Winford W. Barrow

Winford W. Barrow was a rear admiral in the United States Coast Guard.

Winford Welborn Barrow was born on January 6, 1923 in Danville, Virginia and graduated from Reidsville High School in Reidsville, North Carolina. He attended what is now North Carolina State University, where he was president of his freshman class and was a member of the football, track and wrestling teams.^[1]

In 1945, Barrow married his high school sweetheart Elizabeth Perkins. The couple would have three daughters. Elizabeth passed away on October 11, 2013. Winford died one day short of a year later.

In 1945, Winford W. Barrow graduated from the United States Coast Guard Academy.^[2] He was selected as vice president of his class and again played on the football team.

Shortly after graduating, Barrow was stationed aboard the United States Navy vessel USS Poole to serve as part of the Occupation of Japan after World War II. After returning to the United States, he was assigned to USCGC Bibb and USCGC Cherokee.

Barrow went on to serve as executive officer of USCGC Mistletoe and USCGC Spencer (WPG-36) and gunnery officer of USCGC Winnebago. Eventually, he became the commanding officer of USCGC Duane after having also been its executive officer.

In 1965, Barrow was named as the chief of the Merchant Vessel Inspection Division of the Coast Guard. Six years later, he assumed command of the United States Coast Guard Yard.

After a tour of duty as chief of the Operations Division of the Fifth Coast Guard District, he became the commanding officer of the Eighth Coast Guard District in 1974. Barrow retired from the military in 1978. Decorations he received during his career included the Coast Guard Commendation Medal, the World War II Victory Medal, the American Campaign Medal, the Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal, the Navy Occupation Service Medal and the National Defense Service Medal.