Jeremy Michael Boorda
Encyclopedia
Jeremy Michael Boorda was an admiral
of the United States Navy
and the 25th Chief of Naval Operations
(CNO). Boorda is the only CNO to have risen to the position from the enlisted ranks.
to Gertrude and Herman Boorda, a Jewish family, and had a bar mitzvah at the age of 13. His family moved to Momence, Illinois, where his father had a dress shop. His grandparents had immigrated from Ukraine
.
Boorda dropped out of high school to enlist in the United States Navy in 1956 at the age of 17; it provided a structure he at first disliked but came to use. He attained the rate of Personnelman
First Class
. Boorda served a variety of commands, primarily in aviation. His last two enlisted assignments were in Attack Squadron 144 and Carrier Airborne Early Warning Squadron 11.
in Newport, Rhode Island
. After graduating, Boorda was commissioned as an officer in August 1962. He first served aboard USS Porterfield (DD-682)
as combat information center officer at the rank of lieutenant junior grade. After attending Naval Destroyer School in Newport, in 1964 was assigned as weapons officer, USS John R. Craig (DD-885)
. His next tour was as commanding officer, USS Parrot (MSC-197)
.
Boorda's first shore tour was as a weapons instructor at Naval Destroyer School in Newport. In 1971, after attending the U.S. Naval War College and also earning a bachelor of arts degree from the University of Rhode Island
, he assumed duties as Executive Officer, USS Brooke (DEG-1). That tour was followed by a short period at the University of Oklahoma
and an assignment as head, surface lieutenant commander assignments/assistant for captain detailing in the Bureau of Naval Personnel, Washington, D.C.
.
From 1975 to 1977, Boorda commanded USS Farragut (DDG-37)
. He was next assigned as executive assistant to the Assistant Secretary of the Navy (Manpower and Reserve Affairs)
, Washington, DC. He relieved the civilian presidential appointee in that position, remaining until 1981, when he took command of Destroyer Squadron
Twenty-Two.
In 1983 and 1984, he served as executive assistant to the Chief of Naval Personnel/Deputy Chief of Naval Operations for Manpower, Personnel and Training
. In December 1984, he assumed his first flag officer
assignment as executive assistant to the chief of naval operations, remaining until July 1986. His next assignment was commander, Cruiser-Destroyer Group Eight in Norfolk, Virginia
; he served as a carrier battle group
commander embarked in USS Saratoga (CV-60)
, and also as commander, Battle Force Sixth Fleet in 1987.
In August 1988, Boorda became Chief of Naval Personnel/Deputy Chief of Naval Operations for Manpower, Personnel and Training. In November 1991, he received his fourth star and in December 1991, became Commander in Chief, Allied Forces Southern Europe
(CINCSOUTH - Naples, Italy) and Commander in Chief, U.S. Naval Forces, Europe (CINCUSNAVEUR
- London
). As CINCSOUTH, Boorda was in command of all NATO forces engaged in operations enforcing United Nations
sanctions during the Yugoslav wars
.
On February 1, 1993, while serving as Commander in Chief, Allied Forces Europe, Boorda assumed the additional duty as Commander, Joint Task Force Provide Promise
, responsible for the supply of humanitarian relief to Bosnia-Herzegovina via air-land and air-drop missions, and for troops contributing to the UN mission throughout the Balkans
.
On April 23, 1994, Boorda became the 25th Chief of Naval Operations. He was the first CNO who was not a graduate of the United States Naval Academy
.
, the Navy Distinguished Service Medal
(three awards), the Legion of Merit
(three awards), the Meritorious Service Medal (two awards), Navy Commendation Medal, Navy Achievement Medal, Navy Good Conduct Medal (two awards), as well as a number of other unit and campaign awards.
(the other being Air Force General Larry D. Welch
). Upon assuming the duties of CNO, Boorda immediately re-established the historic program, naming it "Seaman to Admiral", as part of a STA-21 initiative for young sailors to earn their commission and become naval officers. Boorda believed that "people should have the opportunity to excel, and be all they can be, even if they don't get a perfect or traditional start."
to be fitted with first-class C4I suites, radars, communications, and defense systems-anti-torpedo, anti-missile, and anti-NBC (nuclear, biological, and chemical) -along with blast-hardened bulkheads that will absorb and dissipate much more punishment than is possible with present designs. This effort was a departure from past efforts which relied on simply assigning a destroyer or cruiser to provide these functions for amphibious forces. The ship was commissioned Jan 14, 2006, nine years after Boorda's death.
(the first such revision in 10 years), which emphasized, among other things, that, in addition to deep-water missions, naval oceanographers must master the complicated tangle of the oceanographic/geographic subject areas that make up the science of the littoral
s, or near-shore areas: tidal pulses, beach
profiles, reef
s, bars, shallows, shoal
s, channels, sediment transport
, fine-scale hydrography, turbidity
, land cover
and terrain
, dust
, traffic, rain rates, river runoff
, sub-bottom characteristics, and biologics, as well as the complex weather
patterns characteristic of any coastal area. Boorda's vision brought the Navy's new focus on littoral operations into alignment with naval projection policies. But this new program also created a large backlog of high priority oceanographic, hydrographic, and geophysical survey requirements. To meet those requirements, the Navy expanded its oceanographic efforts from traditional platforms (ships, boats, planes) to new technologies (satellites, remote sensors, etc.), and efforts to work with other national and international agencies.
, Boorda faced unrelenting hostility from a majority of Naval flag officers who believed he had betrayed the Navy by allying himself with Clinton administration
demands for reform of the Navy's officer corps. Naval aviator
s, in particular, were incensed by the treatment of Stan Arthur
(Vice Chief of Naval Operations and senior Naval aviator), whose nomination for the post of Commander, United States Pacific Command
was withdrawn by President Clinton at the behest of Senator David Durenberger
of Minnesota. Durenberger raised questions over Arthur's possible mishandling of sexual harassment allegations brought by one of the Senator's constituents, Rebecca Hansen, a female student Naval aviator who was attrited from flight training.
The administration expected protracted hearings to ensue over Arthur's nomination, and the Pacific Command position to remain unfilled during this period; Arthur decided to retire from the Navy on February 1, 1995 as a four-star admiral. Boorda issued an unusual public defense of Arthur and his decision not to fight for the nomination, saying
s; neither was released publicly, but they were said to have been addressed to his wife and to his Public Information Officer. He was reported to have been disturbed over a news media investigation, led by David Hackworth of Newsweek
, into Valor device
enhancements he wore on his Navy Commendation Medal and Navy Achievement Medal (small bronze "V" devices, signifying valor in combat), which the media report claimed he was not entitled to wear. He was said to be worried this issue would cause more trouble for the Navy's reputation. Former CNO Elmo Zumwalt
, who was Boorda's commander in Vietnam, wrote a letter to the effect that Boorda's wearing of the devices was "appropriate, justified and proper." Wearing a "V" to denote that a medal was awarded for in combat actions applied only to medals that could be awarded for meritorious service or for valor in combat (e.g. Bronze Star or Commendation Medal), as opposed to medals inherently distinguishing valor in combat (e.g. Silver Star and higher), and wearing the "V" device on the ribbon was not authorized unless the "V" device was specifically noted in the award citation.
Boorda was survived by his wife, Bettie Moran Boorda, four children, and 11 grandchildren.
In 1998, one of Boorda's sons requested a review of his service record. The Board for Correction of Naval Records, the ultimate arbiter of whether Boorda was entitled to wear the Combat "V" on both medals, determined that he was not.
in the United States Coast Guard
, Andrew Boorda is an Armor officer in the Army, and Phillip Boorda is an Amphibious Assault Vehicle Officer in the Marine Corps. Andrew and Phillip are twins, and like their grandfather, both graduated from the University of Rhode Island
. In addition, Boorda has a step-grandson who also graduated from the University of Rhode Island and is a Field Artillery officer in the Army.
Boorda was born into a Jewish family, but did not practice his religion or assert Jewish descent while in the Navy. After marrying a Christian woman, he and his wife reared their children as Protestants. He was buried with a tombstone marked with the Star of David
as is customary for servicemen and women known to be Jewish.
Admiral (United States)
In the United States Navy, the United States Coast Guard and the United States Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, admiral is a four-star flag officer rank, with the pay grade of O-10. Admiral ranks above vice admiral and below Fleet Admiral in the Navy; the Coast Guard and the Public Health...
of the United States Navy
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...
and the 25th Chief of Naval Operations
Chief of Naval Operations
The Chief of Naval Operations is a statutory office held by a four-star admiral in the United States Navy, and is the most senior uniformed officer assigned to serve in the Department of the Navy. The office is a military adviser and deputy to the Secretary of the Navy...
(CNO). Boorda is the only CNO to have risen to the position from the enlisted ranks.
Early life and education
Boorda was born in South Bend, IndianaSouth Bend, Indiana
The city of South Bend is the county seat of St. Joseph County, Indiana, United States, on the St. Joseph River near its southernmost bend, from which it derives its name. As of the 2010 Census, the city had a total of 101,168 residents; its Metropolitan Statistical Area had a population of 316,663...
to Gertrude and Herman Boorda, a Jewish family, and had a bar mitzvah at the age of 13. His family moved to Momence, Illinois, where his father had a dress shop. His grandparents had immigrated from Ukraine
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
.
Boorda dropped out of high school to enlist in the United States Navy in 1956 at the age of 17; it provided a structure he at first disliked but came to use. He attained the rate of Personnelman
Personnel Specialist (US Navy)
Personnel Specialist is a United States Navy occupational rating.Personnel Specialists:*Established as a merger of Personnelman and Disbursing Clerk ratings on October 1, 2005...
First Class
Petty Officer First Class
Good conductvariation,12 years or moreof good conductPetty officerfirst classinsigniaU.S. Navy &U.S. Coast GuardPetty officer, first class is the sixth enlisted rank in the U.S. Navy and U.S...
. Boorda served a variety of commands, primarily in aviation. His last two enlisted assignments were in Attack Squadron 144 and Carrier Airborne Early Warning Squadron 11.
Marriage and family
Boorda married at age 19 to Bettie Moran, a Protestant. Their first son David was born with severe disabilities. They had two more sons, Edward and Robert, and a daughter Anna. The children were reared as Protestants.Commissioned service
Boorda was selected for potential commissioning under the Integration Program in 1962, by which non-commissioned men were admitted to the Navy's Officer Candidate SchoolOfficer Candidate School (U.S. Navy)
The United States Navy's Officer Candidate School, currently located at Naval Station Newport, Rhode Island, provides training to become a commissioned officer. Attendance is one possible way for civilian college graduates with no military experience to earn a commission as a U.S. Navy officer...
in Newport, Rhode Island
Newport, Rhode Island
Newport is a city on Aquidneck Island in Newport County, Rhode Island, United States, about south of Providence. Known as a New England summer resort and for the famous Newport Mansions, it is the home of Salve Regina University and Naval Station Newport which houses the United States Naval War...
. After graduating, Boorda was commissioned as an officer in August 1962. He first served aboard USS Porterfield (DD-682)
USS Porterfield (DD-682)
USS Porterfield was a Fletcher-class destroyer of the United States Navy, named for Rear Admiral Lewis B. Porterfield ....
as combat information center officer at the rank of lieutenant junior grade. After attending Naval Destroyer School in Newport, in 1964 was assigned as weapons officer, USS John R. Craig (DD-885)
USS John R. Craig (DD-885)
USS John R. Craig was a . She was named for Lieutenant Commander John R. Craig USN , commanding officer of killed in action when the submarine was sunk by enemy Japanese destroyers in the Blackett Strait on 5 March 1943 and posthumously awarded the Navy Cross.John R...
. His next tour was as commanding officer, USS Parrot (MSC-197)
USS Parrot (MSC-197)
USS Parrot was a in the United States Navy. She was named after the parrot.Parrot was laid down as AMS–197 on 23 December 1953 at Broward Marine Inc., Fort Lauderdale, Florida and launched on 27 November 1954; sponsored by Mrs. S. Heuer. Reclassified MSC–197 on 7 February 1955, and commissioned...
.
Boorda's first shore tour was as a weapons instructor at Naval Destroyer School in Newport. In 1971, after attending the U.S. Naval War College and also earning a bachelor of arts degree from the University of Rhode Island
University of Rhode Island
The University of Rhode Island is the principal public research university in the U.S. state of Rhode Island. Its main campus is located in Kingston. Additional campuses include the Feinstein Campus in Providence, the Narragansett Bay Campus in Narragansett, and the W. Alton Jones Campus in West...
, he assumed duties as Executive Officer, USS Brooke (DEG-1). That tour was followed by a short period at the University of Oklahoma
University of Oklahoma
The University of Oklahoma is a coeducational public research university located in Norman, Oklahoma. Founded in 1890, it existed in Oklahoma Territory near Indian Territory for 17 years before the two became the state of Oklahoma. the university had 29,931 students enrolled, most located at its...
and an assignment as head, surface lieutenant commander assignments/assistant for captain detailing in the Bureau of Naval Personnel, Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
.
From 1975 to 1977, Boorda commanded USS Farragut (DDG-37)
USS Farragut (DDG-37)
USS Farragut , named for Admiral David Glasgow Farragut, USN , was a Farragut-class guided missile frigate laid down as DLG-6 by the Bethlehem Steel Corporation at Quincy, Massachusetts on June 3, 1957, launched on July 15, 1958 by Mrs. H. D. Felt, wife of the Vice Chief of Naval Operations and...
. He was next assigned as executive assistant to the Assistant Secretary of the Navy (Manpower and Reserve Affairs)
Assistant Secretary of the Navy (Manpower and Reserve Affairs)
The Assistant Secretary of the Navy is a civilian office in the United States Department of the Navy...
, Washington, DC. He relieved the civilian presidential appointee in that position, remaining until 1981, when he took command of Destroyer Squadron
Destroyer squadron
A destroyer squadron is a naval squadron or flotilla usually consisting of destroyers rather than other types of vessel. In some navies other vessels, such as frigates, may be included. In English the word "squadron" tends to be used for larger and "flotilla" for smaller vessels, both may be used...
Twenty-Two.
In 1983 and 1984, he served as executive assistant to the Chief of Naval Personnel/Deputy Chief of Naval Operations for Manpower, Personnel and Training
Chief of Naval Personnel
The Chief of Naval Personnel is responsible for overall manpower readiness for the United States Navy. The CNP also serves as Deputy Chief of Naval Operations and is one of four Deputy Chiefs of Naval Operations, with the identification of N1/NT...
. In December 1984, he assumed his first flag officer
Flag Officer
A flag officer is a commissioned officer in a nation's armed forces senior enough to be entitled to fly a flag to mark where the officer exercises command. The term usually refers to the senior officers in an English-speaking nation's navy, specifically those who hold any of the admiral ranks; in...
assignment as executive assistant to the chief of naval operations, remaining until July 1986. His next assignment was commander, Cruiser-Destroyer Group Eight in Norfolk, Virginia
Norfolk, Virginia
Norfolk is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. With a population of 242,803 as of the 2010 Census, it is Virginia's second-largest city behind neighboring Virginia Beach....
; he served as a carrier battle group
Carrier battle group
A carrier battle group consists of an aircraft carrier and its escorts, together composing the group. The first naval task forces built around carriers appeared just prior to and during World War II. The Imperial Japanese Navy was the first to assemble a large number of carriers into a single...
commander embarked in USS Saratoga (CV-60)
USS Saratoga (CV-60)
USS Saratoga , was one of four Forrestal- class supercarriers built for the US Navy in the 1950s. Saratoga was the sixth US Navy ship, and the second aircraft carrier, to be named for the Battle of Saratoga in the American Revolutionary War.Commissioned in 1956, she spent most of her career in...
, and also as commander, Battle Force Sixth Fleet in 1987.
In August 1988, Boorda became Chief of Naval Personnel/Deputy Chief of Naval Operations for Manpower, Personnel and Training. In November 1991, he received his fourth star and in December 1991, became Commander in Chief, Allied Forces Southern Europe
Allied Joint Force Command Naples
Allied Joint Force Command Naples is a NATO military command. It was activated on 15 March 2004, after what was effectively a redesignation of its predecessor command, Allied Forces Southern Europe , originally formed in 1951...
(CINCSOUTH - Naples, Italy) and Commander in Chief, U.S. Naval Forces, Europe (CINCUSNAVEUR
United States Naval Forces Europe
United States Naval Forces Europe is the United States Navy component of the United States European Command and provides forces for United States African Command....
- London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
). As CINCSOUTH, Boorda was in command of all NATO forces engaged in operations enforcing United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
sanctions during the Yugoslav wars
Yugoslav wars
The Yugoslav Wars were a series of wars, fought throughout the former Yugoslavia between 1991 and 1995. The wars were complex: characterized by bitter ethnic conflicts among the peoples of the former Yugoslavia, mostly between Serbs on the one side and Croats and Bosniaks on the other; but also...
.
On February 1, 1993, while serving as Commander in Chief, Allied Forces Europe, Boorda assumed the additional duty as Commander, Joint Task Force Provide Promise
Operation Provide Promise
Operation Provide Promise was a humanitarian relief operation in Bosnia and Herzegovina during the Yugoslav Wars, from 2 July 1992, to 9 January 1996, which made it the longest running humanitarian airlift in history....
, responsible for the supply of humanitarian relief to Bosnia-Herzegovina via air-land and air-drop missions, and for troops contributing to the UN mission throughout the Balkans
Balkans
The Balkans is a geopolitical and cultural region of southeastern Europe...
.
On April 23, 1994, Boorda became the 25th Chief of Naval Operations. He was the first CNO who was not a graduate 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...
.
Honors and legacy
Boorda's military awards included the Defense Distinguished Service MedalDefense Distinguished Service Medal
The Defense Distinguished Service Medal is a United States military award which is presented for exceptionally distinguished performance of duty contributing to national security or defense of the United States...
, the Navy Distinguished Service Medal
Navy Distinguished Service Medal
The Navy Distinguished Service Medal is a military award of the United States Navy and United States Marine Corps which was first created in 1919. The decoration is the Navy and Marine Corps equivalent to the Army Distinguished Service Medal, the Air Force Distinguished Service Medal, and the Coast...
(three awards), the Legion of Merit
Legion of Merit
The Legion of Merit is a military decoration of the United States armed forces that is awarded for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services and achievements...
(three awards), the Meritorious Service Medal (two awards), Navy Commendation Medal, Navy Achievement Medal, Navy Good Conduct Medal (two awards), as well as a number of other unit and campaign awards.
Seaman to Admiral
Boorda was a product of an enlisted-to-officer commissioning program in the early 1960s. This program known as the Integration Program was designed to provide an opportunity for enlisted personnel who possessed outstanding qualifications and motivation for a naval career to obtain a commission. Boorda was the first CNO to have risen from the enlisted ranks, one of only two such modern service chiefsJoint Chiefs of Staff
The Joint Chiefs of Staff is a body of senior uniformed leaders in the United States Department of Defense who advise the Secretary of Defense, the Homeland Security Council, the National Security Council and the President on military matters...
(the other being Air Force General Larry D. Welch
Larry D. Welch
General Larry D. Welch was the 12th Chief of Staff of the United States Air Force. As chief, he served as the senior uniformed Air Force officer responsible for the organization, training and equipage of a combined active duty, Guard, Reserve and civilian force serving at locations in the United...
). Upon assuming the duties of CNO, Boorda immediately re-established the historic program, naming it "Seaman to Admiral", as part of a STA-21 initiative for young sailors to earn their commission and become naval officers. Boorda believed that "people should have the opportunity to excel, and be all they can be, even if they don't get a perfect or traditional start."
C4I
Boorda was particularly interested in C4I initiatives to place command and control, communications, computers and intelligence assets on naval ships. Essentially this manifested itself as more robust combat information systems, with improved satellite and communication links, as well as place more defensive assets on traditionally non-combatant ships such as support vessels. Boorda initiated efforts during the proposal phase for the future LPD-17 amphibious classSan Antonio class amphibious transport dock
The San Antonio class is the United States Navy's new primary class of amphibious transport dock in the beginning of the 21st century...
to be fitted with first-class C4I suites, radars, communications, and defense systems-anti-torpedo, anti-missile, and anti-NBC (nuclear, biological, and chemical) -along with blast-hardened bulkheads that will absorb and dissipate much more punishment than is possible with present designs. This effort was a departure from past efforts which relied on simply assigning a destroyer or cruiser to provide these functions for amphibious forces. The ship was commissioned Jan 14, 2006, nine years after Boorda's death.
Enlisted Advancement System
Boorda also spearheaded efforts to change the US Navy's officer fitness report, enlisted evaluation and enlisted advancement systems. The new systems were more systematic and consistent. The systems also allowed a more concise rating of an officer's or sailor's advancement potential. This rating allowed a command to mark only 20% of officers or sailors as "early promotes", and set strict grading criteria for each evaluatory mark. The new system also linked each promotion marking to the advancement system.Littoral Oceanography
Boorda signed a policy for naval oceanographyOceanography
Oceanography , also called oceanology or marine science, is the branch of Earth science that studies the ocean...
(the first such revision in 10 years), which emphasized, among other things, that, in addition to deep-water missions, naval oceanographers must master the complicated tangle of the oceanographic/geographic subject areas that make up the science of the littoral
Littoral
The littoral zone is that part of a sea, lake or river that is close to the shore. In coastal environments the littoral zone extends from the high water mark, which is rarely inundated, to shoreline areas that are permanently submerged. It always includes this intertidal zone and is often used to...
s, or near-shore areas: tidal pulses, beach
Beach
A beach is a geological landform along the shoreline of an ocean, sea, lake or river. It usually consists of loose particles which are often composed of rock, such as sand, gravel, shingle, pebbles or cobblestones...
profiles, reef
Reef
In nautical terminology, a reef is a rock, sandbar, or other feature lying beneath the surface of the water ....
s, bars, shallows, shoal
Shoal
Shoal, shoals or shoaling may mean:* Shoal, a sandbank or reef creating shallow water, especially where it forms a hazard to shipping* Shoal draught , of a boat with shallow draught which can pass over some shoals: see Draft...
s, channels, sediment transport
Sediment transport
Sediment transport is the movement of solid particles , typically due to a combination of the force of gravity acting on the sediment, and/or the movement of the fluid in which the sediment is entrained...
, fine-scale hydrography, turbidity
Turbidity
Turbidity is the cloudiness or haziness of a fluid caused by individual particles that are generally invisible to the naked eye, similar to smoke in air. The measurement of turbidity is a key test of water quality....
, land cover
Land Cover
Land cover is the physical material at the surface of the earth. Land covers include grass, asphalt, trees, bare ground, water, etc. There are two primary methods for capturing information on land cover: field survey and analysis of remotely sensed imagery....
and terrain
Terrain
Terrain, or land relief, is the vertical and horizontal dimension of land surface. When relief is described underwater, the term bathymetry is used...
, dust
Dust
Dust consists of particles in the atmosphere that arise from various sources such as soil dust lifted up by wind , volcanic eruptions, and pollution...
, traffic, rain rates, river runoff
Surface runoff
Surface runoff is the water flow that occurs when soil is infiltrated to full capacity and excess water from rain, meltwater, or other sources flows over the land. This is a major component of the water cycle. Runoff that occurs on surfaces before reaching a channel is also called a nonpoint source...
, sub-bottom characteristics, and biologics, as well as the complex weather
Weather
Weather is the state of the atmosphere, to the degree that it is hot or cold, wet or dry, calm or stormy, clear or cloudy. Most weather phenomena occur in the troposphere, just below the stratosphere. Weather refers, generally, to day-to-day temperature and precipitation activity, whereas climate...
patterns characteristic of any coastal area. Boorda's vision brought the Navy's new focus on littoral operations into alignment with naval projection policies. But this new program also created a large backlog of high priority oceanographic, hydrographic, and geophysical survey requirements. To meet those requirements, the Navy expanded its oceanographic efforts from traditional platforms (ships, boats, planes) to new technologies (satellites, remote sensors, etc.), and efforts to work with other national and international agencies.
Stan Arthur incident
In the wake of the Tailhook scandalTailhook scandal
The Tailhook scandal refers to a series of incidents where more than 100 U.S. Navy and United States Marine Corps aviation officers were alleged to have sexually assaulted at least 87 women, or otherwise engaged in "improper and indecent" conduct at the Las Vegas Hilton in Las Vegas, Nevada...
, Boorda faced unrelenting hostility from a majority of Naval flag officers who believed he had betrayed the Navy by allying himself with Clinton administration
Presidency of Bill Clinton
The United States Presidency of Bill Clinton, also known as the Clinton Administration, was the executive branch of the federal government of the United States from January 20, 1993 to January 20, 2001. Clinton was the first Democratic president since Franklin D. Roosevelt to win a second full term...
demands for reform of the Navy's officer corps. Naval aviator
Naval Aviator
A United States Naval Aviator is a qualified pilot in the United States Navy, Marine Corps or Coast Guard.-Naming Conventions:Most Naval Aviators are Unrestricted Line Officers; however, a small number of Limited Duty Officers and Chief Warrant Officers are also trained as Naval Aviators.Until 1981...
s, in particular, were incensed by the treatment of Stan Arthur
Stan Arthur
Admiral Stanley R. Arthur, USN was the Vice Chief of Naval Operations from 1992–95, culminating more than 38 years as an officer in the United States Navy.-Military career:...
(Vice Chief of Naval Operations and senior Naval aviator), whose nomination for the post of Commander, United States Pacific Command
United States Pacific Command
The United States Pacific Command is a Unified Combatant Command of the United States armed forces responsible for the Pacific Ocean area. It is led by the Commander, Pacific Command , who is the supreme military authority for the various branches of the Armed Forces of the United States serving...
was withdrawn by President Clinton at the behest of Senator David Durenberger
David Durenberger
David Ferdinand Durenberger is an American politician and a former Republican member of the U.S. Senate from Minnesota.- Early life :...
of Minnesota. Durenberger raised questions over Arthur's possible mishandling of sexual harassment allegations brought by one of the Senator's constituents, Rebecca Hansen, a female student Naval aviator who was attrited from flight training.
The administration expected protracted hearings to ensue over Arthur's nomination, and the Pacific Command position to remain unfilled during this period; Arthur decided to retire from the Navy on February 1, 1995 as a four-star admiral. Boorda issued an unusual public defense of Arthur and his decision not to fight for the nomination, saying
- Stan Arthur is an officer of integrity ... who chose to take this selfless action ... in the interests of more rapidly filling a critical leadership position. Those who postulate other reasons for the withdrawal are simply wrong.
Death
Boorda died May 16, 1996 a suicide, having apparently shot himself in the chest. The autopsy results were not released to the public. He reportedly also left two suicide noteSuicide note
A suicide note or death note is a message that states the author has died by suicide, and left to be discovered and read in anticipation of suicide....
s; neither was released publicly, but they were said to have been addressed to his wife and to his Public Information Officer. He was reported to have been disturbed over a news media investigation, led by David Hackworth of Newsweek
Newsweek
Newsweek is an American weekly news magazine published in New York City. It is distributed throughout the United States and internationally. It is the second-largest news weekly magazine in the U.S., having trailed Time in circulation and advertising revenue for most of its existence...
, into Valor device
Valor device
The Valor device is an award of the United States military which is a bronze attachment to certain medals to indicate that it was received for valor...
enhancements he wore on his Navy Commendation Medal and Navy Achievement Medal (small bronze "V" devices, signifying valor in combat), which the media report claimed he was not entitled to wear. He was said to be worried this issue would cause more trouble for the Navy's reputation. Former CNO Elmo Zumwalt
Elmo R. Zumwalt, Jr.
Elmo Russell Zumwalt, Jr. was an American naval officer and the youngest man to serve as Chief of Naval Operations. As an admiral and later the 19th Chief of Naval Operations, Zumwalt played a major role in U.S. military history, especially during the Vietnam War. A highly-decorated war veteran,...
, who was Boorda's commander in Vietnam, wrote a letter to the effect that Boorda's wearing of the devices was "appropriate, justified and proper." Wearing a "V" to denote that a medal was awarded for in combat actions applied only to medals that could be awarded for meritorious service or for valor in combat (e.g. Bronze Star or Commendation Medal), as opposed to medals inherently distinguishing valor in combat (e.g. Silver Star and higher), and wearing the "V" device on the ribbon was not authorized unless the "V" device was specifically noted in the award citation.
Boorda was survived by his wife, Bettie Moran Boorda, four children, and 11 grandchildren.
Lineage
Boorda has two sons and one daughter-in-law who are naval officers. He has three grandsons who served in the U.S. Military: Peter Boorda was a Petty OfficerPetty Officer
A petty officer is a non-commissioned officer in many navies and is given the NATO rank denotion OR-6. They are equal in rank to sergeant, British Army and Royal Air Force. A Petty Officer is superior in rank to Leading Rate and subordinate to Chief Petty Officer, in the case of the British Armed...
in the United States Coast Guard
United States Coast Guard
The United States Coast Guard is a branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven U.S. uniformed services. The Coast Guard is a maritime, military, multi-mission service unique among the military branches for having a maritime law enforcement mission and a federal regulatory agency...
, Andrew Boorda is an Armor officer in the Army, and Phillip Boorda is an Amphibious Assault Vehicle Officer in the Marine Corps. Andrew and Phillip are twins, and like their grandfather, both graduated from the University of Rhode Island
University of Rhode Island
The University of Rhode Island is the principal public research university in the U.S. state of Rhode Island. Its main campus is located in Kingston. Additional campuses include the Feinstein Campus in Providence, the Narragansett Bay Campus in Narragansett, and the W. Alton Jones Campus in West...
. In addition, Boorda has a step-grandson who also graduated from the University of Rhode Island and is a Field Artillery officer in the Army.
Boorda was born into a Jewish family, but did not practice his religion or assert Jewish descent while in the Navy. After marrying a Christian woman, he and his wife reared their children as Protestants. He was buried with a tombstone marked with the Star of David
Star of David
The Star of David, known in Hebrew as the Shield of David or Magen David is a generally recognized symbol of Jewish identity and Judaism.Its shape is that of a hexagram, the compound of two equilateral triangles...
as is customary for servicemen and women known to be Jewish.