Herbert Schwab; Helped Create WAVES Camp

Herbert S. Schwab, who as a supply officer in World War II helped convert a distinguished teaching college for women into a boot camp for WAVES, the feminine arm of the Navy, has died.

His wife, Virginia, who met Schwab there when they both were naval officers at Hunter College in New York City, said her husband was 80 and retired in 1975 as director of administration of Gibson Dunn & Crutcher, Los Angeles’ largest law firm and ranked No. 4 in the nation. He died Monday at their home in Westlake Village of the complications of age.

Schwab--whose post at Gibson Dunn was considered the most prestigious non-legal position in the firm--was a lawyer himself, a 1936 graduate of Fordham Law School.

But he had only begun practicing with a Wall Street firm when as a naval reservist he was called to active duty at the start of World War II.

He was a supply officer and was faced with revamping classrooms and small kitchens at the liberal arts campus into sleeping quarters and mess halls for the thousands of young women who had decided to become WAVES.

He was to make the Navy his career, retiring in 1961 and moving to California where he was hired at Gibson Dunn because of his administrative skills and legal background.

During his tenure Gibson Dunn grew from 50 to 160 lawyers and from one office to five. Today 700 attorneys work out of 18 offices.

After retiring, Schwab worked for a San Francisco law firm, formed his own consulting business and retired formally in 1988.

Besides his wife, he is survived by three sons, a daughter and nine grandchildren.

A memorial service is scheduled Jan. 8 at 2 p.m. at the United Methodist Church in Pacific Palisades.