Vic Socotra

26 March 2009

Yes, No

(LT Richard Welsch)

No story this morning- dog pooped in the bathroom, had to write an obit, blah blah, and a nine o'clock I have to run to. Rain, so no Mexicans paving. The President is going to take questions from the American people via internet later today, confirming my suspicion that he thinks he was not getting the right ones from the media.

I think it is going to be easier to stay focused this way, and not be distracted. With the way the newspapers are fading away, it may be the way of the future. Plus, you can collect the addresses.

I confess it made me think as I reconstructed a life from a spare death notice. This is really interesting, but really short, you know?

TAPS

21March 2009. LT Richard Lewis Welch, USN, 82, Northampton Manor Health Care Center, Frederick, MD. A native of the Buckeye State, Richard was born Feb. 5, 1927 in Columbus, Ohio, to the late Lewis and Elsie (Barber) Welch and attended the University of Ohio. He enlisted in the Navy in 1944, serving in the western Pacific. He was assigned to LST 1028 during the invasion of Luzon when it was hit by a Japanese torpedo on Jan. 10, 1945. He was commended for his coolness in damage control and keeping his ship seaworthy.

Later, he served in USS Nevada from 1945-46 at the dawn of the nuclear age and was present at the Bikini atoll for Operation CROSSROADS, designed to test the effect of nuclear weapons on naval platforms. Targets included many of the surviving Imperial Japanese Navy capital ships. The tests were the fourth and fifth nuclear explosions in history. The 23-kiloton detonations were conducted as an airburst (ABLE) and undersea demonstration (BAKER). A third planned burst, CHARLIE, was canceled.

From 1946-51, he served on the USS Columbus afloat and was assigned to CINCNELM in London, where he met his future wife, Alice (Alma) Nevin, whom he married in 1951. He had another European tour in Naples and taught in the ROTC program at his alma mater in Ohio. Returning to Naples, he was XO of USS Mattabesset (AOG-52) from 1957-59, where the Petapsco-class gasoline tanker provided direct support to the Lebanon crisis of July 1958. From 1959-61, he served on the staff of NATO’s AFSOUTH in Naples.

In 1961 he returned stateside for uniformed Pentagon duty with Naval Intelligence, retiring from active duty in 1963. He was awarded the Navy Meritorious Civilian Service Award by the CNO in 1970. He remained in the Pentagon as a civilian until 1982, retiring as the Director of Security Policy Division of Naval Intelligence. He also received the National Intelligence Medal of Achievement for exceptional service in 1983, presented by then-CIA Director, William Casey.

After retirement, he served as President of Avanco International, a consulting and policy analysis company with a national defense practice.

Active in church and scouting in his home community, Richard was preceded in death by his sister, Mary Jean. He is survived by his wife; two daughters; a son; three grandchildren, and sister.

Vic

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