United States Navy Vice Admiral. He was a 1942 graduate of the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland. He served as a submarine officer on board the USS Jack and the USS Haddo during the Second World War, credited with sinking 15 Japanese ships over the course of nine combat patrols. He was present at the formal surrender of the Japanese Empire in Tokyo Bay on September 2, 1945. From December 1957 to September 1959 he served as the commanding officer of the USS Skate, which became the first submarine to break through the ice surface of the North Pole in February 1959. Following his submarine command, he served as the superintendent of the Naval Academy from 1968 to 1972, before becoming commander of the Pacific First Fleet. He retired from military service in 1973. He was the recipient of two Silver and two Bronze Stars for his military service during the Second World War. He was the author of "Surface at the Pole: The Extraordinary Voyages of the USS Skate" (1960), "A Promise To Our Country" (1961), and "Silent Running: My Years on a World War II Attack Submarine" (1995). Following military service he entered the private business sector as assistant to the the chairman of Texaco and as vice president of operations of Combustion Engineering in Stamford, Connecticut. He died from congestive heart failure at the age of 88.
United States Navy Vice Admiral. He was a 1942 graduate of the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland. He served as a submarine officer on board the USS Jack and the USS Haddo during the Second World War, credited with sinking 15 Japanese ships over the course of nine combat patrols. He was present at the formal surrender of the Japanese Empire in Tokyo Bay on September 2, 1945. From December 1957 to September 1959 he served as the commanding officer of the USS Skate, which became the first submarine to break through the ice surface of the North Pole in February 1959. Following his submarine command, he served as the superintendent of the Naval Academy from 1968 to 1972, before becoming commander of the Pacific First Fleet. He retired from military service in 1973. He was the recipient of two Silver and two Bronze Stars for his military service during the Second World War. He was the author of "Surface at the Pole: The Extraordinary Voyages of the USS Skate" (1960), "A Promise To Our Country" (1961), and "Silent Running: My Years on a World War II Attack Submarine" (1995). Following military service he entered the private business sector as assistant to the the chairman of Texaco and as vice president of operations of Combustion Engineering in Stamford, Connecticut. He died from congestive heart failure at the age of 88.
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Bio by: Nils M. Solsvik Jr.