Kenneth Carr

Distinguished Submariner VADM Kenneth M. Carr, USN, Ret. passed away November 15th, 2015, at Judson Retirement Community, Cleveland, Ohio.  He was the beloved husband of the late Molly Pace Carr, his wife of 66 years, who passed away in 2014.  He was born March 17th, 1925 in Mayfield, Kentucky.  His parents were Mr. and Mrs. Norman Carr and he was the brother of the late Nathan Carr.  VADM Kenneth M.Carr retired from the U.S. Navy on May 1, 1985, last serving as Deputy and Chief of Staff to the Commander in Chief Atlantic Command and the Commander in Chief of the U.S. Atlantic Fleet. VADM Carr enlisted in the Navy in 1943 and served as a crewman on an assault landing craft in the Pacific theater before being selected for an officer candidate program at the University of Louisville in 1944, and being appointed to the U.S. Naval Academy as a member of the class of 1949. In 1950, he entered submarine school in New London, Connecticut and in 1953 was assigned to the precommissioning detail of the nuclear submarine USS NAUTILUS. With the exception of a one-year period for nuclear power training, he served as a member of the NAUTILUS crew until 1960. The Nautilus was the world's first nuclear powered submarine. Ken was quoted as saying,"the Sun always shines on the Nautilus" when the clouds parted for the commissioning of the Nautilus. He was an officer on the mission that Nautilus first cross-navigated under the North Pole. This expedition was not only an achievement for mankind, it was an important milestone in the Cold War. He later served as Commanding Officer of the nuclear submarine USS FLASHER and the fleet ballistic missile nuclear submarine USS JOHN ADAMS. VADM Carr was assigned to the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations (Research and Development) in 1968, and to the staff of the Commander in Chief of the U.S. Atlantic Fleet in 1970, as a senior member of the Naval Nuclear Propulsion Examining Board. In 1972, VADM Carr was assigned as Chief of Staff to the Commander, Submarine Force of the U.S. Atlantic Fleet and in 1973 he assumed duties of Military Assistant to the Deputy Secretary of Defense. From June 1977 to May 1980, he commanded the Submarine Force, U.S. Atlantic Fleet. He served as Vice Director of Strategic Target Planning at Offutt Air Force Base, Nebraska, before assuming duties as Deputy and Chief of Staff to the Commander in Chief, U.S. Atlantic Command on April 1, 1983. Among his honors are the Defense and Navy Distinguished Service Medals, the Legion of Merit, Presidential Unit Commendation and the Defense Superior Service Medals. VADM Carr was appointed to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission on August 14, 1986 and served as its Chairman from July 1, 1989 until he retired in 1991. The family prefers that those who wich may make contributions in his name to The Dolphin Scholarship Foundation 4966 Euclid Road, Suite 109, Virginia Beach, Virginia 23462.  A funeral service will be held in Parkside Church 7100 Pettibone Road, Chagrin Falls, Ohio, Wednesday, December 2nd at 3 PM, with an opportunity for those who wish to gather from 2 to 3 PM for a period of visitation.  Interment with full military honors will be in Arlington National Cemetery at a later date to be announced.This is an additional tribute, covering VADM Carr's career: By LCDR Benjamin Amdur, Officer-in-Charge, Historic Ship NAUTILUS (SSN 571) It is with great sadness that we report the passing of Vice Adm. Kenneth M. Carr on Sunday, November 15, 2015. He was 90 years old. Admiral Carr is a U.S. Navy Submarine Force icon and longtime champion of Historic Ship Nautilus (SSN 571) and the Submarine Force Museum. Born on March 17, 1925 in Mayfield, Kentucky, Admiral Carr was predeceased by his wife Molly in 2014. LT Ken Carr (lower left) stands diving officer of the watch (DOOW) on board USS Nautilus (SSN 571) in 1957. His helmsman and planesmen pictured (from right to left) are WWII submarine flag officers: Fleet Admiral (retired) Nimitz, Vice Admiral (retired) Lockwood, and Admiral (retired) Low. Vice Adm. Carr enlisted in the Navy during World War Two, serving on an assault landing craft in the Pacific Theater. During the war he earned an appointment to the U.S. Naval Academy, graduating as a member of the class of 1949. After serving as the Assistant Gunnery Officer onboard USS Eversole (DD 789), he entered Submarine School at the New London, Connecticut Submarine Base in 1950. He served on the diesel submarines USS Flying Fish (SS 229) and USS Blackfin (SS 322) until 1953 when he was assigned to the pre-commissioning crew of USS Nautilus (SSN 571) submarine, the world's first nuclear-powered ship. Vice Adm. Carr was first assigned as the Gunnery Officer, in charge of Torpedo Division, on Nautilus. As a young Lieutenant on the ship's crew, he was credited with coining the popular phase "The sun always shines on Nautilus," after the cloudy skies parted just before the submarine's launching in 1954. With the exception of twelve months spent at nuclear power training from June 1956 to May 1957, he served in a number of billets on the ship, including as the ship's engineer during her first overhaul. He transferred in December 1960. He had the distinction of being the only officer who was both a Nautilus plank owner (member of the commissioning crew) and a "PANAPO" (member of the 1958 Nautilus crew who traveled to the North Pole. He was on watch as the ship's conning officer when USS Nautilus made history on August 3rd 1958, as the first ship to voyage under the North Pole. The submarine proceeded to Portland, England where her crew received the Presidential Unit Citation, the first ever issued in peacetime. Following his service on Nautilus, Vice Admiral Carr served as the Executive Officer of USS Scorpion (SSN 589) and USS James Monroe (SSBN 622) and as the first Commanding Officer of USS Flasher (SSN 613) and USS John Adams (SSBN 620) (Gold Crew). Shore assignments included the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations (Research and Development) and as a senior member of the Naval Nuclear Propulsion Examining Board. In 1972 Admiral Carr was assigned as Chief of Staff to the Commander, Submarine Force of the U.S. Atlantic Fleet. Promoted to Rear Admiral in 1973, he assumed the duties of Military Assistant to the Deputy Secretary of Defense. From June 1977 to May 1980, he commanded the U.S. Atlantic Fleet Submarine Force (COMSUBLANT). As COMSUBLANT he returned to USS Nautilus on March 3rd, 1980 as the keynote speaker for the ship's decommissioning after 25 years of service. He served as Vice Director of Strategic Target Planning at Offutt Air Force Base, Nebraska, before assuming duties as Deputy and Chief of Staff to the Commander in Chief, U.S. Atlantic Command in April 1983. Vice Admiral Carr retired from the U.S. Navy in May 1985. In 1986 Vice Adm. Carr was appointed a Commissioner with the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), and in 1989 he became the Commission's Chairman. He retired from the NRC in 1991. Vice Adm. Carr's decorations include, two Defense Distinguished Service Medals, the Distinguished Service Medal, the Defense Superior Service Medal, the Legion of Merit with one Gold Star, the Meritorious Service Medal, a Presidential Unit Commendation with Gold "N",  Navy Unit Commendation,  Meritorious Unit Commendation and the American Campaign medal, Asiatic and Pacific Campaign medal with two Engagement Stars, the World War II Victory Medal, the National Defense medal with one Bronze Star, the Korean Service medal, the Korean Presidential medal, and the United Nations Service medal. "USS NAUTILUS (SSN-571)" The Historic Ship Nautilus (SSN 571) and Submarine Force Museum, located on the Thames River in Groton, Connecticut, maintains the world's finest collection of submarine artifacts. It is the only submarine museum operated by the United States Navy, and as such is the primary repository for artifacts, documents and photographs relating to U.S. Submarine Force history. The museum traces the development of the "Silent Service" from David Bushnell's Turtle, used in the Revolutionary War, to the Ohio and Virginia class submarines. The museum's collections include more than 33,000 artifacts, 20,000 significant documents and 30,000 photographs


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