Navy Mourns Loss of Former Academy Superintendent, WWII Submariner
Story Number: NNS090616-06Release Date: 6/16/2009 3:25:00 PM
From United States Naval Academy
ANNAPOLIS, Md. (NNS) -- Vice Adm. James "Jim" Calvert, a career submarine officer who served in World War II and a former U.S. Naval Academy superintendent, died June 3.
A funeral service with full military honors will be held for Calvert June 17 at 1 p.m. in the United States Naval Academy Chapel. Interment will take place at the Naval Academy Cemetery immediately following the service.
Calvert was a member of the Academy's Class of 1943. During WW II, the submarine officer completed nine wartime patrols and later served an instrumental role in the development of modern submarine operations. Calvert authored two books about his service on submarines, "Silent Running: My Years on a World War II Attack Submarine" and "Surface at the Pole."
Serving from 1968-1972 as the 46th Naval Academy Superintendent, Calvert helped implement the academy's academic majors program, which continues today to be the foundation of the academy's academic reputation. In 2004, Calvert was honored as a Naval Academy Alumni Distinguished Graduate.
"Vice Admiral Calvert embodied the highest ideals of the academy's mission and dedicated himself to a lifetime of selfless and distinguished service to his nation," said current Naval Academy Superintendent Vice Adm. Jeffrey L. Fowler.
For more news from the U.S. Naval Academy, visit www.navy.mil/local/usna.
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
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During WW II, the submarine officer completed nine wartime patrols
[sigh] Every time I see a story like this nowadays, I have to wonder: how many are left that can say the same? No man now lives who remembers combat in the trenches of WW1. How long before we have to say the same about WW2?
So many men who served. So few left now to tell the tale. The ones who flew at Midway ... who stormed the beaches of Normandy or Iwo Jima or Tarawa ... who torpedoed the Japanese merchant marine, one ship at a time ...
Even the ones who never saw combat, but spent their tours hacking airstrips out of the humid hell of South Pacific jungle islands or servicing the aircraft that flew from those strips. You know, I don't think I've ever seen a book, even an article, of first-hand memories of life as a Seabee in the Southwest Pacific. They played a big part in winning the war too, but no one seems to care.
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