He would spend three years as the officer in charge of Trieste, becoming the first American submersible pilot and earning the Navy designation U.S. In 1958, the latter led him, while on assignment in San Diego, to the Navy’s fledgling Trieste program at the Naval Electronics Laboratory. ![]() After his vision disqualified him from becoming a pilot, he switched to amphibious forces and then submarines. At 17, he enlisted in the Naval Reserve and spent time as air crewman before attended the U.S. Submarine officer and oceanographer Don Walsh is best known for descending to the deepest point in the world’s oceans, the Challenger Deep in the Mariana Trench, in the bathyscaphe Trieste. His other notable assignments included Director of Submarine Warfare Division (1963-1966), Commander of the Atlantic Fleet Submarine Force (1970-1972), and Deputy Chief of Naval Operations for Submarine Warfare (1972-1974). In September 1961, Wilkinson secured a second historic post as the commanding officer of the world’s first nuclear-powered surface ship, the guided missile cruiser USS Long Beach (CGN 9). Wilkinson held command of Nautilus through June 1957. Following those two years, Wilkinson commanded three diesel submarines: USS Volador (SS 490), USS Wahoo (SS 565), and USS Sea Robin (SS 407), which paved the way for his historic assignment to PCU Nautilus in mid-1953. In 1948, Admiral Hyman Rickover offered him the opportunity to study atomic physics and nuclear reactors at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory in Tennessee and the Argonne National Laboratory in Illinois. Wilkinson joined the Navy Reserve as an ensign in 1940, served an officer aboard submarines during World War II, and transferred to the regular Navy in 1946. Dennis Wilkinson commanded the world’s first nuclear-powered ship, the fast attack submarine USS Nautilus (SSN 571). He died in 1980 at age 66.įirst nuclear submarine commanding officer, 1953 At many times, the decision was in doubt.”Ĭaptain Ramirez de Arellano retired from the Navy in July 1961 with 26 years of service. During Balao’s six war patrol, he wryly noted that, “A grim battle was waged throughout the patrol between the crew and cockroaches. Known for his humor, Ramirez de Arellano would include funny commentary in Balao’s war patrol reports. For his World War II service, Ramirez de Arellano earned two Silver Stars, a Legion of Merit, and a Bronze Star. ![]() When Ramirez took command of Balao in April 1944, as a 31-year-old lieutenant commander, he became the first Hispanic American officer to command a U.S. He made five war patrols in submarines during World War II, serving as diving officer on USS Pi ckerel (SS 177), executive officer on USS Skate (SS 305), and commanding officer of USS Balao (SS 285). Rear Admiral Kauffman is often remembered as “America’s first frogman” for the nickname given to the combat swimmers of the UDTs and NCDUs.Ĭaptain Marion Frederic Ramirez de Arellanoįirst Hispanic American submarine commanding officer, 1944īorn in Puerto Rico in 1913 to two university professors, Marion Frederic Ramirez de Arellano attended the U.S. He served as the Commanding Officer of Underwater Demolition Team #5 and as the Senior Staff Officer and Underwater Demolition Training Officer for Amphibious Forces, Pacific Fleet. As Commanding Officer, Kauffman developed the school’s curriculum, which included a week of intensive training that spawned the infamous phrase “Hell Week.”ĭuring the last two years of World War II, Kauffman worked with the Underwater Demolition Teams (UDTs), groups of combat swimmers that surveilled future amphibious landing sites and cleared them of obstacles. The following year Kauffman established another significant first: the Naval Combat Demolition Unit (NCDU) school which trained sailors in demolitions to clear invasion sites. Kauffman not only established the Navy’s school, he assisted the Army in creating a parallel school in Aberdeen, Maryland. Naval Bomb Disposal School at the Washington Navy Yard. In 1942, the Navy charged Kauffman with founding a U.S. Navy Reserve and began work at the Bureau of Ordnance. In November 1941, Kauffman accepted an appointment as a lieutenant in the U.S. ![]() In the latter position he served as a bomb and mine disposal officer with the Royal Navy which gave him valuable experience disarming explosive ordnance. Forced to resign his naval commission due to poor eyesight, Kauffman joined the American Volunteer Ambulance Corps in April 1940 and then the British Royal Navy Volunteer Reserve that September. Draper Kauffman spearheaded combat demolition in the U.S.
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