(USS Drum at Mare Island, 1944. US Navy Photo.)
I feel a little giddy this morning, as I am sure you do as well. According to radio and press accounts, we stand on the verge of doing something about the continuing Constitutional crisis.
Of course, we are not quite sure what it is, any more than anyone understood the health care bill, but it appears to be something that everyone hates in about equal measures. There will be plenty of time to figure it out once the Treasury is permitted to start printing more money. Just less of it, I think.
I will let it slide until I understand more about what the deal is, and if the House is determined to drive over the cliff. The Keynsians are furious about it, and the Tea Party faction of the House could still torpedo the deal at the moment of success. So, let’s see what happens today.
For my part, I wish I were on the road to the Naval Academy at Annapolis this morning, because there is an event there that should be noted as we rail about the dysfunctional government and economy. A nation that does not remember its past, it is said, has no future, and this morning is a time for remembering.
It may be another decade or two before the last veteran of the great struggle against Fascism leaves us. After all, Private Frank Buckles, the last American veteran of the Great War just passed away this year at the age of 110.
But though the heroes were many, there are few left from the titanic struggle. My pal Mac is one, and he is very much with us. But we lost someone special last Friday, and I want to tell you a bit about him.
The is going to be a memorial service at the Uriah P. Levy Center and Jewish Chapel in memory of Rear Admiral Maurice K. “Mike” Rindskopf, who left this life last Friday. Mike has not been alone since his passing. In accordance with tradition, a Shomer, or “watchman,” has been with him since the moment of his passing. In accordance with tradition, the service will be held expeditiously.
Word flew around the submarine force and intelligence community swiftly. The official obituary in the Post was sparse, and the words spoke only of Mike and his family. I had to track the other stuff down independently. My pals Jinny and Tom told me that Mike was a humble man and a devout one. Mac caught me on the road to remind me that the obituary noted the memorial would be this very morning.
While tradition was being observed in the expeditious timing of the ceremony under the calm gaze of the Shomer, Mike’s chosen life work caused the family to modify some of the tenets of his faith. Let me tell you a little bit about a Great American.
27 July 2011. Rear Admiral Maurice H. “Mike” Rindskopf, USN (Ret.), 94, at Bay Woods of Annapolis after a short illness. Born in Brooklyn, NY, on 27 September, 1917, Mike graduated from Poly Prep Country Day School in Brooklyn at age 16. He entered the U.S. Naval Academy in the Class of 1938, graduating with a BSEE and a commission as an ensign. He reported to the battleship Colorado (BB-45) for his initial assignment, but immediately applied for submarine service, to which he was accepted.
After graduation and an initial tour in USS R-4, he reported as part of the commissioning crew of USS Drum (SS-288) in November of 1941, the month before the attack on Pearl Harbor. He served in Drum’s first eleven combat patrols, rising from First Lieutenant to become her skipper in 194.
For that service Mike was awarded the Navy Cross, the service’s highest decoration, the Silver and Bronze Stars and other decorations for combat action against the Imperial Japanese Navy in the western Pacific.
(USS Drum is the oldest surviving Gato-class diesel-electric boat that formed the core of the submarine service and was largely responsible for the destruction of the Japanese merchant marine fleet and a large portion of the Imperial Japanese Navy. It is located on a cradle at the USS Alabama Memorial Part in Mobile, Alabama. This pictorial account of her kills is painted on the conning tower. Mike Rindskopf commanded her 11th war patrol.)
The citation to Mike’s Navy Cross reads, in part: “U.S.S. DRUM (SS-228)… during the period 9 September 1944 to 8 November 1944, (operated) in enemy-controlled waters of the Luzon Straits in the Philippine Islands. Through his daring, aggressive spirit and tenacity, Commander Rindskopf skillfully launched well-planned and smartly executed attacks which resulted in the sinking of enemy ships totaling over 24,000 tons and in damaging additional vessels totaling over 8,000 tons. Through his experience and sound judgment Commander Rindskopf brought his ship safely back to port. His conduct throughout was an inspiration to his officers and men and in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.”
I am honored to have pals like former Director of Naval Intelligence Tom Brooks, who commented that “He served 34 years on active duty. As an intelligence sub-specialist, Mike’s post-war service included command of the sub-tender USS Fulton (AS-12), of two Submarine Flotillas, served as CINCPACFLT N2, Director of Naval Intelligence (May-Jul 1966), and as Deep Submergence Program Coordinator, supervising all non-combatant deep submergence capabilities of the Navy. That included development of the Deep Submergence Rescue Vehicles that were procured after the loss of the USS Scorpion (SSN-589) with all hands in 1968.”
Mike retired in 1972 as a Rear Admiral after successfully delivering two DSRV to the Navy. His accomplishments on active duty included being the youngest Commanding Officer (at 26 years of age) in the submarine force (USS Drum, 1944), and he was the last surviving submarine skipper of WW II. He authored an authoritative account of the contribution of the submarine navy to victory in his book “Steel Boats, Iron Men: the History of the U.S. Submarine Force.”
My pals Jinny and Mac knew him as well and enjoyed his company, describing him as “a true gentleman.”
In retirement, Mike spent 17 years with the Westinghouse Oceanic Division, Annapolis, MD as Director of International Marketing, selling underwater products, military and industrial, around the world, finally retiring in 1989.
He was predeceased by his wife of 69 years, Sylvia in 2010, and by his only son Peter, Yale (1964) and Yale Law, (1967) in 1971. He is survived by his granddaughter, Amy, her husband James, two great grandsons, Jasper and Ian, and by his daughter-in-law, Elizabeth.
The service is this morning, at the Levy Center and Jewish re will be a funeral service at the Levy Chapel of the U.S. Naval Academy at Annapolis on Monday, August 1, 2011 at 9 a.m. Admiral Rindskopf was active in the effort to establish the Levy Center along with Naval Intelligence Foundation chairman RADM Sumner “Shap” Shapiro.
A reception followed the memorial at BayWoods of Annapolis where the Admiral was the long-time President of the Board of Directors. Mike’s final request is that his ashes be scattered at sea from a submarine into the Pacific in the waters he once patrolled with Drum. It is not in accordance with Jewish tradition, but Mike was not a traditional man.
He was the last of a breed whose like we will not see again. And for its part, the crew of the sleek black nuclear submarine that takes him to sea for the last time will serve as his Shomrim- his watchmen.
Copyright 2011 Vic Socotra
www.vicsocotra.com