Walter McLean (United States Navy officer)

Walter McLean
Born	July 30, 1855
Died	March 21, 1930 Annapolis, Maryland
Allegiance	United States
Service/branch	United States Navy
Rank	Rear Admiral
Battles/wars	Spanish–American War World War I

Rear Admiral Walter L. McLean (1855 – March 21, 1930) was the American commander of the Norfolk Naval Shipyard from November 25, 1915, until February 4, 1918. Under his command, the Shipyard was the holding area for various German vessels which had put into port during World War I, and stayed in a somewhat limbo status—the United States had not entered the war and so could not commandeer the ships, but then neither could the ships be allowed to depart and resume attacks on Allied shipping. The course of action was therefore to keep the foreign ships and their crews as "guests" of the United States for years.