Baciocco, Albert J., Jr., VADM

TO THE BEST OF YOUR KNOWLEDGE, WHAT INFLUENCED HIS/HER DECISION TO JOIN THE NAVY?
"Reflections" were taken from an interview with Retired Vice Admiral Albert J. "Al" Baciocco, which was conducted by Matthew Orosz on March 21, 2014.

Title: "THREE STARS IN THE LOWCOUNTY"

At two o'clock on March 21, 2014, I met the Retired Vice Admiral Albert J. Baciocco at the Daniel Library Museum

Vice Admiral Albert J. Baciocco, Jr.

Reading Room at The Citadel. We spent a few minutes arranging the room; the chairs were adjusted in front of the fireplace and then readjusted just to the left. We centered the small end table between the two chairs, and we moved the palm plant to the right, left, and back. We removed the American flag quietly from the hallway and placed it behind the Admiral's chair. The room was bright with the afternoon sun that cascaded through the great window staring west across The Citadel campus, parade grounds, and cadet dormitories. The Admiral spoke about his 34 years in the Navy. He spoke about his experiences during the Korean War and the Cold War and of his position and command experience in the Naval Nuclear Submarine Program. Finally, he spoke of his life after his long and productive career.

The Admiral started by briefly introducing himself in the time before his service in the United States Navy. He explained that he was born in San Francisco, California, in March 1931, on March 4, a Wednesday. As a young man, he was accepted to Stanford. However, before he even bought a book, he was appointed to the Naval Academy. In June of 1953, the Admiral graduated as an ensign and traveled to the West coast to sail to Japan.

TO THE BEST OF YOUR KNOWLEDGE, PLEASE DESCRIBE THE DIRECTION OR PATH HE/SHE TOOK IN HIS/HER MILITARY SERVICE. WHERE DID THEY GO TO BOOT CAMP AND WHAT UNITS, BASES, SHIPS OR SQUADRONS WERE THEY ASSIGNED TO? WHAT WAS HIS/HER REASON FOR LEAVING?
He left out of San Francisco, sailed down to San Diego, and crossed the Pacific Ocean to Japan. The young ensign sailed with a detachment of Marines from San Diego. The trip to Japan was long; even with many responsibilities on the ship, there were a lot of downtimes. The

USS Saint Paul / Korea 1953

Admiral and his classmates beat the Marines soundly and continually at Monopoly to pass much of that time. Yes, Monopoly. With sincere respect for the Marines, the Admiral confesses with a laugh that those particular Marines were "not the best Monopoly players ever to ride a ship across a rough Pacific."

"On the St. Paul, I learned to be a Naval officer," the Admiral states with confidence. He laughs a little and describes seemingly frustrating but important "learning experiences" while on the St. Paul. "There would be a knock on my door at two in the morning, and my Chief Warrant Officer would say, 'C'mon, Mr. Baciocco, we're going to inspect...water sides of number eight boiler." He was expected to be prepared at all times. These types of experiences and expectations are how he learned to shape his sense of responsibility and accountability. That is part of his success, and the Admiral knows it.

FROM THEIR ENTIRE MILITARY SERVICE, DESCRIBE ANY PERSONAL MEMORIES, YOU MAY BE AWARE OF, WHICH IMPACTED HIM/HER THE MOST.
As the Admiral recounted his early experience in the Navy, he reached a point where he revealed a little about his personal life. He shifted slightly in his chair, and a grin crossed his lips. I could see that his memory had peaked. "Well, actually, most important," interrupting his own

USS Wahoo (SS-565) / Sub Quals July 1956

thought, he says, "in June of 1955, my best man and I drove out to Coronado, California, where I married my wife, Jane." It was that quick. The woman who was his partner and support for the rest of his life earned the title of "most important" among all of the other career details, his own professional recognition, and his admiration of other officers.

Following his duty on the St. Paul, he served until 1957 on the diesel submarine USS Wahoo. Again, crediting his experience on a naval vessel, Admiral Baciocco explained, "I learned to become a submariner on the USS Wahoo." With 19 torpedoes fired and impressive assignments from his commanding officer, Admiral Baciocco recounted that "the first time...we got underway [the Captain] said, 'Al, get the ship underway.' That afternoon we came in, and he said, 'Al, bring the ship in and get the ship secured alongside. This is a great thing for an ensign...I was lucky."

(Al Baciocca was Sub Qualified on the USS Wahoo July of 1956)

WHAT PROFESSIONAL ACHIEVEMENTS DO YOU BELIEVE HE/SHE WAS MOST PROUD OF FROM HIS/HER MILITARY SERVICE?
Admiral Baciocco has been awarded an impressive collection of American and foreign service medals and citations: three stars as an Admiral, the Distinguished Service Medal with Gold Star, the Legion of Merit with three Gold Stars, the United Nations Medal, and the French National Order of Merit with the rank of Commander, among others. In 1987, after 34 years of commissioned service, he retired from the United States Navy.

ARE YOU AWARE OF ANY PARTICULAR INCIDENT FROM HIS/HER SERVICE, WHICH MAY OR MAY NOT HAVE BEEN FUNNY AT THE TIME, BUT STILL MADE THEM LAUGH LATER ON?

USS Saint Paul / last shot of the Korean War.

As a newly commissioned ensign, Admiral Baciocco began his Naval career in the last days of the Korean War on board the USS St. Paul. The USS St. Paul, a heavy cruiser, is said to have fired the final shot of the Korean War. "[They] were on the bombing line, at 20:59:57 [the ship] squeezed off the last round," he said. "I think the round landed in North Korea about twenty-three seconds after the cease-fire." The Admiral smiled and allowed a slight chuckle. "I always thought that was an appropriate end to the war."

IF HE/SHE SURVIVED MILITARY SERVICE, WHAT PROFESSION(S) DID HE/SHE FOLLOW AFTER DISCHARGE?
At the time of the Cold War, submarines were utilized by the United States Navy in an independent forward-operating detail. They operated as their own entities, not completely attached to a vessel or carrier battle group. This allowed the submarines to run highly classified orders in the Atlantic Ocean, Pacific Ocean, and the Mediterranean Sea. The specialized training of the submariners and the submarine commanders made the submarine a dominant force and an important part of the nuclear strategic deterrence program for the United States Navy during the Cold War.

In April of 1957, Admiral Baciocco was an early selectee for the Navy's nuclear submarine program. He completed his nuclear training and subsequently served on three nuclear attack submarines on the commissioning crew: the USS Scorpion, the USS Barb, and the USS Gato. The Admiral served as the Executive Officer on the USS Barb (1963-1965) and served as Commanding Officer on the USS Gato (1965-1969).

Admiral Baciocco served his next at-sea assignments at the headquarters in Charleston, South Carolina. He served as Commander of Submarine Division Forty-Two from 1969 to 1971; here, he was responsible for operational training readiness. He was Commander of Submarine Squadron Four from 1974 to 1976, and in this role, he was responsible for both operational and material readiness. During the height of the Cold War, he was responsible for the preparation and readiness of a large part of the Atlantic Fleet submarine force as Commander of Submarine Group Six from 1981 to 1983. He commanded several force commands, including 40 strategic submarine crews totaling about 20,000 military personnel. In 1982, he served as Commander of the Naval Base Charleston.

The Admiral's shore duty was dispersed among his sea duty. In 1971, he was assigned to the Chief of Naval Operations staff submarine directorate and was subsequently selected as the Executive Assistant to the Assistant Secretary of the Navy in financial management; he served in this position until 1974. His responsibilities included senior technical and management positions in submarine warfare, antisubmarine warfare, financial management, science and technology, and acquisitions. Admiral Baciocco returned to the Chief of Naval Operations staff following command service in Charleston in 1976. In 1977 he was selected for Flag rank and served as the division director for Naval attack submarines and deep submergence system. His responsibilities included policy, planning, budgeting for force structure, readiness, modernization, and supporting infrastructure for all Naval attack submarines and deep submergence systems.

After a very successful career both at sea and on shore, Admiral Baciocco was nominated to be the Chief of Naval Research in 1978 and was confirmed by the Senate. He served as Chief of Naval Research until June of 1981. His responsibilities included the execution of the Navy's basic research program and the management and oversight of government-sponsored Independent Research and Development by the defense industry. After he was promoted to Vice Admiral in 1983, Admiral Baciocco was appointed as Director of Research, Development, Test, and Evaluation in the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations. His appointed responsibilities included but were not exclusive to the oversight of all research and development, test and evaluation, and Naval acquisitions. He was also in charge of a budget that exceeded $10 billion during a period of heavy Naval expansion.

IF HE/SHE SURVIVED MILITARY SERVICE, IN WHAT WAYS DO YOU BELIEVE HIS/HER SERVING IN THE MILITARY INFLUENCED THE WAY THEY APPROACHED THEIR PERSONAL LIFE, FAMILY LIFE AND CAREER?
So, what is it that a retired Three-Star Admiral does when he has finished his Naval career? He doesn't spend all of his time on the beach with his feet buried in the sand, chair leaning back, sun steadily tanning him. The Retired Admiral created The Baciocco Group Inc. and continued to work in Washington D.C. in advisory and pro bono technical and management consulting for industrial interests, governmental concerns, and academia. He and his wife moved to Charleston after many years of post-retirement private-sector success. Although time moves slower in Charleston than in the Nation's capital, the Admiral hasn't slowed down. He remains very active in the community and has participated in important local and national initiatives.

IF THEY WERE HERE TODAY, WHAT ADVICE DO YOU THINK HE OR SHE WOULD GIVE TO THOSE WHO FOLLOWED IN THEIR FOOTSTEPS AND RECENTLY ENTERED MILITARY SERVICE?
If you live in the Lowcountry or have even visited Charleston, you are aware of the Patriot's Point Naval and Maritime Museum and the USS Yorktown. But, if you look a little closer, Patriot's Point is also the home of the Cold War Submarine Memorial. Just off of Patriot's Point

Cold War Submarine Memorial

Road and cleverly crafted into the landscape, this memorial pays tribute to "the dedicated men who served on in our naval submarines during the Cold War from 1947-1989." as described by the Patriot's Point website. (the photograph's full title is: A view of the USS Lewis and Clark and the Cold War Submarine Memorial at Patriot's Point).

Admiral Baciocco focused and became firm and serious as he spoke about the city of Charleston: "You couldn't drive over the old bridge or stand in the harbor without seeing a black hull going in or out...We've really got to somehow memorialize this unique time in the Navy and Charleston's history." The Admiral and the foundation raised around $2 million to purchase the necessary material and to fund the memorial, which utilizes the sail and rudder of the USS Lewis and Clark, to serve as a reminder of the service and sacrifice of the submarines and the submariners and their families that were a large part of Charleston military history. The memorial also recognizes and thanks to the men and women of South Carolina and the Low-country for their shared naval history and the Cold War military and civilian partnership. It is important, the Admiral said, that we remember that "the legacy of Charleston is built on deeper things" than wine and cheese and social gatherings.

HOW EFFECTIVE HAS TOGETHERWESERVED.COM BEEN IN HELPING YOU RECORD YOUR REMEMBERED PERSONS MILITARY SERVICE? DO YOU HAVE ANY ADDITIONAL COMMENTS OR SUGGESTIONS YOU WOULD LIKE TO MAKE?
Our interview wrapped up, and I recognized that Retired Admiral Baciocco had led an extraordinary life; he has had an impressive career in the United States Navy, and he has been a productive retiree. I also realized that the Admiral was not yet finished with his life's mission - he

Al and the Cold War Submarine Memorial

is someone always striving to make the world a better place.

- Matthew Orosz
March 21, 2014

These "Reflections" were taken from an interview with Retired VAdm. Albert J. Baciocco, entitled: "Three Stars in the Lowcountry".

The interview can also be viewed at:
http://www.citadel.edu/root/krausecenter-service-learning/2014-veterans-interviews/albert-baciocco

The above photograph is of Vice Admiral Baciacco and the USS Lewis and Clark at the Cold War Submarine Memorial at Patriot's Point. -- Admiral Baciocco was Chairman of the Cold War Submarine Memorial Foundation, the driving force in establishing the memorial by that name at the Patriots Point Naval & Maritime Museum. Patriots Point Naval & Maritime Museum is located in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina, at the mouth of the Cooper River on the Charleston Harbor, across from Charleston.

A final note: United States Submarine Veterans Inc. (USSVI) "HOLLAND CLUB MEMBER". The Admiral was sub qualified aboard the USS Wahoo SS-565 in July 1956. He was listed as a member of the "Holland Club" (50+ years Submarine Qualified). He was killed in an automobile accident on 22 May 2015. Admiral Baciocco is currently on Eternal Patrol.

KC 5.16.22