Admiral Carlton McLeod was born in Central Falls, Rhode Island on September 22, 1930. He earned his Bachelor of Arts degree from Brown University in 1952 and his Doctor of Dental Surgery degree from the University of Maryland in 1956. He began his naval career as a senior dental student on active duty as an Ensign and upon graduation was selected for the Navy Dental Internship Program, serving at Naval Hospital, St. Albans, Long Island, New York. Subsequent tours included: USS Leyte CVS 32, Naval Station Newport, Rhode Island and Naval Station Roosevelt Roads, Puerto Rico. In 1964, Admiral McLeod began a three year program in the specialty of Periodontics at the National Naval Dental Center in Bethesda, Maryland completing his residency and earning a Master of Science degree from Georgetown University in 1967.
Then Commander McLeod served as Senior Dental Officer aboard USS Enterprise CVAN 65, completing two combat tours to Vietnam from 1967 to 1969. He was commended as a member of the medical team during the tragic fire at sea, January 14, 1969, while the ship was carrying out a combat readiness exercise off the coast of Hawaii which cost the lives of 29 crewman and injured hundreds of others.
Promoted to Captain while serving as Head of Periodontics at Naval Hospital, Oakland, California, he was transferred to Naval Dental Center, Great Lakes, Illinois in 1974 as Executive Officer. He assumed command in 1976. In 1979, Captain McLeod reported to Dental Division, Navy Bureau of Medicine and Surgery, Washington, D.C. as Head, Professional Branch of the Dental Division.
Selected for flag rank in 1981, Admiral McLeod was assigned as Inspector General, Dental Corps and then became the first dental officer to serve as Inspector General Navy Medical Department. In 1983 he was appointed Chief of the Navy Dental Corps, Assistant Chief of the Bureau of Medicine and Surgery for Dentistry and, additionally, was the first Director of Health Care Operations, serving on the staff of the Chief of Naval Operations in the office of the Surgeon General. He retired in November 1984.
Admiral McLeod’s decorations include the Meritorious Service Medal, Navy Commendation Medal Navy Unit Citation, Meritorious Unit Citation, National Defense Service Medal, Naval Expeditionary Medal, Vietnam
Campaign Medal with Two Stars, Vietnam Cross of Gallantry with Palm Cluster and the Vietnam Service Medal.
Professionally, he has been honored as a Fellow of the American College of Dentists and is a past Chairman of the Florida Section. He is also a Fellow of the International College of Dentists. He was honored by the University of Maryland Dental School as the Distinguished Alumnus in 2001.
Since moving to Citrus County, FL, in 1985, Admiral McLeod has been active in community and veterans affairs. He is a past-president of the Citrus Hills Property Owners Association, Citrus Hills Civic Association and the Citrus County Chapter of the Military Officers Association of America. He has served as chairman of the financial advisory board for the Citrus County Art League’s new theater and has been a member of the Veteran’s Appreciation Week Committee and Chairman of the Veterans Day Memorial Service and a member of the Veterans in the Classroom Program since 1995. Admiral McLeod was also past-president of the Citrus County Veterans Foundation.
In December 2018 Admiral McLeod was inducted into the Florida Veterans Hall of Fame, by the Governor.
He was preceded in death by his wife of 46 years, Shirley, in 2002. Admiral McLeod is survived by his children: Dr. Bruce C. (Maria) McLeod; LTCDR Gregor J. (Ashley) McLeod, (Ret.), and Heather A. McLeod; his grandchildren: Kristen, Michelle (David), Douglas and Allison; and longtime companion, Kathyrn M. Blunk.
A Requiem Eucharist for Admiral McLeod will be offered on Friday, June 11, 2021, at 10:00 AM from St. Margaret’s Episcopal Church, in Inverness, with Fr. Eugene Reuman, Celebrant. Military Honors will be rendered by the US Navy and Floral City VFW #7122. Admiral McLeod will be interred at the Florida National Cemetery in Bushnell, at a later date, with his wife, Shirley. In lieu of flowers the family requests that donations be made to: Citrus County Veterans Foundation, P.O. Box 678, Lecanto, FL 34460. Cremation arrangements are under the direction of the Chas. E. Davis Funeral Home, With Crematory, in Inverness.
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