 After commanding the escort aircraft carrier for a year, Flatley became deeply involved with assessing naval aviation's disastrous safety record and ultimately helped develop the Naval Aviation Safety Center, today's Naval Safety Center.After the war he was training director of the Naval Air Station Corpus Christi in Corpus Christi, Texas Air Station; commander of the Naval Air Station Olathe in Olathe, Kansas (which was renamed "Flatley Field" from 1962–1969); and commander of the Naval Station Norfolk in Norfolk, Virginia followed by command of the carrier .He also held various staff positions.