Reminiscences of Rear Adm. Norvell G. Ward, USN (Ret.)

As a midshipman at the Naval Academy in the early 1930s, excelled at soccer and lacrosse and acquired the nicknames "Bub" and "Cocky.” After graduation in 1935, he served the heavy cruiser USS Salt Lake City (CA-25) before attending submarine school. In the ensuing years he was in several submarines, including the USS S-26 (SS-131) and USS R-4 (SS-81) before the war; USS Seadragon (SS-194), which he was on board when Cavite was attacked in December 1941; USS Gato (SS-212), in which he was executive officer; and USS Guardfish (SS-217), which he commanded in 1943-44. During the last year of World War II he was on the staff of Commander Submarine Force Pacific Fleet as assistant to operations officer Richard Voge. Following the end of the war he had occupation duty in Japan and then commanded the submarine USS Irex (SS-482). Subsequent assignments included duty at the Naval Academy, the staff of Commander Submarine Flotilla One, and command of the destroyer USS Yarnall (DD-541) during the Korean War. Later in the 1950s he was a student at the Armed Forces Staff College, a member of the staff of Commander Second Fleet, and a student at the National War College. Sea commands included the oiler USS Nantahala (AO-60), Submarine Squadron Five, and Submarine Squadron 14. The latter was the first squadron of Polaris ballistic missile submarines. In the early 1960s he had duty in the plans and war-gaming sections of OpNav. From 1965 to 1967, he served as Chief U.S. Naval Advisory Group Vietnam and then Commander U.S. Naval Forces Vietnam. Admiral Ward has provided extensive discussion of his Vietnam experiences. His last flag assignments were as Commander Service Group Three, Assistant Chief of Naval Operations (Safety), and Commander Caribbean Sea Frontier. He retired from active duty in 1973.

Paul Stillwell is an independent historian and retired naval officer. He worked for thirty years at the U.S. Naval Institute as an oral historian and editor of Naval History magazine. He is the author or editor of fourteen books, including four on battleships and an award-winning volume on the Navy’s first African American officers, The Golden Thirteen. His 2021 book Battleship Commander: The Life of Vice Admiral Willis A. Lee Jr. also received acclaim. He lives in Arnold, Maryland.