William Francis Petrovic Rear Admiral William Francis Petrovic ( January 12 , 1913 – June 25 , 1991 ) was a preeminent naval engineer and ship builder in the United States Navy , serving from 1935 to 1972 . Early years . Born in Cleveland , Ohio to Slovenian immigrants , Frank and Anna ( Geuheli ) Petrovic , he was orphaned at the age of six and later raised by his older siblings . Following high school , he was appointed to the United States Naval Academy , graduating in 1935 , with a Bachelor of Science Degree . Naval service . Following graduation , he served two years aboard the USS " Oklahoma " ( BB - 37 ) and then attended graduate school at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology , where he earned a Master of Science Degree in Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering . In 1941 , Petrovic was designated an Engineering Duty Officer ( EDO ) and ordered to Puget Sound Naval Shipyard ( PSNS ) . Petrovic was serving as the Ship Superintendent for the overhaul of the USS " Colorado " ( BB - 45 ) when the war broke out in December , 1941 . As the only battleship capable shipyard on the west coast , PSNS began to receive battle damaged ships from Pearl Harbor in late December . The first to arrive was USS " Tennessee " ( BB - 43 ) followed the next day by USS " Maryland " ( BB - 46 ) . The more heavily damaged battleships – " Nevada " , " California " and " West Virginia " – did not arrive until later in 1942 - 43 . During much of the time Petrovic was stationed at PSNS – February 1941 - October 1944 – he was in charge of all aircraft carrier and battleship work . He arrived as a Lieutenant Junior Grade and left as a full Commander . In November 1944 , Petrovic was ordered to the Pacific Theater first as Fleet Maintenance Officer ( Carriers ) on the Staff of Commander Service Force Pacific ( ComServPac ) and then from January to June 1945 was Material Officer on the Staff of Commander Task Force Fifty - One aboard USS " Piedmont " ( AD - 17 ) . While in this position he took part in the invasions of Iwo Jima and Okinawa and was awarded the Bronze Star Medal for “ heroic service ” supervising and directing the salvage and repair of ships and craft damaged by enemy action . At the time of the Japan ese surrender in September 1945 , he was serving as the Staff Maintenance Officer to Commander Service Squadron TEN , a position he held until April , 1947 . Upon returning to the US , Petrovic began rotating duty between the Bureau of Ships ( BUSHIPS ) in Washington , D . C . and the Navy ' s shipyards and repair facilities . At the Bureau of Ships he ran the Battleship and Heavy / Light Cruiser Type Desk ( 1947 – 49 ) and was the Director , Naval Facilities and later Management Control Divisions ( 1952 – 55 ) . At Shipyards , he served as Repair Superintendent and then New Construction Superintendent at Mare Island Naval Shipyard ( 1949 – 52 ) during the building of the Navy ' s first “ Hunter Killer ” submarines , USS " Bass " ( SSK - 2 ) and USS " Bonita " ( SSK - 3 ) and the conversion of a diesel “ Fleet Boat ” to a guided missile submarine USS " Tunny " ( SSG - 282 ) . As Production Officer at San Francisco Naval Shipyard ( 1955 – 58 ) , he was responsible for the modernization ( SCB - 125 ) of World War II carriers USS " Wasp " ( CV - 18 ) , USS " Hancock " ( CV - 19 ) , USS " Bon Homme Richard " ( CV - 31 ) and USS " Oriskany " ( CV - 34 ) and new construction of a Guided Missile Destroyer , USS " Mahan " ( DDG - 42 ) . At New York Naval Shipyard ( 1958 – 59 ) , he oversaw the construction of two carriers , USS " Independence " ( CV - 62 ) and USS " Constellation " ( CV - 64 ) . In 1959 , Petrovic was ordered to San Diego as the Commanding Officer , Naval Repair Facility , where he was responsible for repair and minor modification to southern California based ships . Upon selection as Flag Officer in 1962 , Admiral Petrovic reported to Washington , D . C . as the Assistant Chief BUSHIPS Plans and Administration and Inspector General with additional duties as Assistant Chief BUSHIPS for Field Activities . In January 1966 he assumed command of the New York Naval Shipyard which he was tasked with closing . In July he became Deputy Commander Shipyard Programs and Director for Shipyard Modernization under the new Naval Sea Systems Command . In 1967 , Admiral Petrovic took command of Puget Sound Naval Shipyard . During his five - year tenure , he was credited with the yards final transition to a “ Nuclear ” capable overhaul facility for both submarines and surface ships as well as becoming the Navy ’ s premiere shipyard for carrier overhaul . Additionally , the Shipyard carried on its tradition of new construction building USS " Seattle " ( AOE - 3 ) , USS " Detroit " ( AOE - 4 ) and USS " Puget Sound " ( AD - 38 ) . These were the last Navy ships built in a public shipyard . Admiral Petrovic retired in 1972 after 37 years of distinguished Naval Service and at that time was the senior Engineering Duty Officer in the United States Navy . Retirement . Following retirement , Admiral Petrovic traveled extensively and worked shortly as a consultant in the ship building industry . He continued to be very active in civic organizations including the Bremerton Chamber of Commerce , Rotary , the Community Theater , the Navy League , Retired Officer ' s Association and was President of the community United Way Campaign in 1978 . Rear Admiral Petrovic died in 1991 in Bremerton , Washington where he is buried at the Miller - Woodlawn Memorial Park next to his wife of 52 years , Gertrude ( Kirk ) . The Petrovics had four children ; William Kirk , James Richard , Deborah Lynn and Bruce Douglas .