Maurice H. Rindskopf

Maurice H. Rindskopf
Rear Admiral Maurice Rindskopf
Birth name	Maurice Herbert Rindskopf
Nickname	Mike
Born	(1917-09-27)September 27, 1917
Died	July 27, 2011(2011-07-27) (aged 93)
Place of birth	Brooklyn, New York
Place of death	Annapolis, Maryland
Buried at sea	Ashes scattered by a submarine in the Pacific Ocean
Allegiance	United States
Service/branch	United States Navy
Years of service	1938-1972
Rank	Rear Admiral
Commands held	USS Drum (SS-228) USS Fulton (AS-11) U.S. Naval Submarine School Submarine Flotilla (2) Director of Naval Intelligence
Battles/wars	U.S. submarine campaign against the Japanese Empire
Awards	Navy Cross Distinguished Service Medal Silver Star Legion of Merit Bronze Star Medal Navy Commendation Medal
Other work	Development of modern submarine fire control and tactics Assistant Chief of Staff for Intelligence for Commander-in-Chief, US Pacific Fleet

Maurice Herbert Rindskopf (1917–2011) was the youngest officer to ascend to command of a Fleet Submarine in World War II; and until his death, was the last living World War II submarine commander. His entire World War II submarine career was spent on board USS Drum (SS-228), where he was awarded a Silver Star as a Lieutenant in charge of torpedoes and gunnery, and the Navy Cross as its commanding officer. He culminated his career as a Rear Admiral and the Director of Naval Intelligence.

Early life and career

A native of Brooklyn, New York, Rindskopf graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1938. He was assigned to the battleship USS Colorado (BB-45) for two years. Beginning submarine training in 1940, he joined the crew of USS Drum (SS-228) in time for World War II. Rindskopf served on board Drum for eleven patrols and was awarded a Silver Star as a junior officer for torpedo and gunnery excellence. As a junior officer, he would often take the night watch and decode messages advising of targets. He would tell the crew of a target nearby by wearing "a garish yellow aloha shirt I had purchased in Hono­lulu, and lo! we went to Battle Stations."

He married Sylvia Lubow on April 16, 1941; their only child, civil rights lawyer Peter Rindskopf, was born on July 25, 1942.

Silver Star citation

The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Lieutenant Maurice Herbert Rindskopf (NSN: 0-81027), United States Navy, for gallantry and intrepidity in combat during World War II. During four extensive War Patrols of the U.S.S. DRUM (SS-228) in enemy waters and despite determined enemy opposition he courageously and skillfully performed his duties as Torpedo and Gunnery Officer of a United States Submarine and thus assisted materially in the sinking of an important amount of Japanese shipping. His excellent judgment and coolness under fire contributed in a large measure to the success of the ship. His conduct throughout was in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.

Command of USS Drum

As second-in-command (Executive Officer) of Drum in June 1944, just prior to Drum's tenth patrol, the incumbent commanding officer developed gall stones. Rindskopf wrote of it in an unpublished autobiography:

I was given two choices: To take command, or to break in yet another skipper. The decision was easy, and I became the first in the [U.S. Naval Academy] class of 1938 to command a fleet boat on patrol.

During his first patrol in command Rindskopf only came across targets too small for a torpedo. He sank them by gunfire and brought the survivors aboard, putting them to work in the galley (kitchen). They became Drum's cooks.

Drum did not sink another ship in World War II following Rindskopf's detachment.

Navy Cross Citation

The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Navy Cross to Commander Maurice Herbert Rindskopf (NSN: 0-81027), United States Navy, for extraordinary heroism in the line of his profession as Commanding Officer of the U.S.S. DRUM (SS-228), on the ELEVENTH War Patrol of that submarine during the period 9 September 1944 to 8 November 1944, in enemy controlled waters of the Luzon Straits in the Philippine Islands. Through his daring, aggressive spirit and tenacity, Commander Rindskopf skillfully launched well-planned and smartly executed attacks which resulted in the sinking of enemy ships totaling over 24,000 tons and in damaging additional vessels totaling over 8,000 tons. Through his experience and sound judgment Commander Rindskopf brought his ship safely back to port. His conduct throughout was an inspiration to his officers and men and in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.

Summary of World War II

Summary of CDR Maurice H. Rindskopf's USS Drum (SS-228) War Patrols

	Departing From	Date	Commanding Officer	Days	Wartime Credit Ships/Tonnage	JANAC Credit Ships/Tonnage	Patrol Area
Drum-1	Pearl Harbor, TH	April 1942	Robert H. Rice	56	4 / 24,000	4 / 20,644	Empire; Participated in Battle of Midway en route home
Drum-2	Pearl Harbor, TH	July 1942	Robert H. Rice	54	zero / zero	zero / zero	Truk
Drum-3	Pearl Harbor, TH	September 1942	Robert H. Rice	46	3 / 19,500	3 / 13,208	Empire
Drum-4	Pearl Harbor, TH	November 1942	Bernard F. McMahon	56	zero / zero	zero / zero	Empire
Drum-5	Pearl Harbor, TH	March 1943	Bernard F. McMahon	47	3 / 15,900	2 / 10,189	-->Brisbane
Drum-6	Brisbane, Australia	June 1943	Bernard F. McMahon	49	1 / 8,700	1 / 5,087	Bismarck
Drum-7	Brisbane, Australia	August 1943	Bernard F. McMahon	51	3 / 12,900	1 / 1,334	Bismarck
Drum-8	Brisbane, Australia	November 1943	Delbert F. Williamson	34	1 / 11,900	1 / 11,621	-->Pearl Harbor
Drum-9	Pearl Harbor, TH	April 1944	Delbert F. Williamson	50	zero / zero	zero / zero	Bonins
Drum-10	Pearl Harbor, TH	June 1944	Maurice H. Rindskopf	51	zero / zero	zero / zero	Palau
Drum-11	Pearl Harbor, TH	September 1944	Maurice H. Rindskopf	59	4 / 25,100	3 / 18,497	Luzon Strait
				Totals:	19 / 118,000	15 / 80,580

Drum's rankings compared with Other Top Submarines

Tonnage Rank	Tonnage Sunk	Ship Rank	Ships Sunk
8	80,580	20	15

CDR Rindskopf's Ranking Compared with Other Top Skippers

Ranking	Number of Patrols	Ships/Tons Credited	Ships/Tons JANAC
150	2	4 / 25,100	3 / 18,497

Post-war career

After World War II, Rindskopf refined submarine fire control and tactics; commanded USS Fulton (AS-11); had command of the U.S. Naval Submarine School in Groton, CT; commanded two submarine flotillas; explored the use of hydrofoils in harbor defense; became the Director of Naval Intelligence; and Assistant Chief of Staff for Intelligence for the Commander in Chief, U.S. Pacific Fleet. Retiring from the Navy in 1972, Rindskopf worked for Westinghouse for 16 years.

Death

Rindskopf died of prostate cancer on July 27, 2010 at his home in Annapolis. His wife and son preceded him in death; he was survived by his granddaughter Amy Kathryn Rindskopf and two great-grandsons.

Several obituaries (e.g. The Annapolis Capital, Naval History Magazine) confused Rindskopf's eleven patrols onboard Drum as eleven patrols in command of Drum. He was only in command for patrols 10 and 11, yet he had a hand in every sinking in Drum's history.

Popular culture

• Film and swim star

References

• Hall of Valor. "Valor Awards for Maurice Herbert Rindskopf". Military Times. http://militarytimes.com/citations-medals-awards/recipient.php?recipientid=20816. Retrieved 12 December 2011. 
• The Joint Army Navy Assessment Committee (3 February 1947). "Appendix: Japanese Shipping Lost by United States Submarines". Japanese Naval and Merchant Shipping Losses During World War II by All Causes. HyperWar Foundation. http://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/Japan/IJN/JANAC-Losses/JANAC-Losses-6.html. Retrieved 23 November 2011. 
• Blair Jr., Clay (1975). Silent Victory: The U.S. Submarine War Against Japan. Philadelphia and New York: J. B. Lippincott Company. ISBN 0-397-00753-1. 
• Roscoe, Theodore (1949). United States Submarine Operations in World War II. Annapolis, Maryland: United States Naval Institute. 
• Reed, Tina (31 July 2011). "This Guy Was A Real Hero". Annapolis, Maryland: Capital Gazette Communications LLC. http://www.hometownannapolis.com/news/TOP/2011/07/31-26/This-guy-was-a-real-hero.html. Retrieved 12 November 2011. 
• Richardson USN, VADM John (July 2011). "RADM Maurice Rindskopf, USN (Ret) Obituary". Annandale, Virginia: Naval Submarine League. pp. 147–148. 
• "Naval History News: Maurice H. Rindskopf, 1917-2011". Annapolis, Maryland: U.S. Naval Institute. 23 October 2011. pp. 11. 
• Hevesi, Dennis (7 August 2011). "M.H. Rindskopf, Submarine Commander, Dies at 93". New York City. pp. A18. http://www.nytimes.com/2011/08/07/us/07rindskopf.html. Retrieved 12 December 2011. 
• Langer, Emily (9 August 2011). "Retired Rear Adm. Maurice H. ‘Mike’ Rindskopf dies at 93". Washington, DC: The Washington Post. http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/obituaries/retired-rear-adm-maurice-h-mike-rindskopf-dies-at-93/2011/08/08/gIQAprcF5I_story.html. Retrieved 12 December 2011. 
• Lawrence, Dan (1 August 2011). "RADM "Mike" Rindskopf, former DNI". Naval Intelligence Professionals. http://navintpro.net/?p=1983. Retrieved 12 December 2011. 
• Brody, Seymour (1 August 2011). "Rear Admiral Maurice H. Rindskopf: Youngest Submarine Commander, WW II". Jewish Generals and Admirals in America's Military. Florida Atlantic University Libraries. http://www.fau.edu/library/gen-adm58.htm. Retrieved 21 December 2011. 

External links

• "You're Watching Rear Admiral Ret. Maurice H. Rindskopf". Video History. U.S. Navy All Hands Television. http://www.navy.mil/ahtv.asp?id=14175. Retrieved 20 December 2011.