[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 131 (Tuesday, November 16, 2004)]
[Senate]
[Page S11371]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       JOHN SPINA'S NAVY SERVICE

 Mr. CRAIG. Mr. President, today I say thank you to a patriot 
and a technical expert, Mr. John Spina, who is retiring from civilian 
service to the Navy in December 2004.
  John was born and was raised in the Philadelphia, PA area. He began 
his government career in 1954 at the Navy's David Taylor Model Basin in 
West Bethesda, Maryland, as a cooperative student while attending 
Drexel University. He received a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical 
Engineering from Drexel in 1958. John continued his Federal career at 
the Model Basin--now NAVSEA, Naval Surface Warfare Center, Carderock 
Division--culminating in 50 years of diligent service to the Navy. John 
and his wife Rosemary live in Virginia and have been married 46 years.
  John's early assignments included travel to the David Taylor Model 
Basin's Field Station at Lake Pend Oreille in Bayview, ID where he led 
the initial testing at the large capacity haul down site, Wigwam, using 
10-foot long rising bodies.
  As part of the Acoustics and Vibration Laboratory, he conducted tests 
on body shapes for signal devices followed by tests with a special 
buoyantly-propelled device. He performed extensive torpedo tests with 
Pennsylvania State University, using buoyant, powered rise and 
``gravity drop'' methods. He also participated in towed array tests 
with Bell Labs and was instrumental in testing the initial core samples 
of the bottom of the lake in the late 1960's in preparation for the 
first big haul down system to be used for large model, Kamloops.
  John completed his master's degree at Catholic University in 1971. 
His work with large models and testing at the Bayview facility 
continued and led to the design, development, construction, and 
deployment of several large-scale submarine models: Steelhead, 
Mackinaw, S6W, Kamloops, and Dolly Varden, named after fish in Lake 
Pend Oreille. Unparalleled in the history of quieting, these models and 
the associated test programs were an immense success, contributing to 
the understanding and reduction of all aspects of submarine noise.
  The introduction of Dolly Varden provided a valuable capability for 
investigating noise sources and mechanisms with the economy of cost and 
time not possible in full scale. As test requirements and submarine 
quieting demands changed, these models were modified and adapted to 
hundreds of unique configurations, demonstrating the performance of 
materials and shapes for submarine applications.
  In the late 1980s, the Navy required powered model testing to further 
the science of quieting. A cooperative effort by the David Taylor 
Research Center and the Naval Sea Systems Command culminated in the 
design, construction, delivery, and successful operation and employment 
of the large-scale vehicle, Kokanee, in 1988. Again, John was actively 
involved, forming the crew, directing the logistics, and developing the 
operating plans and procedures. The results of the Kokanee testing 
offset over $1 billion in comparable full scale test and demonstrated 
superb prediction of full scale performance.
  The success and accomplishments of the Kokanee program showed that 
large models provide a valuable contribution to submarine development 
and John again led the specification, design, and development process 
for a second powered vehicle, the 200-ton Cutthroat model of the 
Virginia Class.
  In a parallel effort, static submarine tests also required additional 
test facilities and capabilities. Shortly after the deployment of 
Kokanee, plans were implemented for the construction of the 
Intermediate Scale Measurement System, ISMS. This multi-million dollar 
program provided a dramatic improvement in the ability to understand 
structural acoustics and to demonstrate advanced silencing theories and 
methods.
  While others pioneered new designs, data acquisition, and processing 
methods, John supported testing through the development of model 
handling and alteration capabilities, and an infrastructure of 
dedicated, trained personnel, unique equipment, and documentation of 
test methods that has continually improved performance and reduced 
costs. It is, therefore, fitting that we recognize and honor him for 
his years of service, months of travel, and unwavering support for the 
facility at Lake Pend Oreille and the Navy.
  John Spina has been a significant contributor to our nation's 
research and development in the area of quieting vessels and 
submarines, present and future capabilities, as well as numerous 
performance improvements for quieting operational and future vessels 
and submarines. I extend to John and Rosemary best wishes, fair winds, 
and following seas in their future endeavors.

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