Ward, Norvell Gardiner, RADM

Admiral Norvell G. Ward, a highly decorated World War II submarine service veteran, died after a brief illness at Fleet Landing in Atlantic Beach, Florida, on July 19, 2005. He was 92 years old.

He was born December 30, 1912, to Henry Tayloe Ward and Howardine Gardiner Ward in Indian Head, Maryland. Admiral Ward graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy with the Class of 1935, where he was named an All-American in lacrosse.

He married Elizabeth Ann Kearney of Roanoke, Virginia, on June 15, 1937. They made 27 naval service moves together and reared four children. Admiral Ward was best-known by his lifelong nickname, "Bub".

Admiral Ward spent nearly all of World War II on submarines in the Pacific. In September 1942, while executive officer of USS Seadragon, he served as assistant surgeon for the historic emergency appendectomy successfully performed by Pharmacist's Mate Wheeler B. Lipes on a shipmate while in enemy waters of the South China Sea.

Highest among his many decorations was the Navy Cross for extraordinary heroism as commanding officer of USS Guardfish from May 1943 to October 1944. Other decorations included the Distinguished Service Medal, three awards of the Silver Star and five awards of the Legion of Merit.

As first commander of the newly formed Polaris squadron, Admiral Ward was in charge of the Navy's initial fleet of 10 nuclear-capable ballistic missile launching submarines. He also was highly influential in establishing the U.S. Navy's role in the Vietnam War. Reporting as Chief of the Naval Advisory Group in 1965, he later became first commander of the newly created U.S. Naval Forces Vietnam.

Admiral Ward's final command was the Caribbean Sea Frontier in San Juan, Puerto Rico, retiring from active duty in 1973.

Submarine war patrols:
USS Seadragon (SS-194) - 2nd through 4th
USS Gato (SS-212) - 4th
USS Guardfish (SS-217) - 5th through 8th