Patrick J. Hannifin, Vice Admiral USN (Ret), a resident of Solana Beach, CA for almost three decades, passed away on January 9, 2014; he was 91. Born in Oklahoma on January 26, 1923, he was raised in Roswell, New Mexico, where he attended New Mexico Military Institute prior to entering the U.S. Naval Academy. Graduating with the Class of 1945 in June 1944, he was commissioned an Ensign and, in 1978, he retired as a Vice Admiral. Following graduation, he completed Submarine School and then joined USS BALAO (SS-285) in the Pacific. While in BALAO, he participated in three war patrols. After the war, his service included duty in multiple diesel submarines: U-858, SEA ROBIN (SS-407), GRAMPUS (SS-523), RASHER (SSR-269) and he commanded USS DIODON (SS-349). After completing Navy Nuclear Power Training, VADM Hannifin served as the commissioning Executive Officer of the Navy's first Fleet Ballistic Missile submarine, USS GEORGE WASHINGTON (SSBN-598); he was then selected as the first Commanding Officer of USS LAFAYETTE (SSBN-616). He later served as Commander Submarine Squadron FIFTEEN in Guam. Ashore, he was one of the early students at the Armed Forces Guided Missile School at Fort Bliss, Texas and was subsequently assigned as a Department Head at the Navy's Guided Missile School in Point Mugu, California. He also had duty in Washington at the Bureau of Ships, in the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations, and on the Joint Staff. As a flag officer, VADM Hannifin served as Commander THIRTEENTH Naval District in Seattle, Commander Submarine Flotilla EIGHT/Commander Submarines Mediterranean (the NATO submarine forces in the Mediterranean), Deputy Director for Strategic and Nuclear Plans for the Joint Chiefs of Staff, on CNO's staff as Assistant Director, Plans and Operations, as Director Plans and Policy (J-5) for JCS. His final responsibility was as Director of the Joint Staff for the Joint Chiefs. VADM Hannifin graduated with distinction from the Industrial College of the Armed Forces, concurrently earning an MBA from George Washington University. After retirement, he lived an active life in Santa Fe, New Mexico and Solana Beach, California. As a member of the Senior Executive Service, he conducted studies and provided advice to the Department of Energy on future nuclear issues. He was also President of Hanesco, Inc., a family-owned oil and gas exploration company, for over 30 years. Pat was an active member of the Rotary Club of Encinitas and was also a deeply involved parishioner of St. Peter's Episcopal Church in Del Mar, serving for years on the vestry and directing a multi-million dollar capital campaign. A man of surprising talents, he also managed to fit in travel to Rome and Malta with his new-found Hollywood friends when he was hired as the Technical Advisor for the motion picture U-571. Subsequently, the television industry called upon him for technical expertise and commentary as they covered the loss of the Russian submarine Kursk. He was inducted into the New Mexico Military Institute's Hall of Fame in 1985; in 2012, the Naval Submarine League honored VADM Hannifin with their Distinguished Submariner Award. Pat Hannifin was married to the former Mary Snyder, also of Roswell, New Mexico, and a childhood friend, for over 55 years.