship intended to escort larger vessels in a fleet, convoy or battle group and defend them against smaller, powerful, short-range attackers. Destroyers, originally called torpedo-boat destroyers in 1892, evolved from...

 USS George K. MacKenzie

USS George K. MacKenzie (DD-836)

USS George K. MacKenzie was a of the United States Navy, named for Lieutenant Commander George K. MacKenzie .George K. MacKenzie was launched on 13 May 1945 by the Bath Iron Works, Bath, Maine; sponsored by Miss Donna MacKenzie, daughter; and commissioned on 13 July 1945, Commander Alvin W...

(DD-836) was named in his honor.