REMEMBERING JOHN MERRILL

The submarine community, in general, and The Submarine Review in particular, lost a true friend and valued contributor when John Merrill Sr., 93, passed away recently at his home in Waterford, Connecticut. John will be well remembered for his accomplishments in many fields; for his professional career in submarine electronic systems development, for his efforts in support of libraries and colleges within the civilian community, and for his prowess in swimming competitions at the Masters level-he was still winning medals in his nineties. Readers of this magazine will remember him for his large body of work in describing the foundations of the technological development which led to American dominance in the difficult world of undersea warfare. His writings for The Submarine Review covered over twenty subjects appearing in full or in parts in more than thirty issues. A summary listing of those articles is appended here.

John started his service to his country in the thirties as a Coast Guard surface at a Great Lakes station. He soon showed aptitude for the radio field and early in World War II he was sent to the Capitol Radio Engineering Institute in Washington, D.C. He stayed in communications for the rest of his thirteen years as a Coast Guardsman. Married during the war, John and his wife Josephine soon settled in Connecticut. On completion of his active duty, John concurrently went back to school and started work at the Navy’s Underwater Sound Lab in New London. Initially at Mitchell College, he completed his Bachelor’s and Master’ s degrees at Hillyer College (now the University of Hartford), but he maintained a long-term relationship with Mitchell as an instructor and mentor. In point of fact, John was one of six, out of his immediate family of seven, who went to Mitchell.

John Merrill’s career at the Underwater Sound Lab/Naval Underwater System Center was long and distinguished. By the time he retired he was Head of Submarine Electromagnetic Systems. In 1974 he was presented the NUSC Award for Excellence in Management and in 1979 he received the Decibel Award for contributions to submarine communications. After retirement he was given emeritus status and completed a number of projects for the New London and Newport Labs.

He was an active member of the Nautilus Chapter of the Naval Submarine League. At various times in retirement (by his lights a term used only to describe a time-period, not an activity level) he served as President of the Waterford Library Board and on the Connecticut State Library Board. He was also a Fellow of the Blunt White Library at Mystic Seaport and enjoyed working at the Shain Library of Connecticut College.

All his many friends and admirers of his work, here at the League and the magazine join with his family in celebrating his life. We shall miss him.

John Merrill’s Articles in THE SUBMARINE REVIEW

Listed chronologically by the issue of publication.