This Military Service Page was created/owned by
PO1 Jeff Frey (Ace)
to remember
Behrens, Jr., William, VADM USN(Ret).
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Contact Info
Last Address Newport
Date of Passing Jan 26, 1986
Official Badges
Unofficial Badges
Additional Information
Last Known Activity:
VADM Behrens, JR. died of a heart attack on 21 January 1986 at the Bay front Medical Center in St. Petersburg, Florida.
VADM Behrens, JR. is interred at Arlington National Cemetery.
Other Comments:
The son of RADM William W. Behrens SR., USN, who served during WWI, WWII, and Korea.
Career Highlights:
Credited with conceiving electronic slip rings allowing for continuous, non-reversing trainability of submarine sonar, as well as authoring the first short form code for use in submarine wolfpack communications.
Was the Project Manager for the Navy's first underwater telephone (UQC-1) for voice communications between ships and submerged submarines. As well as the Project Officer for the first US scanning sonar (QHB-1)
While at the Nuclear Power School, wrote curricula for both officer and enlisted courses and set the requirements for operation of nuclear reactors under rigid guidelines, which were later adopted by the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission.
As Special Advisor to the Chief, Naval Reactors (ADM Hyman G. Rickover), he completed nuclear physics study through the doctorate level and qualified as a Nuclear Reactor Operator, License Number 5.
Was assigned to the Construction, Commissioning, and Command of the USS Skipjack (USS-585), the first modern submarine(designed from keel up with improved nuclear reactor, fast attack, whale shaped, sail diving planes, high test steel, true submersible,.
Instrumental in the establishment of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Agency.
Author of US Policy “The Treasure of the Deep Ocean is the Property of all Mankind”
Served as Deputy Administrator of NOAA
Co-Authored “The Limits to Growth”
Post Naval Career Highlights:
Corporate Vice President of J. Watson Noah Associates, Inc., Falls Church, Virginia.
Science Advisor for Wheeler Industries, Washington DC.
Co-Founder of Services National Bank, Arlington, Virginia.
Appointed by the State of Florida to establish the Florida Institute of Oceanography.
As a Bioneering Professional Engineer (Nuclear), he authored many professional articles and journals.
Namesakes:
The Navy Nuclear Power School's Vice Admiral William W. Behrens JR. Award is awarded to the honor graduate of the class.
