[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 27 (Friday, February 17, 2012)]
[Senate]
[Page S904]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


                   TRIBUTE TO ADMIRAL RICHARD CAMACHO

  Mr. INOUYE. Mr. President, I wish to say a few words of tribute today 
on behalf of my friend Admiral Dick Camacho, on the occasion of his 
retirement from the private sector.
  Admiral Camacho's ties to Hawaii go back to the 1870s, when his 
family emigrated from the Azores and began working on coffee and 
plantations on the Big Island and Oahu, respectively. His father went 
through the machinist apprentice program at Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard 
and was working there as a supervisor when it was attacked on December 
7, 1941. Then eight-year-old Dick Camacho waited for two days before 
hearing from his father that he was okay and had been working around 
the clock putting out fires and assessing the damage from the attack.
  Dick left the Islands to attend the University of New Mexico via the 
Naval Reserve Officers program where he graduated with a degree in 
Naval Engineering. He did post-graduate work in Electrical Engineering 
at the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey and later completed 
Harvard Business School's Management Development Program.
  Dick began his distinguished naval career as a junior officer on the 
USS Requisite in about as different a climate as he could find from 
Hawaii. The ship was deployed to the Arctic to engage on a mapping and 
survey mission. From there he was ordered to Submarine School in 
Connecticut.
  After graduating from Submarine School, Dick returned to Hawaii to 
serve as an officer aboard the USS Gudgeon, which was home-ported at 
Pearl Harbor. Admiral Camacho distinguished himself as a leader and was 
promoted. The Navy also increased his responsibilities, sending him to 
Naval Sea Systems Command, Submarine Forces Atlantic, Supervisor of 
Shipbuilding, Pascagoula, Mare Island Naval Shipyard, and Charleston 
Naval Shipyard where he served as the Shipyard Commander.
  In 1984, Dick became the first son of Hawaii to assume command of the 
Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard. I had the pleasure of attending a welcome 
home reception for Dick and his wife, Norma Jean, where over 1,000 
people were present, including members of Hawaii's Congressional 
delegation and local government representatives. Dick was promoted to 
Rear Admiral in 1985 and given the additional responsibilities of 
serving as the Supervisor of Shipbuilding and Commander of Naval Sea 
Systems West until his retirement in 1986.
  Embarking on his private sector career, Dick took a position with a 
San Diego-based company involved in the repair and modernization of 
Navy vessels. During this second career, which saw him open numerous 
shipyards around the country, Dick always stayed close to Hawaii. He 
returned many times and led the effort to revitalize the State's 
private sector ship repair business. He convinced his company to 
purchase a local shipyard and make significant investments in the 
facility through workforce training and equipment and an unparalleled 
commitment to workplace safety.
  Both the public and private sector owe a great deal to Admiral Dick 
Camacho and his amazing wife, Norma Jean. Hawaii is a better place for 
the contributions of these two wonderful people. I wish them both fair 
winds and following seas.

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