A veteran of several conflicts, including both World Wars, he distinguished himself several times as commanding officer of heavy cruiser USS Portland and commander, Cruiser Division 13 in the Pacific theater of World War II and received three awards of Navy Cross, the United States Navy second-highest decoration awarded for valor in combat.

He graduated from the Western High School in Washington in summer 1909 and received an appointment to the United States Naval Academy at Annapolis, Maryland.

[2] Upon return to the United States one month later, DuBose was transferred to battleship USS Texas and took part in the training operations along the New England coast and off the Virginia Capes and winter fleet tactical and gunnery drills in the West Indies.

[5] Following the declaration of the War on Germany on April 6, 1917, DuBose was transferred to battleship USS Alabama and assumed duty as Engineer officer under Captain Edwin T. Pollock.

[3] DuBose was subsequently transferred to New York Shipbuilding Corporation in Camden, New Jersey, where he conducted duty in connection with fitting out of destroyer USS Kane.

[7][8] After relief works in Turkish waters near Constantinople, DuBose was ordered back to the United States and assumed command of destroyer USS Lansdale in August 1921.

DuBose then conducted same kind of operations off Culebra, Puerto Rico, before he was appointed aide on the staff of Mine Squadron One under Captain William D. Leahy in April 1922.

The Richmond served as flagship of commander, light cruiser division, Rear Admiral Thomas P. Magruder and DuBose participated in the exercises in Hawaiian waters and then in the patrolling near Shanghai, China.

During the ensuing battle there on June 4–7, 1942, Portland provided anti-aircraft defense for aircraft carrier USS Yorktown, which was struck several times with Japanese torpedoes and sunk.

The Enterprise came under heavy air attack and Portland suffered her first wartime damage, when one of her 1.1-inch (28 mm) guns exploded in firing, also destroying several enemy aircraft.

[1][3] In early November 1942, Japanese tried to retake Guadalcanal and sent there a troop and supply convoys escorted by aircraft carrier, two battleships, ten cruisers, and sixteen destroyers.

DuBose and his cruisers supported landings on Tarawa and Bougainville in late 1943 and then covered aircraft carriers during the strikes on Truk in February 1944 and received his second Legion of Merit.

[1][17] During July and August 1944, DuBose and his division provided air cover for Fast Carrier Task Force during the strikes on Iwo Jima, where participated in destroying of Japanese airfield and intercepting of supply convoy north of Bonin Islands.

[1][18][3] DuBose assumed additional duty as commander, Task Force 30.3.1 and his cruisers supported aircraft carriers during the air strikes against Formosa between October 12–14, 1944.

[1][19] He finished his service as commander, Cruiser Division 13 during the Invasion of Leyte, Philippines, in late October and early November 1944 and was relieved by Rear Admiral Morton L. Deyo.

He remained in that capacity until August that year and returned to the United States for duty as commandant, Sixth Naval district with headquarters at Charleston Navy Yard, South Carolina.

[2][23][3] He was ordered for his final assignment in February 1953, when he assumed duty as commander, Eastern Sea Frontier with headquarters at Brooklyn Navy Yard, New York City.

[28] Admiral Laurance T. DuBose died on July 11, 1967, aged 74, in Charleston, South Carolina, and was buried with full military honors at Arlington National Cemetery, Virginia.