It all started when I graduated from a little high school (15 students) in Maybrook, New York. I progressed to Navy boot camp, followed by the Naval Academy Prep School (NAPS), and acceptance to the Naval Academy, Class of 1957. Highlights of my career after graduation consisted of postgraduate school, sea duty, and selection to engineering duty only (EDO), followed by 23 years in the Strategic Missile Systems Program developing nuclear missiles for launch from submarines. And that is where my life became interesting!

I was involved in the latest version of the Trident II D-5 missile throughout the development phase of the missile. After all of the ground tests of the missile were completed, we were ready for the submarine (underwater) tests, which, to put it mildly, were not successful.

We determined what went wrong, fixed the problem, and made ready to repeat the land and underwater tests. However, quite unexpectedly, I was ordered to report to a congressional committee to brief the Senators on our progress (or lack thereof).

On the appointed day, I reported to the committee, and was greeted by Senator Warren Rudman with words that shocked me: “I am a duck hunter. You shoot the wounded ducks first, and your program is wounded.” Apparently, the President needed money for an unfunded program and our funds were vulnerable. In a state of near panic, I explained to the group that we had fixed the problem and if we lost our funding the impact would have dire consequences. So, I made Senator Rudman a proposition. I would not need the money until January when the tests would be completed, so we could keep the money in escrow until I need it in January. I knew this was a gamble, but I also knew that my Trident team had found and fixed the problem but needed to prove it with a successful submarine launch.

The Senator agreed, I heaved a sigh of relief, and reported back to the Secretary of the Navy (SecNav), who did not approve of his subordinates making deals with Congress. He settled down after a while and gave me the go-ahead. We pressed on, completed the program, everyone was happy, and we did have a successful launch to confirm the fix.

There is a postscript to this happy story, however. I was scheduled for retirement because of time in grade and age, and had completed the necessary paperwork and was looking forward to the date. Without warning, I was summed to the office of the Assistant. Secretary of the Navy to answer a barrage of questions that had no bearing on past or future duties. I reminded the Secretary that I was due to retire in two weeks. Whereupon he informed me that I was being considered for the position of Commander, Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA), and would I be interested. I informed him that I needed time to think about it. End of meeting!

That was not the end of the interviews, however. Meetings with the Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) and SecNav followed. I informed both these distinguished people that I still intended to retire in two weeks, and no one had briefed me on what the future holds for me. They essentially told me not to worry about it. A few days later I was at the Chicago airport and I received a phone call from the Secretary who told me not to get rid of my dress blue uniforms because I was going to be the next Commander, Naval Sea Systems Command! And so, it happened along with a promotion to Vice Admiral. What a world!

I was still puzzled about why I had been selected for the job when there were other senior officers, I considered to be more qualified than I. I finally got my answer a few years later when, then retired for real, I ended up at a change-of-command ceremony and, by a coincidence, ended up sitting next to the gentleman who had been the previous SecNav and expressed displeasure with me because of the “deal” I had struck with Senator Rudman. I figured, now or never, so took a deep breath, and asked him.” Mr. Secretary, just why was I selected for the NAVSEA job?” His answer? “Because the way you took on Congress to save the Trident program was handled extremely well and you deserved the credit!”

Little did I know that speaking my mind to a Senator and the Secretary of the Navy would lead to my earning a third star. Whatever it takes!