[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 42 (Friday, April 3, 1998)]
[Senate]
[Pages S3226-S3227]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




        TRIBUTE TO ADMIRAL CHARLES R. LARSON, UNITED STATES NAVY

 Mr. McCAIN. Mr. President, I take this opportunity to 
recognize and say farewell to an outstanding naval officer and dear 
friend, Admiral Charles R. Larson. It is an honor and a privilege for 
me to recognize his many outstanding achievements and to commend him 
for the superb service he has provided the United States Navy and our 
great nation during a truly distinguished military career. Admiral 
Larson's achievements over his 40-year career are unparalleled in our 
modern Navy. In addition to being a superb naval officer and my well-
respected classmate at the United States Naval Academy, Admiral Larson 
was the youngest officer in the history of our Navy to be promoted to 
Admiral. Upon retirement in June, he will have served in 11 positions 
spanning more than 19 years as a flag officer.
  Admiral Charles R. Larson assumed duties as the 55th Superintendent 
of the United States Naval Academy on 1 August 1994. Prior to his 
arrival, Admiral Lawson served from March 1991-July 1994 as Commander 
in Chief of the U.S. Pacific Command (CINCPAC) located in Honolulu, 
Hawaii. As the senior U.S. military commander in the Pacific and Indian 
Ocean areas, he led the largest of the unified commands and directed 
all Army, Navy, Marine Corps, and Air Force operations across 103 
million square miles--more than 50 percent of the Earth's surface. In 
his position as Commander of CINCPAC, Admiral Larson had primary 
responsibility for 350,000 personnel and the readiness of all U.S. 
forces in the theater, and was accountable to the President and the 
Secretary of the Defense. He was also the U.S. Military representative 
for collective defense arrangements in the Pacific and worked with 44 
countries in the Pacific Rim.
  Admiral Larson was born in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. A graduate of 
North High School in Omaha, Nebraska, he graduated from the United 
States Naval Academy with distinction in 1958. After being commissioned 
in the U.S. Navy, he reported to flight training in Pensacola, Florida, 
and was designated a naval aviator in May 1960. He then reported to 
Attack Squadron 176, where he flew missions from the aircraft carrier 
USS Shangri-La (CVA 38).
  In April 1963, he volunteered and was accepted for nuclear power 
training. Upon completion, he served in two fleet ballistic submarines, 
USS Nathan Hale and USS Nathanael Greene, before reporting as executive 
officer of the nuclear-powered attack submarine USS Bergal.
  Admiral Larson was the first naval officer selected as a White House 
Fellow, serving in 1968 as Special Assistant to the Secretary of the 
Interior. From January 1969 to April 1971, he served as Naval Aide to 
the President of the United States. He reported back to sea duty as 
executive officer of the nuclear-powered submarine USS Sculpin. From 
August 1973 to July 1976, he served as commanding officer of the 
nuclear submarine USS Halibut. In August 1976, Admiral Larson assumed 
duties as Commander, Submarine Development Group ONE, in San Diego, 
California. In this assignment, he headed the Navy's worldwide deep 
submergence program with a variety of submarines, surface ships, deep 
submersibles, and diving systems under his command.

  As a Flag Officer, Admiral Larson has served in nine assignments both 
ashore and afloat subsequent to his promotion to Rear Admiral in March 
1979. These include: Director of the Strategic Submarine Division and 
Trident Coordinator on the staff of the Chief of Naval Operations; 
Director, Long Range Planning Group, an organization he established to 
assist the Chief of Naval Operations identify and prioritize long-range 
Naval objectives for planning the Navy of the early 21st century; 
Commander, Submarine Group EIGHT; Commander, Area Anti-Submarine 
Warfare Forces, SIXTH Fleet; and Commander, Submarines Mediterranean 
(NATO) in Naples, Italy.
  From August 1983 to August 1986, he served as the 51st Superintendent 
of the United States Naval Academy. In August 1986, Admiral Larson was 
promoted to Vice Admiral prior to reporting as Commander, Striking 
Fleet Atlantic/Commander, SECOND FLEET. In August 1988, he reported as 
Deputy Chief of Naval Operations for Plans, Policy and Operations.
  Admiral Larson was promoted to four-star rank in February 1990 upon 
being assigned as Commander in Chief, U.S. Pacific Fleet the Navy 
component commander in the Pacific theater. After one year in this 
position, Admiral Larson was nominated by the President and assumed 
duties as Commander in Chief, U.S. Pacific Command.
  Admiral Laron's decorations include the Defense Distinguished Service 
Medal, six Navy Distinguished Service Medals, three Legions of Merit, 
Bronze Star Medal, Navy Commendation Medal, and Navy Achievement Medal.
  For the past four years, Admiral Larson has served as the 55th 
Superintendent of the United States Naval Academy. Admiral Larson was 
asked to assume the duties as Superintendent to

[[Page S3227]]

return honor, discipline, and a sense of commitment to the 4,000 
midshipmen, in the wake of the most trying scandals that the Naval 
Academy has faced in its 152-year history. As background, on September 
27, 1993, the Naval Academy Board of Visitors created the Honor Review 
Committee, known as the Armitage Committee, named after the Chairman, 
Ambassador Richard L. Armitage. The Armitage Committee was charged with 
reviewing the concept, process, and effectiveness of the Naval Academy 
Honor Concept, particularly in light of the December 1992 compromising 
of an Electric Engineering exam at the Academy. One significant 
recommendation of the Amitage Committee was to increase the 
Superintendent's Academy tour length to four years and make the 
Superintendent a more senior flag officer than the two-star admirals 
who had previously served in that position. Admiral Larson was the top 
choice among several stellar candidates given his maturity, four-star 
rank, experience, academic background, outstanding character and 
integrity, and his known ability to reach out and unify all Academy 
efforts aimed at improving character development: administration, 
academic departments, athletic department (including varsity 
athletics), extra-curricular activities, the Office of Chaplains, and 
the Brigade Honor Committee.

  As a member of the Naval Academy's Board of Visitors, I can report 
that we recently conducted a comprehensive investigation of every 
aspect of the Naval Academy. We concluded that the Naval Academy is 
fundamentally sound and on the right track for the 21st century. For 
that positive endorsement, we have Admiral Larson to thank. I would 
like to cite a few of the significant changes that Admiral Larson has 
instituted at the Naval Academy, which I believe will have positive 
effects for the future of our service academies:
  Established a New Leadership Curriculum. The leadership curriculum 
has been completely revamped, emphasizing a continuum of leadership 
both in the classroom and in the fleet.
  Established a New Ethics Course. A three-credit course, ``Moral 
Reasoning for Naval Leaders,'' provides a weekly lecture by a faculty 
philosopher and seminars taught by senior officers with extensive fleet 
experience.
  Instituted Integrity Development Seminars. During these monthly 
sessions, midshipmen work to define and clarify their basic moral 
values, and to determine the importance of those values and their 
significance to a career as a military officer.
  Established Distinguished Chair of Ethics. A world-renowned ethicist 
has been appointed, who adds considerable expertise to all of the Naval 
Academy's character development efforts.
  Established a Distinguished Professor of Leadership. The current 
Professor of Leadership is focusing efforts on improving how leadership 
is taught and practiced, both in the Division of Professional 
Development and in Bancroft Hall.
  Reaffirmed Honor Concept and Education. Midshipmen ownership of the 
Naval Academy's Honor Concept has been reaffirmed, and efforts to 
educate all midshipmen about the history, significance, and value of 
the Naval Academy Honor Concept have been strengthened.
  Returned to a Traditional Plebe Summer. With an emphasis on 
leadership by example, Admiral Larson returned the Naval Academy to a 
more traditional summer training period for new midshipmen, challenging 
them to reach new heights in physical, intellectual, and moral 
performance, and emphasizing the importance of respect for the dignity 
of others.
  Established a Masters Program for Company Officers. This program 
allows exceptional junior officers from the fleet to spend their first 
year in an intense academic environment where they will earn a master's 
degree in leadership. After being awarded an academic degree, the 
officers would then use this knowledge, combined with their fleet 
experience, to become more effective leaders and models for the 
midshipmen.

  Instituted Company Chief Petty Officers. Each Company has been 
assigned a senior chief petty officer or a Marine Corps gunnery 
sergeant who provides considerable first-hand fleet experience to the 
young officers-in-training.
  Renewed Accreditation of Academic Program. Under Admiral Larson's 
leadership, the Naval Academy received renewed academic accreditation 
in 1986 and 1996. His direction of the academic program for the long 
term engendered laudatory comments by the inspection teams.
  Key Brigade Accomplishments in Academic Year 1996-1997:
  74 Midshipmen from the Class of '97 were selected or nominated for 
graduate education programs, 10 of whom were women--a record number of 
female participants.
  Midshipmen participated in over 16,000 hours of community service, a 
new record. This effort represents the exponential growth of community 
service in the Brigade.
  Fifteen varsity athletes were named All-Americans for '96-'97. Two of 
15 were also GTE Academic All-Americans.
  Mr. President, my good friend Chuck Larson, his wife Sally, and 
daughters Sigrid, Erica, and Kirsten have made many sacrifices during 
his 40-year naval career, and have contributed significantly to the 
outstanding naval forces upon which our country relies so heavily. 
Admiral Larson is a great credit to both the Navy and the country he so 
proudly serves. As this truly history-making officer now departs for 
another career, I call upon my colleagues from both sides of the aisle 
to wish him fair winds and following seas. He will be greatly missed. 
'58 is great! 

                          ____________________