Background

Edward Beach Jr. was born on April 20, 1918, in New York City and raised in Palo Alto, California. He was the son of Captain Edward Beach and Alice Fouché Beach.

Education

Edward Beach Jr. was appointed to the United States Naval Academy in 1935 by Senator Hiram Johnson of California. He graduated second out of 576 men in his class in 1939 and got a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering. In September 1941 Edward Latimer Beach underwent 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. In 1961 he graduated from American International University and got a Doctor of Science. In 1963 Edward Beach Jr. graduated from the George Washington University. In the same year, he graduated from Bridgeport University in Connecticut and got a Doctor of Laws.

Career

After the United States Naval Academy, Edward Beach Jr. was initially assigned to the heavy cruiser United States Ship "Chester." Then he joined the newly-re-commissioned destroyer United States Ship "Lea."

Edward Beach Jr. participated in the Battle of Midway and 12 war patrols that damaged or sank 45 enemy vessels. He served aboard the United States Ship "Trigger" and United States Ship "Tirante," and he took command of the United States Ship "Piper." Onboard "Tirante," Beach Jr. was Executive Officer to Captain George Levick Street.

In December 1945, Edward Beach Jr. was the personal aide to Vice Admiral Louis Emil Denfeld, Chief of the Bureau of Naval Personnel at the Department of the Navy. In May 1948, he was given command of the United States Ship "Amberjack," a Greater Underwater Propulsion Power II modified submarine. And in March 1951, Beach Jr. was a Commanding Officer of the new United States Ship "Trigger," the first submarine to be completed in a new class after World War II.

From 1953 to 1957, Edward Beach Jr. was Naval Aide to President Dwight David Eisenhower. During the work at the White House, Beach Jr. was the coordinator on the White House staff for all plans to protect the President in case of a nuclear attack. He spearheaded the effort at a time when First Lady Mamie Eisenhower christened the United States Ship "Nautilus," the world's first nuclear-powered submarine, in 1954.

On 1 October 1956, Edward Beach Jr. was promoted to Captain. On 15 March 1957, he assumed command of the United States Ship "Salamonie."

In November 1959, Edward Beach Jr. took command of the United States Ship "Triton," the first and only American nuclear-powered submarine. In February 1960, "Triton" began a circumnavigation of the earth in 84 days without surfacing, covering over 41,000 statute miles. The route of "Triton" followed roughly that of Ferdinand Magellan in 1519-1522.

For completing the mission, Edward Beach Jr. was presented the Legion of Merit by President Eisenhower. Beach Jr. wrote about that cruise in his book "Around the World Submerged: The Voyage of the Triton," published in 1962.

After his tour in command of "Triton," Beach Jr. commanded Submarine Squadron Eight from July 1961 to August 1962. From July 1963 to December 1966, Beach served in the office of the Chief of Naval Operations.

Edward Beach Jr. had terminated his service in 1966 with the rank of Captain.

After retirement, Beach Jr. was appointed as the Stephen Bleecker Luce Chair of Naval Science at the Naval War College in Newport. He the first person to hold that position. Also, he was the editor of the "Naval War College Review."

From 1969 to 1977 Beach served as Staff Director of the United States Senate Republican Policy Committee. And from 1980 to 1981 he was a Chief of Staff for Senator Jeremiah Denton.

After World War II, Beach wrote extensively. His first book "Submarine!" was a compilation of accounts of several wartime patrols made on his own. "Time" magazine called "the liveliest and most authentic account of undersea combat to come out of World War II."

Beach is best known for his first novel, "Run Silent, Run Deep." Beach penned two sequels to "Run Silent, Run Deep: Dust on the Sea," and "Cold is the Sea," set in 1961 aboard a nuclear submarine.

In addition to "Submarine!," Beach wrote several more books on naval history, including "The Wreck of the Memphis," "United States Navy: 200 Years," a general history of the Navy, "Scapegoats: A Defense of Kimmel and Short at Pearl Harbor," and "Salt and Steel: Reflections of a Submariner." His last work, "From Annapolis to Scapa Flow: The Autobiography of Edward L. Beach Sr.," is Captain Beach, Sr.'s account of the Navy from the age of sail to the age of steam.

In addition to his books, Edward Beach Jr. was an author of articles and book reviews for ranging such as "Blue Book" magazine, "National Geographic," "Naval History," and "American Heritage."

Achievements

• Edward Latimer Beach Jr. is known as a highly-decorated United States Navy submarine officer and author. Beach's novel, "Run Silent, Run Deep," appeared on The New York Times Book Review bestseller list for several months and was made into the 1958 movie by the same name starring Clark Gable and Burt Lancaster.
  
  At all, Beach published thirteen books. His first book, "Submarine!" was a compilation of accounts of several wartime patrols made by his own as well as other submarines, which "Time" magazine called "the liveliest and most authentic account of undersea combat to come out of World War II." He also authored "Dust on the Sea," relating in detail a war patrol by United States Ship "Eel" leading a wolf pack, "Cold is the Sea," set in 1961 aboard a nuclear submarine, "The Wreck of the Memphis," and "United States Navy: 200 Years," a general history of the Navy.
  
  One of Edward Latimer Beach Jr.'s most notable achievements is a submerged trip around the world. Beach and his crew of 183 officers and men took the United States Ship "Triton" submarine on a submerged trip around the world, following much the same route as the Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan on his 1519–1522 voyage.
  
  During World War II, Edward Latimer Beach Jr. participated in the Battle of Midway and 12 combat patrols, earning 10 decorations for gallantry, including the Navy Cross, two Letters of Commendation Ribbon with Combat "Valor" Device. Also, upon graduation from the United States Naval Academy in 1939, Beach got Sword of the Class of 1897.

Works

More photos

• book

  • Submarine!

    (For the World War II submariner, every day was a life-or-...)

    1952
  • Scapegoats: A Defense of Kimmel and Short at Pearl Harbor

    (The author presents proof that authorities in the Army, N...)

    1995
  • Cold is the Sea

    (The book focuses on the United States Ship "Cushing," who...)

    1978
  • Around the World Submerged: The Voyage of the Triton

    (When the nuclear-powered submarine the United States Ship...)

    1962
  • Keepers of the Sea

    (This book has discussed the operations, training programs...)

    1983
  • Dust on the Sea

    (Tense, dramatic and rich in technical and tactical detail...)

    1972
  • Run Silent, Run Deep

    (This is a story of the silent service - the submarine cre...)

    1955
  • Wreck of the Memphis

    (This is a vivid, minute-by-minute account of one of the w...)

    1966
  • Naval Terms Dictionary, fifth Edition

    (This comprehensive dictionary reflects the accurate curre...)

    1978
  • Salt and Steel: Reflections of a Submariner

    (With characteristic warmth and humor, Beach Jr. relates t...)

    1999
  • From Annapolis to Scapa Flow: The Autobiography of Edward L. Beach Sr.

    (Not only was Beach Sr. a good storyteller but he also was...)

    2002
  • The United States Navy: A 200-Year History 1986

Membership

• 

  Cosmos Club , United States

Connections

Edward Beach Jr. was married to Ingrid Beach in Palo Alto in 1944. They had four children: Inga-Marie Beach, Edward Beach, Hugh Beach, and Ingrid Alice Beach.

Father:

Edward Latimer Beach Sr.

Edward Latimer Beach Sr. was the United States Navy officer and author.

Mother:

Alice Fouché Beach

Wife:

Ingrid Beach

Ingrid Beach's maiden name was Schenk.

Daughter:

Inga-Marie Beach

Son:

Edward Beach

Son:

Hugh Beach

Daughter:

Ingrid Alice Beach

colleague:

George Levick Street III

Capitan George Levick Street III was a submariner in the United States Navy.

colleague:

Louis Emil Denfeld

Louis Emil Denfeld was an admiral in the United States Navy.

Acquaintance:

Dwight David Eisenhower

Dwight David Eisenhower was the 34th president of the United States.

colleague:

Jeremiah Denton

Jeremiah Denton was a United States Senator representing Alabama from 1981 to 1987 and the United States Navy Rear Admiral.