James F. Calvert
Encyclopedia
James Francis Calvert served in the United States Navy
, where he commanded the , the third nuclear submarine
commissioned and the second submarine to reach the North Pole
, which became the first to surface at the pole when it did so on August 11, 1958. He later served as the 46th superintendent of the United States Naval Academy
.
for two years before receiving an appointment to the United States Naval Academy
. He graduated on June 19, 1942, completing his coursework at the Naval Academy in three years under an accelerated wartime curriculum.
and was given a post on the Gato-class submarine
USS Jack
, where he served for three years. On the Jack, Calvert was responsible for operating the Torpedo Data Computer
, an electromechanical analog computer used for torpedo fire-control, and the ships on which he served sunk 100,000 tons of enemy ships and damaged an additional 18,000 tons. He was awarded two Silver Star
s and two Bronze Star Medal
s, along with a letter of commendation. He was assigned in 1945 to serve as executive officer
of the , on which he served one war patrol. He was on the Haddo in Tokyo Bay
during ceremonies for the Japanese surrender.
After the end of World War II, Calvert spent three years at the Submarine School as an instructor in the Torpedo Data Computer. He was assigned to serve as executive officer on the , winning a battle efficiency pennant in both of his years of service on the ship. He was assigned as executive officer of the Tang-class submarine
when it was commissioned in 1952 and later became commanding officer
of the , another Tang-class boat. After training by the Atomic Energy Commission
, Calvert was assigned to the , the Navy's third nuclear-powered submarine and the first to be designed for assembly line construction rather than as a one-off prototype.
The Skate went under the North Pole
on August 11, 1958, and became the first to surface near there when it found a lead of open water and surfaced to report its success by radio. The ability to travel under and break through the ice was a major achievement during the Cold War
as it allows the Navy's submarines to avoid detection under the ice while being able to launch their Polaris missiles
from points far closer to the Soviet Union
. The following year, after traveling 3000 miles (4,828 km) to the pole in 12 days, the Skate became the first submarine to surface through the ice when it reached the North Pole on March 17, 1959. There they released the ashes of Australia
n polar explorer Sir George Hubert Wilkins who died in November 1958 and who had been the first to try to reach the pole by submarine; Wilkins had flown over the pole but was never able to set foot there despite numerous attempts.
With the support of Admiral Hyman G. Rickover
, Calvert rose to vice admiral
. He was named as superintendent of the United States Naval Academy in 1968, where he introduced 20 different majors to midshipmen to replace a standardized curriculum of military courses that had previously been taken there.
Among the four books he wrote were Silent Running: My Years on a World War II Attack Submarine
and the 1960 book Surface at the Pole: The Extraordinary Voyages of the U.S.S. Skate in which he described his experiences at the pole, reminiscing about a polar bear
that went into the water, ignoring the submarine nearby.
due to heart failure. He was survived by his second wife, Margaretta Harrison Battle, whom he married in 1968. He was also survived by two sons from his first marriage, four stepsons and 15 grandchildren.
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
, where he commanded the , the third nuclear submarine
Nuclear submarine
A nuclear submarine is a submarine powered by a nuclear reactor . The performance advantages of nuclear submarines over "conventional" submarines are considerable: nuclear propulsion, being completely independent of air, frees the submarine from the need to surface frequently, as is necessary for...
commissioned and the second submarine to reach the North Pole
North Pole
The North Pole, also known as the Geographic North Pole or Terrestrial North Pole, is, subject to the caveats explained below, defined as the point in the northern hemisphere where the Earth's axis of rotation meets its surface...
, which became the first to surface at the pole when it did so on August 11, 1958. He later served as the 46th superintendent of the United States Naval Academy
United States Naval Academy
The United States Naval Academy is a four-year coeducational federal service academy located in Annapolis, Maryland, United States...
.
Early life and education
Calvert was born on September 8, 1920, in Cleveland, and grew up as an only child. He attended Oberlin CollegeOberlin College
Oberlin College is a private liberal arts college in Oberlin, Ohio, noteworthy for having been the first American institution of higher learning to regularly admit female and black students. Connected to the college is the Oberlin Conservatory of Music, the oldest continuously operating...
for two years before receiving an appointment to the United States Naval Academy
United States Naval Academy
The United States Naval Academy is a four-year coeducational federal service academy located in Annapolis, Maryland, United States...
. He graduated on June 19, 1942, completing his coursework at the Naval Academy in three years under an accelerated wartime curriculum.
Military service
He was assigned to attend the Naval Submarine School at the Naval Submarine Base New LondonNaval Submarine Base New London
Naval Submarine Base New London is the United States Navy's primary submarine base, the "Home of the Submarine Force", and "the Submarine Capital of the World".-History:...
and was given a post on the Gato-class submarine
Gato class submarine
The United States Navy Gato class submarine formed the core of the submarine service that was largely responsible for the destruction of the Japanese merchant marine and a large portion of the Imperial Japanese Navy in World War II...
USS Jack
USS Jack (SS-259)
, a Gato-class submarine, was the first ship of the United States Navy to be named for the jack ....
, where he served for three years. On the Jack, Calvert was responsible for operating the Torpedo Data Computer
Torpedo Data Computer
The Torpedo Data Computer was an early electromechanical analog computer used for torpedo fire-control on American submarines during World War II . Britain, Germany, and Japan also developed automated torpedo fire control equipment, but none were as advanced as US Navy's TDC...
, an electromechanical analog computer used for torpedo fire-control, and the ships on which he served sunk 100,000 tons of enemy ships and damaged an additional 18,000 tons. He was awarded two Silver Star
Silver Star
The Silver Star is the third-highest combat military decoration that can be awarded to a member of any branch of the United States armed forces for valor in the face of the enemy....
s and two Bronze Star Medal
Bronze Star Medal
The Bronze Star Medal is a United States Armed Forces individual military decoration that may be awarded for bravery, acts of merit, or meritorious service. As a medal it is awarded for merit, and with the "V" for valor device it is awarded for heroism. It is the fourth-highest combat award of the...
s, along with a letter of commendation. He was assigned in 1945 to serve as executive officer
Executive officer
An executive officer is generally a person responsible for running an organization, although the exact nature of the role varies depending on the organization.-Administrative law:...
of the , on which he served one war patrol. He was on the Haddo in Tokyo Bay
Tokyo Bay
is a bay in the southern Kantō region of Japan. Its old name was .-Geography:Tokyo Bay is surrounded by the Bōsō Peninsula to the east and the Miura Peninsula to the west. In a narrow sense, Tokyo Bay is the area north of the straight line formed by the on the Miura Peninsula on one end and on...
during ceremonies for the Japanese surrender.
After the end of World War II, Calvert spent three years at the Submarine School as an instructor in the Torpedo Data Computer. He was assigned to serve as executive officer on the , winning a battle efficiency pennant in both of his years of service on the ship. He was assigned as executive officer of the Tang-class submarine
Tang class submarine
The Tang class submarines were a product of the Greater Underwater Propulsion Power Program , which incorporated German U-boat technology into the United States Navy's submarine design...
when it was commissioned in 1952 and later became commanding officer
Commanding officer
The commanding officer is the officer in command of a military unit. Typically, the commanding officer has ultimate authority over the unit, and is usually given wide latitude to run the unit as he sees fit, within the bounds of military law...
of the , another Tang-class boat. After training by the Atomic Energy Commission
United States Atomic Energy Commission
The United States Atomic Energy Commission was an agency of the United States government established after World War II by Congress to foster and control the peace time development of atomic science and technology. President Harry S...
, Calvert was assigned to the , the Navy's third nuclear-powered submarine and the first to be designed for assembly line construction rather than as a one-off prototype.
The Skate went under the North Pole
North Pole
The North Pole, also known as the Geographic North Pole or Terrestrial North Pole, is, subject to the caveats explained below, defined as the point in the northern hemisphere where the Earth's axis of rotation meets its surface...
on August 11, 1958, and became the first to surface near there when it found a lead of open water and surfaced to report its success by radio. The ability to travel under and break through the ice was a major achievement during the Cold War
Cold War
The Cold War was the continuing state from roughly 1946 to 1991 of political conflict, military tension, proxy wars, and economic competition between the Communist World—primarily the Soviet Union and its satellite states and allies—and the powers of the Western world, primarily the United States...
as it allows the Navy's submarines to avoid detection under the ice while being able to launch their Polaris missiles
UGM-27 Polaris
The Polaris missile was a two-stage solid-fuel nuclear-armed submarine-launched ballistic missile built during the Cold War by Lockheed Corporation of California for the United States Navy....
from points far closer to the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
. The following year, after traveling 3000 miles (4,828 km) to the pole in 12 days, the Skate became the first submarine to surface through the ice when it reached the North Pole on March 17, 1959. There they released the ashes of Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n polar explorer Sir George Hubert Wilkins who died in November 1958 and who had been the first to try to reach the pole by submarine; Wilkins had flown over the pole but was never able to set foot there despite numerous attempts.
With the support of Admiral Hyman G. Rickover
Hyman G. Rickover
Hyman George Rickover was a four-star admiral of the United States Navy who directed the original development of naval nuclear propulsion and controlled its operations for three decades as director of Naval Reactors...
, Calvert rose to vice admiral
Vice Admiral
Vice admiral is a senior naval rank of a three-star flag officer, which is equivalent to lieutenant general in the other uniformed services. A vice admiral is typically senior to a rear admiral and junior to an admiral...
. He was named as superintendent of the United States Naval Academy in 1968, where he introduced 20 different majors to midshipmen to replace a standardized curriculum of military courses that had previously been taken there.
Among the four books he wrote were Silent Running: My Years on a World War II Attack Submarine
Silent Running: My Years on a World War II Attack Submarine
Silent Running: My Years on a World War II Attack Submarine is a memoir written in 1995 by Vice Admiral James F. Calvert, USN and published by John Wiley & Sons in 1995 . It is held in almost 600 US libraries....
and the 1960 book Surface at the Pole: The Extraordinary Voyages of the U.S.S. Skate in which he described his experiences at the pole, reminiscing about a polar bear
Polar Bear
The polar bear is a bear native largely within the Arctic Circle encompassing the Arctic Ocean, its surrounding seas and surrounding land masses. It is the world's largest land carnivore and also the largest bear, together with the omnivorous Kodiak Bear, which is approximately the same size...
that went into the water, ignoring the submarine nearby.
Personal
His first marriage, to the Nancy Ridgeway King, ended with her death in 1965. Their daughter, Margaret, died in 1994. Calvert died at age 88 on June 3, 2009, at his home in Bryn Mawr, PennsylvaniaBryn Mawr, Pennsylvania
Bryn Mawr from Welsh for "big hill") is a census-designated place in Lower Merion Township, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, just west of Philadelphia along Lancaster Avenue and the border with Delaware County...
due to heart failure. He was survived by his second wife, Margaretta Harrison Battle, whom he married in 1968. He was also survived by two sons from his first marriage, four stepsons and 15 grandchildren.