Ralph Waldo Christie, Date of Birth, Place of Birth, Date of Death

    

Ralph Waldo Christie

Rear Admiral of the United States Navy during World War II

Date of Birth: 30-Aug-1893

Place of Birth: Somerville, Massachusetts, United States

Date of Death: 19-Dec-1987

Profession: military officer, submariner

Nationality: United States

Zodiac Sign: Virgo


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About Ralph Waldo Christie

  • Ralph Waldo Christie (30 August 1893 – 19 December 1987) was an admiral in the United States Navy who played a pivotal role in the development of torpedo technologies.
  • During World War II, he commanded submarine operations out of the Australian ports of Brisbane and Fremantle. A 1915 graduate of the United States Naval Academy, Christie served on a variety of warships beginning with the battleship New Jersey in 1915.
  • He was trained in torpedo design and implementation and became one of the first members of the Submarine School at New London.
  • In 1923 Christie graduated from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology with a Master's degree in Mechanical Engineering, specializing in torpedoes.
  • During the 1920s, he was involved with project G-53, a highly secret program to develop a magnetic influence exploder for torpedoes.
  • The result of this was the development of the Mark 6 exploder and the Mark 14 torpedo.
  • Christie also developed a design for an oxygen torpedo, designated project G-49 or "Navol". After the United States entered World War II, Christie was posted to Brisbane and commanded submarine operations during the Solomon Islands campaign.
  • He then returned to the U.S.
  • as Inspector of Ordnance at the Newport Torpedo Station.
  • In January 1943, Christie returned to Australia as commander of submarine operations in Fremantle.
  • Despite growing evidence of problems with the Mark 6 exploder and the Mark 14 torpedo, he remained convinced of their effectiveness.
  • During 1944, he accompanied war patrols on the submarines USS Bowfin and USS Harder.
  • In November 1944, Christie was relieved of command of submarine operations at Fremantle by Vice Admiral Thomas C.
  • Kinkaid and returned to the United States, where he commanded the Puget Sound Navy Yard.
  • He retired from the Navy in August 1949 with the rank of vice admiral.

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