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Contact Info
Home Town Roswell, NM
Last Address Born in Oklahoma and raised in Roswell NM. Retired to: Solana Beach, California. Inurnment at the U.S. Naval Academy Columbarium.
Date of Passing Jan 09, 2014
Location of Interment U.S. Naval Academy Cemetery and Columbarium (VLM) - Annapolis, Maryland
Vice Admiral Patrick J. Hannifin, U.S.N. Ret. Director of the Joint Staff - Commandant 13th Naval District - Commander Submarines Mediterranean
Patrick J. Hannifin (January 26, 1923 – January 9, 2014) was an American Navy Vice Admiral.
Hannifin was born in 1923 in Oklahoma to Steven Patrick and Elizabeth (née Flanagan) Hannifin. He attended the New Mexico Military Institute prior to going to the United States Naval Academy, in which he graduated in 1944. Hannifin served in World War II on the submarine USS Balao (SS-285) and served in three war combat patrols, and after the war he served on the captured German submarine U-858 and eventually held commands of the USS Diodon (SS-349), USS George Washington (SSBN-598), USS Lafayette (SSBN-616) as well as Submarine Squadron 15, in 1968, which he was given responsibility for all the Polaris submarines in the Pacific Fleet in Guam.
From September 1969 to October 1971, following his promotion to rear admiral, Hannifin served as Commandant of the Thirteenth Naval District. Other flag posts he served included commanding Submarine Group Eight in Naples, Italy, Commander of Submarine Flotilla Eight, as well as Commander Submarines Mediterranean, which he took charge of the NATO submarine forces. He returned to Washington, D.C. in 1973 when he served in multiple positions within the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Following a promotion in 1976 to vice admiral for him to assume the position of Director of Plans and Policy for the Joint Chiefs of Staff, in 1977, Hannifin was given the position of Director of the Joint Staff. He served in this capacity until his retirement in 1978.
Vice Admiral Hannifin was a recipient of the Defense Distinguished Service Medal, the Legion of Merit with two Gold Stars, and the Navy Commendation Medal with one Gold Star and a 'V' for VALOR device.
In retirement Hannifin lived in Solana Beach, California and served as president of HANESCO, Co., in the oil and gas industry. He was married to Mary (née Snyder), whom he married July 12, 1944. They had 3 children. One son, Steven Patrick II also served in the United States Navy. He has also served as a consultant on naval matters that include submarines, appearing on television and news panels to provide analysis on current matters. He also possesses a business degree, which he obtained from George Washington University in 1968.
Other Comments:
A man of surprising talents, VAdm Hannifin, also managed to fit in travel to Rome and Malta with his new-found Hollywood friends when he was hired as the Technical Advisor for the motion picture U-571. Subsequently, the television industry called upon him for technical expertise and commentary as they covered the loss of the Russian submarine Kursk. He was inducted into the New Mexico Military Institute's Hall of Fame in 1985; in 2012, the Naval Submarine League honored VADM Hannifin with their Distinguished Submariner Award.
Patrick Hannifin graduated the Academy in June 1944. Attended Submarine School and served in Four War Patrols between December 1944 and August 1945. (7th through 10th patrols)
Seventh patrol, December 1944 – January 1945
Balao stood out of Pearl Harbor on 4 December and rendezvoused with Spot and Icefish en route Tanapag Harbor. The trio of submarines reached port on 15 December and moored in a nest alongside Fulton. After topping off fuel, water, and provisions on 17 December, they got underway to patrol the Yellow Sea in a coordinated attack group. Until 2 January 1945, their only contacts were fishing craft and floating mines. On that day, however, Balao sighted the masts of a sailing vessel. She closed the three masted schooner and surfaced to attack. Her first two torpedoes missed the target, but the third hit squarely amidships and sank the vessel. That day proved to be lucky for Balao because, later that night, she picked up a larger ship on radar and successfully moved into position. Early on 8 January, she fired six torpedoes, three of which scored; but the stubborn "tanker" remained afloat despite being dead in the water. Balao fired seven more torpedoes for three more direct hits, but the target still refused to sink. The submarine closed in on the badly damaged tanker and fired another trio of fish, one of which struck the final blow. However, Japanese records examined after the war indicate that Balao's victim on this occasion was not a tanker, but the 5,244-ton freighter Daigo Maru. After that, Balao patrolled independently until 19 January when she pulled into Apra Harbor, Guam, for refit alongside Apollo.
Eighth patrol, February – April 1945
Balao began her eighth war patrol on 27 February as part of another attack group along with Tench, Guardfish, and Sea Devil on patrol in the East China and Yellow Seas. Her first opportunity for action came on 9 March, when she sighted a small tanker with two escorts steaming along the coastline. Although not in an ideal attack position, the submarine fired four torpedoes at the tanker, all of which missed. The target’s escorts struck back at Balao with depth charges, but the submarine escaped damage and resumed patrol duty later that day. She sighted many vessels during the next eight days, but did not attack them. On 18 March, Balao caught a 188-ton trawler alone, sank it with gunfire, and then rescued three survivors in the debris. Early the next morning, she attacked a convoy of four transports guarded by four escorts. Firing 10 torpedoes at three of the targets, Balao heard four hits and the explosion on one of the transports nearly blinded her lookouts. The early morning darkness made it impossible to assess the damage, but Balao received credit for sinking Hakozaki Maru, a 10,413-ton transport. {The Tatsuhara Maru was damaged}. The submarine then escaped to deep water to continue her patrol. Later that same afternoon, Balao surfaced to attack a group of small trawlers. She sank one trawler and left three others burning fiercely.Shortly before dawn on 21 March, Balao began tracking a convoy of two ships closely guarded by four escorts. The effectiveness with which the escorts countered her several approaches convinced Balao that she had been detected. As dawn broke, the submarine made one last approach, moving to 1,400 yd (1,300 m) where she fired four torpedoes. An escort picked up the submarine's trail, and Balao ran for deep water under a smoke screen without waiting to observe results. On 26 March, Balao encountered the 880-ton cargo ship, Shinto Maru No. 1, and sank her with gunfire. A small Japanese patrol vessel made an attempt to counterattack, but Balao slipped below the surface and headed for Guam to replenish her fuel, provisions, and torpedoes. On 2 April, Balao submerged rapidly to avoid detection by a large, low-flying enemy plane and took on several feet of water in her conning tower, grounding out her radar and other electrical gear. Despite these problems, she arrived safely at Guam on 8 April for refit.
Ninth patrol, May – June 1945
The submarine began her ninth patrol on 3 May when she headed for the Yellow Sea to patrol in a wolfpack with Dragonet, Shad, and Spikefish. Targets were scarce and mechanical difficulties plagued Balao. On 19 May, the submarine attacked a small freighter, but all three of the torpedoes that she fired missed the target. Nevertheless, she did win a consolation prize when one of her torpedoes struck and sank a nearby 30-ton junk. On 23 May, Balao's earlier mechanical difficulties rendered her stern diving planes totally inoperable, and she received orders to Pearl Harbor for refit. En route, she embarked a sailor from Torsk suffering from appendicitis and an injured Sand Lance crewman. Later that evening, although the radar scope was clear and no other submarines were known to be in the vicinity, Balao was suddenly attacked by torpedoes. The quick reactions of the officer of the deck caused two to pass to port and two to starboard. The submarine continued on to Midway where she arrived on 3 June, discharged her passengers, and set a course for Pearl Harbor where she arrived four days later.
Tenth patrol, July – August 1945
A month in port was readied her for sea once more, and Balao got underway on 7 July for the Nanpo Islands area and waters east of HonshÅ«. Her primary duty during this tenth and final war patrol was to provide lifeguard services for Allied aircrew during strikes on the Japanese home islands. Balao operated with air cover while on station and rescued four aviators during the patrol. Japan had been so weakened by the final weeks of the war that surface contacts were scarce. She was able to sink one picket boat and damage another with gunfire on 14 August. Word of Japan’s capitulation came on 15 August along with orders to cease fire. Balao rendezvoused with Peto the next day to transfer the rescued aviators, then proceeded on to Pearl Harbor, where she arrived on 25 August.
Post-War
The submarine departed Pearl Harbor on 31 August for Staten Island, New York, where her crew enjoyed a well-deserved rest period and she underwent an overhaul. Balao was decommissioned on 20 August 1946, and she was berthed in New London, Conn., as part of the Atlantic Reserve Fleet.