Roy S . Benson Roy Stanley Benson ( December 7 , 1906 – February 7 , 1995 ) is a veteran submarine commander from World War II who later served as the Commander Submarine Force U . S . Pacific Fleet ( COMSUBPAC ) during the Cold War . Naval career . Roy Stanley Benson entered the United States Naval Academy in 1925 . He graduated and commissioned as an Ensign in June 1929 . Pre - War Service . Ensign Benson served on the battleship USS " New York " ( BB - 34 ) until December 1930 , and then served three years on the destroyer USS " Smith Thompson " ( DD - 212 ) operating with the Asiatic Fleet . Benson was promoted to Lieutenant ( junior grade ) in 1932 . In June 1934 , Lt . ( jg ) Benson reported in June 1934 for submarine instruction at the New London Submarine Base , in New London , Connecticut . Completing the course in December 1934 , Benson subsequently served on submarines R - 14 , S - 42 , and S - 27 . Benson was promoted to Lieutenant in 1937 . Lt Benson served as an instructor in Navigation at the Naval Academy from June 1937 to May 1939 . One of the midshipmen in his navigational classes was Edward L . Beach who would later served with Benson during World War II . In June 1939 , Benson joined the destroyer USS " Hovey " as its executive officer . In February 1941 , he reported for duty on the submarine USS " Nautilus " ( SS - 168 ) also as its executive officer . World War II . Benson received a Letter of Commendation , with authorization to wear the Commendation Ribbon , for his role as executive officer and navigator on the USS " Nautilus " during the Battle of Midway . The " Nautilus " also received the Presidential Unit Citation for this engagement . Benson was promoted to Lieutenant Commander in 1942 . After brief duty on the staff of Submarine Squadron 10 , Benson assumed command of the submarine USS " Trigger " ( SS - 237 ) on August 29 , 1942 . Edward L . Beach would later credit Benson ' s leadership during the next four war patrols for restoring the crew ' s morale . Ironically , Benson ' s most far - reaching contribution to the submarine campaign against the Japanese Empire was the failure to sink the aircraft carrier " Hiyō " during his final war patrol as " Trigger " ' s skipper . This proved to be the " final straw " for Vice Admiral Charles A . Lockwood , the Commander Submarines Pacfific Fleet ( COMSUBPAC ) , who ordered the magnetic exploders be deactivated on the trouble - plagued Mark 14 torpedo . For distinguished service in command of the " Trigger " , Benson was awarded the Navy Cross , a Gold Star in lieu of a second Navy Cross , a Silver Star Medal , and a Gold Star in lieu of a second Silver Star Medal . " Trigger " also received the Presidential Unit Citation . He was promoted to Commander in 1943 . Relieved of command of the " Trigger " in July 1943 , he was placed in command of the Prospective Submarine Commanding Officer ’ s School at the New London Submarine Base . From June to October 1944 , Benson commanded the submarine USS " Razorback " ( SS - 394 ) and later commanded Submarine Division 43 . Benson led a wolfpack consisting of " Razorback " , " Trepang " ( SS - 412 ) , and " Segundo " ( SS - 398 ) that set sail on November 5 , 1944 . Operating in the Luzon Strait and the South China Sea , a convoy of seven escorted merchant ships was sighted and the three submarines made night attacks , sinking all of the merchant vessels , on December 6 . Benson led another wolfpack consisting of " Razorback " , " Segundo " , and " Seacat " ( SS - 399 ) that set out for the East China Sea on February 1 , 1945 . " Razorback " sank four wooden ships in three separate surface gun actions and deposited three Japanese prisoners at Guam . " Segundo " attacked Japanese shipping off the Korean coast , sinking a cargo ship on March 11 . " Seacat " attacked Japanese shipping off the coast of Kyūshū . For outstanding services while in commanded Submarine Division 43 , Benson was awarded the Legion of Merit . Cold War . Detached from sea duty in July 1945 , Benson reported for duty in the Operational Readiness Section , Headquarters of the Commander in Chief , U . S . Fleet , at the Navy Department , in Washington , D . C . He was promoted to Captain in 1945 . In March 1947 , Benson was ordered to duty on the Staff of the Commander , Submarine Force U . S . Atlantic Fleet , as readiness and new developments office , becoming its war plans and intelligence officer in 1948 . In March 1949 , Benson became the first Commander of Submarine Development Group Two ( COMSUBDEVGRU Two ) , tasked to conduct ASW research and development , when that unit was commissioned on May 9 , 1948 . In this capacity , Benson was responsible for the evolution of early post - war submarine tactics code - named Project Kayo . Commodore Benson remain in command COMSUBDEVGRU Two until August 1950 . After serving a two - year stint as the Director of Public Information , Office of Information in the Pentagon , Benson attended the National War College from August 1952 to June 1953 . From the July 1953 to June 1954 Benson commanded the attack transport USS " Bayfield " ( APA - 33 ) with the United States Seventh Fleet , and from August 1954 to August 1955 , was the Commander Amphibious Squadron Six with the Sixth Fleet operating in the Mediterranean . In September 1955 , Benson was assigned to the Bureau of Naval Personnel , and on August 8 , 1956 , became Assistant Chief of Naval Personnel ( Education and Training ) with the rank of Rear Admiral . On May 2 , 1957 , Admiral Benson assumed command of Cruiser Division One in Yokosuka , Japan . In June 1958 , he became Deputy Commander in chief of Staff , Military Sea Transportation Service , with headquarters in Washington , D . C . In March 1960 he assumed command of the Submarine Force , U . S . Pacific Fleet ( COMSUBPAC ) , with headquarters at Pearl Harbor , Hawaii From September 1962 to June 1966 , Benson was Assistant Vice Chief of Naval Operations and Director of Naval Administration , Navy Department , after which he served as director of a special task force until February 1969 . In April 1967 he reported as Commandant of the First Naval District , with additional duty as Commander of the Boston Naval Base . Rear Admiral Roy Stanley Benson retired on January 1 , 1969 . Awards and decorations . Benson received the Navy Cross with Gold Star , the Silver Star Medal with Gold Star , the Legion of Merit with two Gold Stars , Commendation Ribbon , and the Presidential Unit Citation Ribbon with two stars . He also received he Yangtze Service Medal ; American Defense Service Medal , Fleet Clasp ; American Campaign Medal ; Asiatic - Pacific Campaign Medal with three stars ; World War II Victory Medal ; National Defense Service Medal with bronze star ; Korean Service Medal ; United Nations Service Medal ; and the Philippine Liberation Ribbon . Benson also was awarded the Royal Order of the Sword , Commander , First Class , from the Government of Sweden ; Grand Star of Military Merit by the Government of Chile ; and Peruvian Cross for Naval Merit ( Grand Officer ) " Distantivo Blanco " by the Government of Peru . Navy Cross . Commander - in - Chief Pacific Fleet ( CINCPAC ) Serial 32 ( 1943 ) : Bureau of Naval Personnel Information Bulletin No . 324 ( March 1944 ) : Silver Star . Gold Star in lieu of second Silver Star Medal : Legion of Merit . Gold Star in lieu of the Second Legion of Merit ( 1967 ) : Gold Star in lieu of the Second Legion of Merit ( 1969 ) : Personal . In 1949 , Benson married the former Vida Wimbrow Connole ( 1917 – 1965 ) of Annapolis , Maryland , widow of Commander David R . Connole who was the last commanding officer of the submarine " Trigger " which was lost off Japan in March 1945 . Mrs . Benson was the sponsor at the launch of the new post - war submarine " Trigger " , with Edward L . Beach as its first commander officer , on June 14 , 1951 . Admiral Benson and Mrs . Benson are interred at the United States Naval Academy Cemetery , and are survived by Rickart Alan Connole ( b . 1944 ) . Regarding the fate of his fellow submariners in the Cold War era , Benson noted :