US Navy Vice Admiral. A World War II combat veteran, he rose in rank to become the leader of the project to develop the Polaris missile weapons system. Born in Texas, he received an appointment to attend the US Naval Academy at Annapolis, Maryland in 1924 and graduated in 1928. During World War II he directed the Gunnery Training Section at the US Navy's Bureau of Aeronautics (later merged with the US Navy's Bureau of Ordnance to become the Bureau of Naval Weapons). He also served in the Pacific Theater on aircraft carriers. He was the executive officer of the carrier USS Hancock when her deck was damaged by a Japanese kamikaze attack. He had the deck repaired in four hours, allowing the ship's aircraft (which had been airborne when the kamikaze struck) to land safely. From May 1954 until May 1955 he commanded the aircraft carrier USS Bennington. He was then promoted to the rank of rear admiral and in November 1955 he became Director of Special Projects at the Bureau of Weapons in Washington DC, with the job of developing a submarine-launched ballistic missile, to be interim capable by early 1963 and full capable by early 1965. On his recommendation, the US Navy abandoned the idea of using the liquid-fueled Jupiter missile in favor of the solid-fueled missile. The USS George Washington, the first ballistic missile submarine, was commissioned in December 1959, fired its first test Polaris missile in July 1960, and departed on the US Navy's first deterrent patrol in November 1960, three years ahead of schedule. For his success, he was promoted to the rank of vice admiral and awarded the Collier Trophy. In 1962 he became the Deputy Chief of Naval Operations for Development in Washington DC and he retired in that position in 1963 with 35 years of continuous military service. Among his military awards and decorations include the Navy Distinguished Service Medal, the Silver Star, the World War II Victory Medal, the Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal, the American Campaign Medal, the American Defense Service Medal, and the National Defense Service Medal. After his military retirement, he was appointed by President Lyndon B. Johnson as the 7th Director of Central Intelligence as well as the 5th Director of the Central Intelligence Agency, despite his having no intelligence experience, and served in that capacity from April 1965 until his resignation in June 1966. He died at the age of 84.
US Navy Vice Admiral. A World War II combat veteran, he rose in rank to become the leader of the project to develop the Polaris missile weapons system. Born in Texas, he received an appointment to attend the US Naval Academy at Annapolis, Maryland in 1924 and graduated in 1928. During World War II he directed the Gunnery Training Section at the US Navy's Bureau of Aeronautics (later merged with the US Navy's Bureau of Ordnance to become the Bureau of Naval Weapons). He also served in the Pacific Theater on aircraft carriers. He was the executive officer of the carrier USS Hancock when her deck was damaged by a Japanese kamikaze attack. He had the deck repaired in four hours, allowing the ship's aircraft (which had been airborne when the kamikaze struck) to land safely. From May 1954 until May 1955 he commanded the aircraft carrier USS Bennington. He was then promoted to the rank of rear admiral and in November 1955 he became Director of Special Projects at the Bureau of Weapons in Washington DC, with the job of developing a submarine-launched ballistic missile, to be interim capable by early 1963 and full capable by early 1965. On his recommendation, the US Navy abandoned the idea of using the liquid-fueled Jupiter missile in favor of the solid-fueled missile. The USS George Washington, the first ballistic missile submarine, was commissioned in December 1959, fired its first test Polaris missile in July 1960, and departed on the US Navy's first deterrent patrol in November 1960, three years ahead of schedule. For his success, he was promoted to the rank of vice admiral and awarded the Collier Trophy. In 1962 he became the Deputy Chief of Naval Operations for Development in Washington DC and he retired in that position in 1963 with 35 years of continuous military service. Among his military awards and decorations include the Navy Distinguished Service Medal, the Silver Star, the World War II Victory Medal, the Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal, the American Campaign Medal, the American Defense Service Medal, and the National Defense Service Medal. After his military retirement, he was appointed by President Lyndon B. Johnson as the 7th Director of Central Intelligence as well as the 5th Director of the Central Intelligence Agency, despite his having no intelligence experience, and served in that capacity from April 1965 until his resignation in June 1966. He died at the age of 84.
Bio by: William Bjornstad
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