Bernard A . Clarey Bernard Ambrose Clarey ( May 4 , 1912 – June 15 , 1996 ) , nicknamed " Chick " , was an admiral of the United States Navy . A submarine commander during World War II , he served during the late 1960s as Vice Chief of Naval Operations and in the early 1970s and Commander in Chief , U . S . Pacific Fleet . Early life and career . Clarey was born in Oskaloosa , Iowa on May 4 , 1912 , son of Mrs . S . B . ( Jennie A . O ' Hearn ) Clarey and the late Mr . Clarey . He was graduated from Oskaloosa High School and attended William Penn College for one year . He was appointed to the United States Naval Academy from his native state in 1930 . As a midshipman he was on the Staff of the Lucky Bag . He was graduated and commissioned Ensign on May 31 , 1934 . His first assignment after graduation was to the cruiser " Milwaukee " ( CL - 5 ) from June 1934 until December 1936 . He entered instruction at the Submarine School at Submarine Base New London in January 1937 . After designation as a submariner , he reported to the submarine " Nautilus " ( SS - 168 ) in June 1937 . He served as Engineer , First Lieutenant and Communications Officer in the Nautilus when she was the flagship of Submarine Division Twelve , based at Pearl Harbor . In June 1941 he reported to " Dolphin " ( SS - 169 ) . World War II . Clarey was Executive Officer on board " Dolphin " at Pearl Harbor when the Japanese attacked the Naval Base on December 7 , 1941 , and subsequently made one war patrol in " Dolphin " to the Marshall Islands . After commissioning the submarine " Amberjack " ( SS - 219 ) at New London , Connecticut on June 19 , 1942 , he completed two war patrols in " Amberjack " off Bougainville and Guadalcanal Islands as Executive Officer . During the first war patrol , which lasted fifty - seven days , the Amberjack sank the 19 , 000 - ton Japanese ship Tonan Maru , a 5 , 000 - ton transport and a 7 , 000 - ton cargo ship . She also delivered 9 , 000 gallons of aviation fuel , 200 100 - pound bombs and a number of US Army Air Corps pilots to Tulagi . On her second war patrol , lasting fifty - one days , she scored one direct hit on a 4 , 000 - ton freighter while patrolling south of Shortland , near Treasury Island . " For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action in the performance of his duties in the USS Amberjack during a war patrol of that vessel . . . " he was awarded the Silver Star . The citation further states : " As Assistant Approach Officer , his outstanding skill , excellent judgement and thorough knowledge of attack problems assisted his Commanding Officer considerably in conducting a series of successful torpedo attacks , which resulted in the sinking and damaging of enemy ships totalling more than 43 , 000 - tons . In addition , he was of great assistance in conducting a successful reconnaissance of four enemy positions and completing a vital special mission , contributing immensely to the success of his vessel in evading extremely severe enemy countermeasures . . . " Clarey made one additional patrol to the South Pacific as a Prospective Commanding Officer ( PCO ) in the " Peto " ( SS - 265 ) . On January 1 , 1944 , he became the Commanding Officer of the new submarine " Pintado " ( SS - 387 ) at Portsmouth , New Hampshire . Under his command , " Pintado " reached the Pacific in May 1944 , and on her first war patrol in the area west of the Marianas and south of Formosa on a dark night in June , surfaced and fired six bow torpedoes at a Japanese convoy , making direct hits on two targets with all six torpedoes . Later between the Marianas and Luzon she sank three freighters and damaged a large freighter . Clarey was awarded the Navy Cross with the following citation : " For extraordinary heroism as Commanding Officer of the USS Pintado , during the first war patrol of that vessel in enemy Japanese - controlled waters , from May 16 to July 1 , 1944 . Maneuvering his ship through powerful escort screens , Lieutenant Commander Clarey launched repeated aggressive attacks to sink three Japanese freighters and damage a large freighter despite severe hostile countermeasures . . . " He was awarded a Gold Star in lieu of a second Navy Cross . " For extraordinary heroism during " Pintado " s second war patrol in enemy - infested waters from July 24 , 1944 to September 14 , 1944 " . The citation states : " He pressed home a series of aggressive torpedo attacks against heavily escorted enemy ships , sinking two freighters and a large whaling ship of nearly 20 , 000 - tons and maneuvered successfully and avoided damage to his submarine " . A Gold Star in lieu of a third Navy Cross was awarded for " Pintado " s third war patrol , in enemy - controlled waters of the South China Sea , between October 9 , 1944 to January 1 , 1945 . The citation states : " Carrying out his duties as Officer in Tactical Command , Commander Clarey skillfully directed the coordinated search for his attack group knownn as " Clarey ' s Crushers " , against a retiring enemy Task Force and contributed to the destruction of a Japanese light cruiser . He further led his submarines in an attack to sink a destroyer and damage an aircraft carrier . On the night of December 12 – 13 , he conducted three surface attacks , in heavy seas , to sink two enemy merchantmen , which contributed to Pintado ' s sinking of over 40 , 000 - tons of Japanese shipping " . Clarey also wore the ribbon for the Presidential Unit Citation awarded to " Pintado " . Detached from " Pintado " in April 1945 , he was assigned to the staff of Commander Submarine Force Pacific Fleet ( ) and was serving in that assignment at the cessation of hostilities in August 1945 . Post - war , through late 1950s . Following World War II , in December 1945 he reported to the Navy Department , Washington , D . C . , where he served until February 1946 in the Office of Public Information , as a member of the Secretary of the Navy " s Committee on Reorganization . In April , he was transferred to the Office of the Naval Inspector General . From April 1947 until June 1949 , he served on the Staff of Commander Submarine Force , Atlantic Fleet as Aide and Flag Secretary , Legal Officer , and Public Information Officer . In June 1949 , he returned to the Navy Department to serve in the Officer Personnel Division for Submarine Officer Assignments , in the Bureau of Naval Personnel , BUPERS . In June 1951 , he reported as Executive Officer of the heavy cruiser " Helena " ( CA - 75 ) , which operated with the U . S . Seventh Fleet in Korean waters , participating in operations against North Korean and Chinese Communist Forces . He served as " XO " for eleven months and was awarded the Bronze Star with Combat " V " for his service aboard " Helena " . After a tour as Commander Submarine Division Fifty Two from May 1952 to July 1953 in San Diego , he was ordered to the Politico - Military Policy Division , as Director Far East Branch , Office of the Chief of Naval Operations . He was a student at the National War College from August 1955 to June 1956 . In August 1956 , he was assigned at Pearl Harbor as Chief of Staff to . In August 1958 , he became Commanding Officer of fleet oiler " Hassayampa " . On January 5 , 1959 he became the Director for Military Personnel in the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense ( Manpower ) . Flag assignments . He was selected for promotion to Rear Admiral in July 1958 and in August 1958 was assigned as Director for Military Personnel Policy in the Office of the Secretary of Defense . In July 1962 , Rear Admiral Clarey again reported to Pearl Harbor as Commander Submarine Force , U . S . Pacific Fleet . For exceptionally meritorious service in this position , he was awarded the Legion of Merit . On June 3 , 1964 , he was promoted to Vice Admiral and became Deputy Commander in Chief , U . S . Pacific Fleet and Chief of Staff and Aide to Commander in Chief , U . S . Pacific Fleet ( CINCPACFLT ) at Pearl Harbor . In August , 1966 , in Oslo , Norway , he became Commander U . S . Second Fleet ( COMSECONDFLT ) and Commander Striking Force , Atlantic ( NATO ) . Returning to the office of the Chief of Naval Operations in June 1967 , he assumed the duties of Director , Navy Program Planning and Budgeting . In January 1968 , he was appointed Vice Chief of Naval Operations and promoted to the rank of Admiral . In December 1970 , he returned to Pearl Harbor as Commander in Chief , U . S . Pacific Fleet . He was relieved as CINCPACFLT on September 30 , 1973 and retired from the Navy with the rank of Admiral on October 1 , 1973 . Post - Navy career . Admiral Clarey served as a vice president for the Bank of Hawaii from 1973 to 1977 and died June 15 , 1996 at Tripler Army Medical Center in Hawaii . Family . Admiral Clarey married Jean Webster Scott ( 1918 - 2009 ) , the daughter of Captain Leon B . Scott ( USNA ’ 15 ) , on May 27 , 1937 in Groton , Connecticut . They had two sons : Rear Admiral ( retired ) Stephen S . Clarey ( b . 1940 ) of Coronado , CA , and Michael O . Clarey ( b . 1946 ) of Sydney , Australia . Military Awards and honors . While on active duty , Admiral Clarey earned three Navy Cross Medals , the Silver Star Medal , the Presidential Unit Citation , the Bronze Star with Combat " V " , the Legion of Merit and five Distinguished Service Medals . In addition , he was awarded the American Defense Service Medal with star , American Campaign Medal , Asiatic - Pacific Campaign Medal with one silver star and four bronze stars ( nine operations ) , World War II Victory Medal , National Defense Service Medal , Korean Service Medal with star , United Nations Service Medal , Philippine Liberation Medal , Philippine Presidential Unit Citation and the Korean Presidential Unit Citation . In addition , after qualification for submarine warfare insignia he received the submarine officer badge , and for successful wartime service the Submarine Combat Patrol Insignia with stars . Civilian Awards and honors . A long - time supporter of the Boy Scouts of America , Admiral Clarey was presented the Silver Beaver award in 1976 . He was awarded the Navy League of the United States Stephen Decatur Award for Operational Competence in 1971 . A doctorate of humane letters honorary degree was conferred upon him by William Penn College in 1984 . Namesake . In 1998 , the floating bridge connecting Ford Island to the mainland was named the Admiral Clarey Bridge in Clarey ' s honor .