Oral History Vice Admiral Marmaduke G. Bayne U.S. Navy (Retired) - Conducted by David F. Winkler, Ph.D. Naval Historical Foundation 16July 1998 26 August 1998 Naval Ifistorical Foundation Washington, DC 2000 • • • • • • Introduction I first contacted Vice Admiral Bayne in l 996, it was in relation to another series of interviews I had intended to conduct with Secretary of the Navy Fred Korth. Bayne had served as Korth's Executive Assistant and thus could provide an overview of the issues. He invited me to Irvington and was gracious with his time, providing me with good background material. At that time it became obvious that Bayne would be a good interview subject, however, he politely declined. Unfortunately, Korth fell ill and subsequently passed away so the planned interviews were never conducted. However, Bayne had a change of heart and agreed to a biographical interview that included the period that he served as Korth's EA. Besides serving as a SecNav EA, Vice Admiral Bayne's career is significant as he served in the Submarine Service during a period of transformation from WWII diesel boats to a force including nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines. In his interviews, Bayne details a career serving as a junior officer on a Fleet Boat in the Western Pacific battling the Japanese Empire to command of a missile boat flotilla in the Mediterranean Sea in the late 1960s. In addition, he served in several political-military posts, with his most important being Commander, Middle East Force. As COMIDEASTFOR, Bayne negotiated with the Bahraini government for an American naval shore presence there that continues to the present. Indeed, when I visited Bahrain in November 1998 to write on the history of USN-Bahraini relations, I noted that the Bahrain School Library was named for him. In addition to thanking Vice Admiral Bayne for his interview and subsequent review of the transcript, I greatly appreciate the assistance of Yeoman Chief Frank Arre, USN (Ret.) who transcribed the first session and Rear Admiral James D. Cossey, USN (Ret.) who transcribed the second interview. David F. Winkler, Ph.D. September 1999 11 • • • • Cl • Vice Admiral Marmaduke G. Bayne, USN (Ret.) Marmaduke Gresham Bayne was born on 2 May 1920 in Norfolk, Virginia, son of Marmaduke G. and Lessie Lee (McConnico) Bayne. He attended the University of Tennessee at Knoxvi\le from which he received a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1942. He was commissioned Ensign in the U.S. Naval Reserve on 16 June 1942 and subsequently advanced to the rank of Vice Admiral, to date from 1February1973, having transferred to the Regular Navy on 30 July 1945. After receiving his commission in 1942, he attended the Naval Training School, Dartmouth College, Hanover, New Hampshire, for indoctrination training. In November 1942, he became Officer in Charge of USS YP-61. He had submarine training at the Submarine School, New London, Connecticut, and in April 1944 joined the USS BECUNA (SS 319), making three war patrols in the Pacific on that submarine. In March 1945, he was assigned to Submarine Division TWO HUNDRED SIXTY ONE for duty with a Refit Crew and in June 1945 became Engineering Officer of the USS BERGALL (SS 320). He had instruction at the General Line School, Newport, Rhode Island, from July 1946 to June 194 7, then became Executive Officer of the USS TORO (SS 422). Between August 1949 and March 1951, he was Officer in Charge at Training Aids Section, at the Fifth Naval District Headquarters, Norfolk, Virginia, after which he had duty on the USS SEA LEOPARD (SS 483) as Executive Officer. In July 1952, he joined the staff of the Commander in Chief, U.S. Atlantic Fleet and Supreme Allied Commander, Atlantic, as Aide to the Commander. In that capacity he attended the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II in London, and the fleet review that year at Spithead. In May 1954 he assumed command of the USS PIPER (SS 409). He had command of the USS TRlGGER (SS 564) from April 1955 to January 1957, then had instruction at the Armed Forces Staff College, Norfolk, Virginia, for the next seven months. He reported in July 1957, as Assistant Head of the Submarine Warfare Branch in the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations, Navy Department, Washington, D.C., serving there for three years until joining the staff of Commander, Submarine Force, U.S. Atlantic Fleet as Plans Officer in September 1960. In July 1961, he became Commander Submarine Division SIXTY-TWO deploying to the Mediterranean with his division of submarines for duty with the SIXTH Fleet. He was selected as Aide to the Secretary of the Navy, and served from June 1962 until November 1963, when he reported as Assistant Chief of Staff, Polaris, to Commander Submarine Force, Atlantic Fleet. In August 1965, he assumed command of Submarine Flotilla EIGHT in Naples, Italy for which he was awarded a Legion of Merit for his exercise of control of ballistic lll • missile submarine operations in the Mediterranean Sea. In July 1967, he reported as Assistant Director of the Politico-Military Policy Division, Office of Chief of Naval Operations, Navy Department and was awarded a Gold Star in lieu of second Legion of Merit for his exceptional meritorious service. In August 1968, he was detached to serve as Deputy Chief of Staff and Assistant Chief of Staff for Plans, Policy, and Operations, to the Supreme Allied Commander, Atlantic. He was awarded a Gold Star in lieu of his Third Legion of Merit for his service in this assignment. • He became Commander Middle East Force in April 1970 and in January 1973, he reported as Commandant of the ~ationaJ War College, Washington, D.C. There he earned a Distinguished Service Medal and the Defense Distinguished Service Medal. He retired from the Navy in 1977. In additional to the above cited awards, Vice Admiral Bayne has the American Campaign Medal; Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal; World War II Victory Medal; National Defense Service Medal with bronze star; and the Philippine Liberation Medal with one star. Since retirement, he served as Senior Councilor to the School of Foreign Service, • Georgetown University and then settled in Irvington, Virginia. He is married to the fonner Sibyl Louise Drake and they have two children and six grandchildren. Sybil Bayne is a noted artist and owner of"The Old Post Office Art Gallery" in Irvington. • • iv Subjects Covered 16 July 1998 Youth in Norfolk-Father was Navy Chief-died young Influence of Grandmother-Man of the house-younger brother Influence of History Teacher Virginia Arthur Work during the Depression-Navy YMCA-Racial Incident Decision to go the University of Tennessee-Marriage to Sybil Drake Joining the Navy-Indoctrination at Dartmouth College Assigned to command YP 429-Duty out of Charleston Discussion of crew, annament, and duties-Surviving Heavy Seas Assignment to Submarine School and USS BECUNA Convoy attack-Depth charged-torpedoes The effects of depth charges in shallow water Weeding out process for Submarine Service Leadership-Captain Sturr on BECUNA- Sandal story Witnessing effects of surface gun attack Transfer to BERGALL-Captain Hyde and Ben Jarvis Overhaul-post-war visits to Truk and Ponape Islands Decision to augment-General Line School Assignment to TORO-Race with PIPER Discussion of mine detection exercise-lesson learned XO duties-Relationship with Chief of the Boat Assignment to Training Aids job in Norfolk XO of SEA LEOPARD-Discussion ofC.O. Aide to SACLANT-Working for Admiral McCormick Coronation of Queen Elizabeth-Meeting VIPs Insights gained-Caring for people assigned NATO exercises-Close call on landing aircraft Command of PIPER-Change of Command Tactics-Comparison of diesel boats-Periscope-snorkel innovations Command of TRIGGER- Deployments Collision with TROUT-Retention of Command Orders to OPNAV to Submarine Warfare Branch NAUTILUS North Pole Transit Commander Submarine Division SIXTY TWO Leadership philosophy-Deployment to the Mediterranean v • Hosting Greek Royal Family Malta situation and Chief Steward Hughes Transition to nuclear power-Relationship with Admiral Rickover Comments on SSBN program 26 August 1998 Assignment as SECNAV EA--Personalities • Being selected--Sizing up Secretary Korth--Political landscape Korth's insistence on fitting people to jobs Secretary Korth-BUPERS Admiral Smedberg relationship Secretary McNamara and his Whiz kids--Quantification CNO Admiral Anderson Being caught in the middle of Anderson and McNamara Reviewing Navy Organization--Dillion Study--Establishing Material Command Elimination of the Bureaus Under Secretary Paul Fahy--Fahy as JFK's court jester Assistant Secretary for R&D Dr. Wakeland • Korth's management style Concerns over Admiral Rickover--The Rickover-Smedberg conflict Korth intervention to break nuclear program manning logjam The THRESHER disaster--Korth's premature discovery announcement Investigation and Report The Cuban Missile Crisis--Being cut out of the decision making process Dealing with the press Fleet exercise for the President--Meeting JFK • Debate with Alan Enthoven on exercise results--Bean counter mentality Trip to Gitmo and Panama--Meeting with President Torreos Korth's positive impressions of General Shoup and the USMC Curriculum at the U.S. Naval Academy--Rickover's call for more engineering The replacement of Admiral Anderson--Korth's visit to Sixth Fleet Vice Admiral McDonald's reticence The TFX scandal--Korth as the fall guy for McNamara McClellan hearings--Korth's decision to resign • Myth about resignation over McNamara decision to build non-nuke CVA-67 Assistant Chief