Month: June 2025

CDR Munly Speaks

In June of 1963, at Dealey Plaza in Groton, Connecticut, Lt. Cmdr. Richard E. Munly stood before the 278th graduating class of the Navy’s Submarine School. Before him sat 310 sailors—one of the largest classes in the school’s distinguished history—eager and untested. Munly, then serving as the engineering and repair officer at the Submarine Base, offered measured words, seasoned with experience:

“You have successfully completed a hard schooling which is the first step toward one of the most coveted awards in the armed services—qualification in submarines.”

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Vison Below The Surface – The Submarine Leadership of Admiral Samuel Shelburne Robison

In the fog of the Atlantic and beneath the waves, a quiet revolution was underway. As the United States entered World War I in 1917, its submarine force was still in its infancy—limited in number, rudimentary in design, and scattered in command. The boats were short-ranged, poorly coordinated, and used mostly for coastal defense. But at the helm of its transformation stood a man few have heard of, yet whose legacy shaped the very heart of the Silent Service: Admiral Samuel Shelburne Robison.

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A $3 Toy Security Issue?

In the early summer of 1982, I walked into the Base Exchange at Dam Neck and walked out with a piece of the Cold War, boxed and shrink-wrapped for just a few bucks. It was a model of the Polaris submarine, the pride of the U.S. Navy’s nuclear deterrent program. For months, while I attended SWSE “A” School and later Mk 98 Mod 0 “C” School, it sat on my desk. A sleek plastic sentinel with decals, accurate contours, and the powerful allure of strategic dominance. It was emblematic of all the tasks that I was leaning and being prepared to take upon myself. It’s presence reminded me of my own goals and what I wanted to accomplish.

But, back in 1961 that little submarine model kit wasn’t just a toy. It was a controversy.

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