Robert Samuel Salzer Robert Samuel Salzer ( 29 July 1919 – 30 January 1988 ) was a Vice Admiral of the United States Navy , who served in World War II , and commanded the United States Naval Forces in Vietnam . Biography . Education . Salzer was born in New York City , New York . He attended Phillips Exeter Academy and Yale University , graduating with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics in 1940 . While at Yale , he was a member of the Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps , and was commissioned an ensign in the U . S . Naval Reserve on 23 December 1940 . World War II , 1941 - 1945 . After receiving his commission , Salzer was assigned to the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations until 1942 , when he joined the . In March 1943 he assumed command of the coastal minesweeper , and in July 1943 that of the auxiliary motor minesweeper " YMS - 347 " . He then commanded the tank landing ship " LST - 624 " from June 1944 to December 1945 , participating in the Lingayen Gulf landings , the Manila Bay - Bicol operations and the occupation of Okinawa . 1946 - 1964 . Salzer returned to the United States and was on inactive status from April to September 1946 , before returning to active duty as the executive officer of the replenishment oiler . In February 1948 he joined the staff of the Commander of the Fleet Training Group , Narragansett Bay , Rhode Island , as Navigation Officer . After instruction at the Naval Intelligence School from July 1948 until December 1949 , he served on the staff of that school . He returned to sea in March 1951 as executive officer of the destroyer , and in March 1952 became Assistant Intelligence Officer on the staff of Commander Naval Forces , Eastern Atlantic and Mediterranean . In August 1952 he was assigned as an Intelligence Staff Officer on the staff of the Commander in Chief , U . S . European Command , and in April 1954 assumed command of the destroyer . He was a J - 2 Staff Officer on the Joint Staff , Joint Chiefs of Staff , from April 1956 to July 1959 , after which he attended the Industrial College of the Armed Forces . In June 1960 Salzer was Assistant for Joint Chiefs of Staff Matters in the Logistics Plans Division , in the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations . He remained there until August 1961 , then commanded the destroyer tender until January 1963 , when he was detached to command Destroyer Division 132 . In March 1963 he transferred to command of Destroyer Division 192 . He returned to the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations in May 1964 , where he served as Head of the Analytical Support Group until October 1965 . He then served as Deputy Program Director for the Fast Deployment Logistic Ship Project . Vietnam War , 1966 - 1975 . Salzer assumed command of Amphibious Squadron 4 in February 1966 , serving from 1 April until 25 August 1967 , when he became the Commander of River Assault Flotilla 1 / River Support Squadron 7 / Riverine Assault Force ( Task Force 117 ) . He was assigned duty as the Commander of " Operation Sealords " in October 1968 . Salzer returned to the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations as Project Officer of the Future Professional Manpower Requirements Study from November 1968 to December 1969 , when he assumed command of Cruiser Destroyer Flotilla 3 . He assumed command of Cruiser Destroyer Flotilla 7 in September 1970 , and after the disestablishment of that formation on 16 March 1971 returned to command of Cruiser Destroyer Flotilla 3 . In April 1971 he was appointed Commander of United States Naval Forces Vietnam and Chief of the Naval Advisory Group , Military Assistance Command , Vietnam . In September 1972 he became Commander of the Amphibious Force , Pacific Fleet . On the creation of Commander , Naval Surface Forces Pacific in March 1975 , he was the first incumbent . Retirement , 1975 - 1988 . Salzer retired in 1975 to McLean , Virginia . He then served as president of the Navy Relief Society , a not for profit organization , that provides relief to members of the Navy and Marine Corps . He died of heart failure at the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda , Maryland , on January 30 , 1988 .