Obituary of Frank Dully Jr.

Frank E. Dully, Jr., MD, MPH, Captain MC US Navy (ret.), 89, of Fernandina Beach, FL, passed away peacefully on Friday evening, March 12, 2021 at the Jane and Bill Warner Hospice Center for Caring in Fernandina Beach, FL. He was born on January 19, 1932 in Hartford, CT, the oldest son of the late Frank E. Dully and Monica (Cooney) Dully. Dr. Dully attended St. Thomas the Apostle school of West Hartford, CT before high school, graduated from the Loomis School, Windsor, CT in 1950, and then college at Holy Cross College, Worcester, MA, graduating in 1954. Dr. Dully then completed medical school at the Georgetown University School of Medicine in 1958, medical internship at the District of Columbia General Hospital 1958-1959, and residency in family practice at Bridgeport Hospital in Bridgeport, CT, completed in 1960. He then entered medical private practice in Shelton, CT deciding in 1964 after four years of practice to join the US Navy. Dr. Dully was commissioned initially as a Lieutenant in the Medical Corps US Navy (MC USN) serving aboard the USS Power (DD-839) as the Squadron Medical Officer for US Navy Atlantic Fleet Destroyer Squadron 14, 1964-65. In 1965 he was promoted to Lt. Commander, MC USN and became a Flight Surgeon following completion of initial training at the Naval Aerospace Medical Institute (NAMI), Pensacola, FL. Dr. Dully then served tours as the Senior Medical Officer, USS Hornet (CVS-12), 1966-1968; and Naval Air Station Glynco, Brunswick, GA, 1968-69. He was then promoted to Commander, completing a Master’s Degree in Public Health, at The University of California (Berkley) School of Public Health, 1969-70; Resident in Aerospace Medicine at NAMI, Pensacola, FL, 1970-72; and Senior Medical Officer, USS Enterprise (CVAN-65), U.S Pacific Fleet, 1972-74. Dr. Dully was promoted to Captain MC USN, serving as the Director of Training, NAMI, Pensacola, FL, 1974-77; Wing Surgeon, First Marine Aircraft Wing, Fleet Marine Force, US Pacific Fleet, Okinawa, Japan, 1977-78; Force Medical Officer, Naval Air Force, U.S Pacific Fleet, San Diego, CA, 1978-1982; Commanding Officer, NAMI, Pensacola, FL, 1982-1985; Command Physician and Instructor in Aviation Safety, Naval PostGraduate School, Monterey, CA, 1985-87. Dr. Dully retired as a Captain in the US Navy in 1987. Dr. Dully was a licensed physician and surgeon in Connecticut and California. He was certified as a Naval Flight Surgeon by the US Navy and was certified in Aerospace Medicine by the American Board of Preventive Medicine. Dr. Dully’s military awards include the Legion of Merit, Meritorious Service Medal, Air Medal for action in the Vietnam War (2), Navy Commendation Medal (2), Vietnam Honor Medal - First Class, Meritorious Unit Citation, Navy Unit Citation, and 6 Theatre Ribbons. He also logged 2200 military flight hours. Dr. Dully was a proud Vietnam veteran, and one of his proudest achievements following his military career was being a recipient of the Captain Robert E. Mitchell Lifetime Achievement Award, awarded by his peers, “For outstanding achievements in the field of Naval Aerospace and Operational Medicine during his long and distinguished years of government service.” Following retirement from the US Navy, Dr. Dully continued his career as a consultant to the aviation industry in human factors; lecturer in aeromedical aspects of aviation safety, Field Associate Professor of Aviation Safety, and consultant in aviation medicine with the University Of Southern California's (USC) Institute Of Safety & Systems Management, Los Angeles and San Bernardino, CA; and consultant in aviation physiology and human factors in the cockpit, to Northwest Aerospace Training Corp., Eagan, MN. In addition to being a respected medical doctor, throughout his career, Dr. Dully spoke frequently to a wide range of military and civilian audiences and published numerous articles on aeromedical aspects of aviation safety. His professional affiliations were many including: The Aerospace Medicine Association (Designated Fellow), Society of U.S. Naval Flight Surgeons, Space Medicine Branch – Aerospace Medical Association, International Society of Air Safety Investigators, American College of Occupational Medicine, American College of Physicians (Designated Fellow), American College of Preventive Medicine (Designated Fellow), United States Naval Institute, Naval Aviation Museum Foundation, Flight Safety Foundation and others. In retirement, Dr. Dully loved devoting time to his grandchildren, great grandchildren, grandnieces and grandnephews, related by blood or marriage. He also had many interests and hobbies, engendering friendships with those that might share his interests near and far. He built several ship models now exhibited in museums, winning awards and magazine publication for the quality of his work, and many family members and friends are proud owners of his scale ship models. Dr. Dully’s interest in U.S. Naval Aviation, Ships, Medicine and US History was lifelong. Though retired, he remained active in the active and retired Navy aerospace medicine community for some time, and is fondly remembered by his many colleagues and former USN Flight Surgeon students for his leadership and impact on Naval Aerospace medicine, related aviation safety topics, programs and associations. Dr. Dully was predeceased by sisters, Ann and identical twins Jean and Joan. He is survived by his wife of 39 years, Rebecca (Akers) Dully; brother Robert (Sally) of Huntington, CT; daughters; Dr. Kathleen Dully, Commander MC USN (ret.) of Jacksonville, FL, Ann (Stan) Borowiec of Summit, NJ, Margaret Long of Richmond, VA, Nancy Dully of Pensacola, FL, and Tammy Dully, of Pensacola Florida; son; David Dully (Christal) of Fernandina Beach, FL; grandchildren; Eric Gibbs of Clovis, CA, Christine (Mike) Hodge of Roseville, CA, Kasia Borowiec of NY, NY, Mary Borowiec (Nadiv) of San Francisco, CA, Elizabeth Borowiec of Washington, D.C., Matthew Long of Richmond, VA, and Caylin Bancells of Pensacola, FL; great grandchildren; Sara, Theo, and Maverick; and beloved nieces, nephews, grandnieces, grandnephews, great grandnieces; surviving Akers family members, their spouses; and Akers family children, grandchildren and great grandchildren. Services and Interment will be held at a yet to be determined date following the COVID-19 Pandemic in Connecticut. The family sincerely requests that Dr. Dully’s life and family be honored through donations in lieu of flowers by mail to the CHPC Warner Center, 4266 Sunbeam Rd., Jacksonville, FL 32237 or online at https://www.communityhospice.com/give/ designation field “Jane and Bill Warner Center for Caring”. To offer online condolences please visit www.eternityfh.com