Naval Submarine League Update 01-07-02
The Naval Undersea Museum is very pleased to announce the naming
of its library in honor of Captain Ralph L. Enos, USN (Ret), a distinguished
submariner and the museum's first director.
The dedication ceremony will take place on Monday, November 19th at 1:30 pm. The naming of the library for CAPT Enos is very appropriate because of his long and dedicated service as a naval officer, as a museum professional and as an author of naval history. CAPT Enos' career as a naval officer began with his graduation from the US Naval Academy with the class of 1952.
He completed submarine school in 1955 and subsequently served as the navigator on the USS Sam Houston (SSBN 609), making several strategic deterrence patrols in defense of our nation's freedom. He developed a specialty in undersea ordnance and from 1974 to 1977, served as the Program Officer for the Torpedo MK 48, the primary torpedo carried by US submarines.
He was the decommissioning Commanding Officer of the Naval Ordnance Station, Forest Park, Illinois.
Following his retirement from the navy, CAPT Enos completed the Master's degree program in museum studies at George Mason University in Virginia. He became a close advisor to VADM Eli Reich and other leaders of the Naval Undersea Museum Foundation in the critical time when the foundation was building the museum. CAPT Enos became the first director of the Naval Undersea Museum from 1989 to 1991.
CAPT Enos later became a consultant to the foundation in undersea technology and helped develop the museum's exhibits in torpedo and mine technology and in submarine history. His considerable expertise in these areas contributed significantly to the high quality of the museum's permanent exhibits.
CAPT Enos took charge of the establishment of the
Undersea
Quarterly, serving as its first editor and establishing standards of
scholarship, presentation, and relevance which continue today. Always an
interested and informed student of naval history, CAPT Enos wrote, and continues
to write, scholarly articles and book reviews for the Undersea Quarterly. His
particular interest is the naval history of the Pacific Northwest.
Not confining his work to the Undersea Quarterly, CAPT Enos has contributed articles to other publications such as the Submarine Review, the journal of the Naval Submarine League. His two-part article "Onkel Karl and Uncle Charlie" earned for him the US Naval Institute's award for the best submarine history article of 1999.
CAPT Enos has had a long-standing interest in and commitment to the museum's library. As museum director, he established the basis for its present excellence. As a benefactor, he has contributed many books, which have improved its holdings. And perhaps most important, as an author drawing upon its resources, ha has shown the value and importance of the library for contributing to the preservation, understanding, and scholarship of naval undersea history and operations.
The Ralph Enos Library at the Naval Undersea Museum honors the work which CAPT Enos has done for his country, the US Navy, and the museum.
For generations to come the Enos Library will be a center of excellence for people, the general public and scholars alike, interested in naval undersea history. The museum is honored to associate the library with CAPT Ralph Enos and the outstanding achievements of his distinguished career.
Bill Galvani