Edward L. Beach

Edward Latimer Beach Jr. (April 20, 1918 – December 1, 2002) was a highly decorated United States Navy submarine officer and best-selling author.

During World War II, he participated in the Battle of Midway and 12 combat patrols, earning 10 decorations for gallantry, including the Navy Cross.

After the war, he served as the naval aide to the President of the United States, Dwight D. Eisenhower, and commanded the first submerged circumnavigation.

Beach was initially assigned to the heavy cruiser USS Chester (CA-27), before joining the newly recommissioned destroyer USS Lea (DD-118), which participated in the neutrality patrol in the Atlantic, the escort of the German passenger liner SS Columbus (1924), the initial American occupation of Iceland, and convoy duty in the North Atlantic.

Beach was appointed to the U.S. Naval Academy in 1935 by Senator Hiram Johnson of California.

Beach served as a regimental commander in his first class year.

Beach was named as the midshipman who had done the most to promote naval spirit and loyalty in his regiment when he graduated second out of 576 men in his class in 1939.

Beach was detached from Lea in September 1941 to undergo accelerated training at the Submarine Training School at the New London Submarine Base in Connecticut.

He completed training, graduating first in his class, in December 1941 shortly after the attack on Pearl Harbor.

During World War II, Beach served aboard the submarines USS Trigger (SS-237) and USS Tirante (SS-420), and took command of USS Piper (SS-409) just as the Pacific War was ending.

After graduating from Submarine School, Beach was assigned to USS Trigger (SS-237), which was commissioned on January 30, 1942.

Aboard Trigger Beach held several shipboard positions, including communications officer, engineering officer, navigator, co-approach officer, and executive officer.

While aboard Trigger, he participated in the Battle of Midway and served on 10 war patrols.

Trigger was awarded the Presidential Unit Citation and the Navy Unit Citation during Beach's time aboard her.

Beach was assigned to the new commissioned USS Tirante (SS-420) late in 1944.

He served as executive officer under Lieutenant Commander George L. Street, who was awarded the Medal of Honor for a making a daring attack in a heavily defended Japanese harbor during Tirante's first war patrol from March 3 to April 26, 1945.

Beach received the Navy Cross for heroism during the same patrol and Tirante received the Presidential Unit Citation.

Beach assumed command of USS Piper (SS-409) at Pearl Harbor on June 25, 1945.

Piper departed on her third war patrol on July 19 and entered the Sea of Japan on August 13.

The war ended on August 14 and Piper was in Japanese waters when the formal surrender was signed on September 2 and started her return to Pearl Harbor the next day.

During World War II, Beach earned 10 decorations for gallantry, including the Navy Cross and three unit citations, and participated in 12 war patrols that damaged or sank 45 enemy vessels.

In December 1945, Beach reported to the Department of the Navy to serve as the personal aide to Vice Admiral Louis E. Denfeld, the chief of the Bureau of Naval Personnel.

In March 1947, he was attached to the Atomic Defense Section (OPNAV 36) under Rear Admiral William S. Parsons.

In May 1948, he was given command of USS Amberjack (SS-522), a GUPPY II modified submarine.

His tour as skipper of Amberjack was abbreviated as he was called to Washington to serve as naval aide to General Omar Bradley, the first Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, in August 1949.

In that post, Beach witnessed first hand the events surrounding the Revolt of the Admirals.

Amberjack gained the nickname "Anglejack" because of its pioneering use of steep diving and surfacing angles, which was immortalized in the January 1950 edition of the National Geographic magazine.

During war games, Amberjack photographed the opposing task force's flagship through its periscope and sent the admiral a copy inscribed with "Regards from Ned Beach and the Amberjack."

Upon completing his tour of duty as Bradley's aide in March 1951, Beach was named prospective commanding officer of the new USS Trigger (SS-564), then under construction.

Upon commissioning of Trigger II, which was named for USS Trigger (SS-237) lost during World War II, he became commanding officer of the second submarine to be completed in the new Tang-class submarine after World War II.

From 1953 to 1957, Beach was naval aide to President Dwight D. Eisenhower.

As naval aide Beach was responsible for the management of Camp David, the White House Mess, and for the presidential yacht USS Williamsburg (AGC-369).

Because Eisenhower had made a campaign promise to get rid of the presidential yacht, neither the efforts of Beach nor those of Mrs. Eisenhower were successful in dissuading him from that course of action.

The elimination of Williamsburg proved to be a bureaucratic hassle for Beach and the Navy Department since Williamsburg was the funnel for all budgets and personnel for Camp David and the White House Mess.

While working the White House, Beach volunteered to be the coordinator on the White House staff for all plans to protect the president in case of nuclear attack.

Since the Secret Service in 1953 did not deem helicopter travel as safe, evacuating the president on short notice was planned by Beach via the Potomac River, several PT (patrol torpedo) boats and a high speed race down river to meet up with a waiting Navy ship.

It was Beach who spearheaded the effort to get First Lady Mamie Eisenhower to christen USS Nautilus (SSN-571), the world's first nuclear-powered submarine, in 1954.

Beach was advanced to the rank of captain on October 1, 1956.

Beach's best-selling novel, Run Silent, Run Deep, was made into the 1958 film of the same name.

The son of Captain Edward L. Beach Sr. and Alice Fouché Beach, Beach Jr. was born in New York City and raised in Palo Alto, California.