Peter Phipps Vice Admiral Sir Peter Phipps , KBE , DSC & Bar , VRD ( c . 1909 – 18 September 1989 ) was a founding father of the Royal New Zealand Navy ( RNZN ) . For heroism at Guadalcanal , the United States of America awarded him the Navy Cross , their second highest award for valor . Phipps was the first New Zealander to reach the rank of vice admiral in the RNZN . He was also the first Chief of Naval Staff and the first Chief of the New Zealand Defence Force . War career . Phipps began his military career in 1928 when he joined the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve as an ordinary seaman . He was commissioned as a sub - lieutenant in 1930 and as a lieutenant in 1934 . In 1940 , after the outbreak of war , he traveled to the United Kingdom where he was given his first command . This was the minesweeper HMS " Bay " which operated in the English Channel . Fifty aircraft attacked the convoy that " Bay " was helping escort and she was bombed . Phipps was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross for bringing his damaged ship home . Promoted to Lieutenant Commander , he took command of HMNZS " Scarba " , one of four " Isles " class minesweeping trawlers purchased for New Zealand . They carried out convoy duties en route to Auckland where they arrived 4 August 1942 . Commander of the " Moa " . Phipps then became commanding officer of " Moa " , which , with her sister ship " Kiwi " , sank the Japanese submarine " I - 1 " which was supporting Operation Ke during the Guadalcanal Campaign in the Solomon Islands . Both ships were patrolling at Guadalcanal and " Kiwi " s depth - charge attack brought the submarine to the surface . She attempted to escape but was rammed by " Kiwi " while " Moa " continued to illuminate with star shell . " Moa " pursued and pressed home the attack upon the submarine , which eventually ran aground on a reef . Phipps was awarded a Bar to his DSC and the United States Navy Cross for this action . In April 1943 , Phipps was wounded when Japanese aircraft sank " Moa " at Tulagi Harbour . The ship sustained a direct hit from a 500 - pound bomb and sank within four minutes . Five ratings were killed and seven were seriously wounded . Phipps then became the Senior Officer of the 25th Minesweeping Flotilla in the Solomons . He represented the New Zealand Government at the surrender of the Japanese forces in Nauru and Ocean Island . Post war career . After the war , he commanded the training base HMNZS " Philomel " , where in April 1947 he had to deal with a mutiny of sailors from the base and several ships , over low pay and poor working conditions . He then became the executive officer of the cruiser " Bellona " . Between 1953 and 1955 , he went overseas and served in a senior position in the Admiralty . He then took command successively of the cruisers " Bellona " and " Royalist " . When Phipps went to take command of " Royalist " in 1955 , diplomat Frank Corner found that Phipps agreed that the " Royalist " was completely unsuitable for New Zealand ' s requirements , and Phipps regarded her purchase as an " unmitigated disaster " . Phipps ’ later career was a series of firsts for a New Zealander – he was the first NZ naval officer appointed to the New Zealand Naval Board ( 1957 ) , the first to reach the rank of Admiral ( eventually reaching Rear - Admiral ) , the first to be appointed to Chief of Naval Staff ( 1960 ) and the first Chief of Defence Staff ( 1963 ) , following the establishment of the Ministry of Defence . Phipps was knighted for his services in 1964 . On his retirement in 1966 , he was created Vice - Admiral . He died in a car crash on 18 September 1989 .