august december admiral united_states_navy played pivotal role development torpedo technologies world war commanded submarine operations australian ports brisbane graduate variety warships beginning battleship new_jersey trained torpedo design implementation members new london graduated master degree specializing torpedoes 1920s involved project highly secret program develop magnetic influence torpedoes result development mark mark torpedo developed design oxygen torpedo designated project united_states entered world war posted brisbane commanded submarine operations solomon islands campaign returned inspector ordnance newport torpedo station january australia commander submarine operations despite growing evidence problems mark mark torpedo remained convinced effectiveness accompanied war patrols submarines uss uss harder november relieved command submarine operations vice admiral returned united_states commanded retired navy august rank vice admiral early career born massachusetts august graduated served variety warships beginning battleship new_jersey aboard cruiser montana trained torpedo design implementation students new london went command submarines uss octopus uss uss uss served commander submarines graduated master degree specializing torpedoes development mark magnetic completing graduate studies initiated project highly secret program develop magnetic influence torpedoes summer involved project substantially involved technical development weapon system far advanced permit test obsolete submarine target destroyed influence torpedo despite early success influence mark needed significant urged target ship extensive field tests torpedo chief naval operations authorized use obsolete destroyer uss placed restrictions use newport forced decline offer result mark mark torpedo underwent live test shortcomings apparent outbreak hostilities months problems corrected objections development oxygen torpedo 1920s 1930s carried experimental work oxygen torpedo alexandria virginia designated project torpedo hydrogen instead compressed air design experimental torpedo propel mph maximum range design subsequently designated submarines mark surface ships hydrogen system test fitted mark torpedo mid-1930s design propelled range mph mph despite promise design operational officers opposed use volatile hydrogen aboard ship ultimately mark went limited production work mark suspended resumed admiral favored focusing research efforts electric torpedoes work oxygen system downgraded combat use oxygen torpedo design second world war head torpedo section involved providing torpedoes fleet command shortly death admiral january pre war assignments given command consisting salmon class submarines germany united_kingdom engaged united_states neutral president ordered enforce neutrality patrol assist bound convoys secret agreements britain united_states agreed provide submarines royal_navy control america enter conflict admiral commander submarines atlantic fleet selected captain tactical commander proposed submarine force british waters wanted new class submarines assigned overruled admiral selected older classes instead war increasingly likely end placed boats war world war service brisbane outbreak pacific war remnants fled australia orders washington boats philippines organized fighting force brisbane admiral ordered boats supplement force australia went arriving april time battle coral sea solomon islands campaign ordered boats patrol key points shipping tended heavily patrolled aircraft anti submarine craft step current submarine doctrine capital ships prime targets boats focus merchant shipping soon war began submarine captains indicated problems mark torpedo influence feature mark torpedoes fail explode explode prematurely despite reports fully aware impact situation boats older torpedo contact pistol acknowledged running deeper set attributed failures poor maintenance errors captain crew convinced mark satisfactory ordered fleet boats continue use november ordered return newport inspector ordnance torpedo station newport torpedo manufacture wanted advance development mark electric torpedo resisted leaving command brisbane considered use resolve torpedo issue replaced captain service awarded legion merit promoted rear admiral newport january rear admiral commander submarines killed plane crash hoped position job went rear admiral commander submarine operations selected old command lobbied vice admiral arthur chips commander allow replace commander larger submarine force brisbane refused continued try time brisbane force control middle received reports submarine officers convince mark significantly flawed june formally ordered submarines operating pearl harbor magnetic influence feature committed ordered boats continue influence feature submarines operating commands required enable disable depending command area difference opinion strained relations november replaced vice admiral ordered final mark combat commands order commencing january convinced mark potential continue technical studies mark develop improvements revised unreliable earlier versions common greet returning submarine pier award decorations crew spot bypassed naval award boards annoyed possibly confirmation accomplished ultra reading coded japanese radio traffic news awards given quickly constitute security breach matter fact awarded army decorations naval personnel like took authorize decorations standard review procedures events compelled awards recommending award army medals navy personnel events ultimately contribute dismissal commander submarines early decided wanted war patrol selected ride uss admiral joined boat january patrol conducted standard duties standing watch departed active day patrol june decided wanted second patrol selected boat having engine troubles decided uss harder commanded finished harder epic fifth war patrol credited sinking japanese destroyers reduced post war destroyers despite fact crew exhausted agreed extend fifth patrol board harder returned port july concerned commander leading submarine having completed war patrols showing signs strain admiral believed step command harder felt patrol leaving boat return second combat patrol admiral recommended meet brisbane discuss joint submarine operations visit discussed technical issues establishment advanced bases meeting resulted kind personal rift men clashed mark mark torpedo staff believed ride harder risky unnecessary stunt meeting related events fifth war patrol general decided award distinguished service cross additionally meeting found earlier recommendation army decoration apparently blocked despite order army decorations insisted granting medals men request decorations spot felt compelled report entire affair end general awarded medals august took harder sixth patrol executive officer tiny lynch believed mentally exhausted reservations harder refitted port admiral allowed retain command august harder sunk hands bay loss great shock event worsened relationship recommended medal honor harder fifth patrol supposed sinking japanese destroyers turned recommendation grounds received patrol angered sent dispatches admiral edwards radio dispatch sent low grade code easily criticized urged reconsider message blunt public viewed bordering october november received intelligence german plans operate boats australian waters directed allied forces detect eliminate threat resulting dutch submarine sinking october near sinking november near northern end boat disappeared route fourth evaded slip south coast australia sink liberty ship south sydney late december november relieved command submarine operations assigned position commencing december specific reason given convinced pushed hard medal honor process awarding decorations general losses included nephew lieutenant commander uss july influenced decision returned united_states went command longer command renewed push awarded medal honor time getting endorsement decoration general agreed posthumously awarded medal post war career war attempted command operations atlantic submarines job went instead given command naval forces philippines retired navy august promotion rank vice admiral sold life insurance ventures time final years lived west coast united_states hawaii died honolulu hawaii december age wife joined national memorial cemetery pacific following death papers library congress
Ralph Waldo Christie