W. W. Behrens

Vice Admiral William Wohlsen Behrens Jr. (September 14, 1922 – January 21, 1986) was an American naval officer and oceanographer who was instrumental in establishing the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Biography Behrens was born at Newport, Rhode Island, the son of Rear Admiral (then Lieutenant) William W. Behrens Sr. and Nellie Vasey Behrens. He graduated from Friends Select Academy in Philadelphia, from Rutherford Preparatory School in Long Beach, California and then from the United States Naval Academy in the class of 1944 (graduated early in June 1943), where he attended via a presidential appointment. 1940s Behrens graduated from the Submarine School, New London, Connecticut, in 1943, and was assigned to the as gunnery officer, for two war patrols, and was awarded Presidential Unit Citation. He was then assigned to the , as a communications and engineer officer, on four war patrols, and was awarded Navy Unit Citation, Silver Star, Bronze Star with "V", with personal citations for "conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity". He was credited with conceiving electronic slip rings allowing for continuous, non-reversing trainability of submarine sonar, as well as developing the first short form code for use in submarine "wolfpack" communications. From July 1946 to August 1948 he was assigned to the as engineer officer. From September 1948 to March 1950 to the as executive officer, operations officer and navigator. He was awarded a Navy "E".