| Fifties Frogs Magazine |
Vol 11 |
| Pg 5 |
Memorials
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We buried him high on a windy hill, —Langston Hughes Departed Shipmates:
LTJG KIRBY
AMBLER LCDR JOE DIMARTINO LTJG KIRBY AMBLER, USN Kirby served two years on a destroyer and then left for UDTRA. He was class senior officer and designated the number one graduate. He was not only a great athlete but an outstanding leader throughout his Navy career. While in UDT-21, he swam on the Amphibious Base swim team and took part in many operations. Born in Chicago, he was raised in Chicago and Washington Island, Wisconsin. Kirby graduated from the University of North Carolina where he was a world class swimmer and a leader in his class. After his Naval service Kirby worked for IBM as a computer salesman and then, following his active duty flying hobby, he became an airline pilot. He retired as an airline Captain for Delta Airlines in 1990. He spent most of the time traveling and divided his time between and California, Florida and Wisconsin home. Kirby died after a long battle of chronic pneumonia in San Diego. He is survived by two daughters, Sharon and Heather and their mother Bonnie. [ top ]
ENC KEVIN MURPHY, USN After high school Kevin enlisted in the Navy and volunteered for submarine duty. In 1952 he observed an underwater demolition team practice on the submarine on which he was stationed. He immediately requested a transfer to UDT following successful training was assigned to UDT-12 at Coronado. His interest in diving continued as became the diving instructor for Team 12. In 1957 he was transferred to the UDT Training Unit and began setting up a new diving locker, which would eventually include open, closed, and semi-enclosed circuit diving equipment. In addition he assumed the responsibility of developing the training curriculum for all the different diving programs. Future UDT diving lockers emulated many of his procedures and the Unit was complemented by Jacques Costeau as one of the most advanced operations, Kevin remained with the Training Unit until his retirement in 1968. As a result of his long tenure and the serious growth in the Teams due to Vietnam war, Kevin was personally involved in the development of hundreds of UDT and SEAL trainees. He always considered this phase of his life the most gratifying professionally. He enjoyed teaching and was known for being demanding, but, also to praise and raise morale. Kevin felt that he had done his duty if he could help every trainee reach their potential, as well as prepare them for future missions. Following his retirement from the Navy, Kevin worked with San Diego Divers’ Supply. The first store to specialize in underwater diving. Eventually he became a partner with Bill Hardy and they worked together for many years. This business gave Kevin the opportunity to continue teaching, mentoring, and to maintain his love affair with the oceans of the world. He utilized the organizational skills he learned in the Navy while setting standards for instructor training. Kevin personally taught training seminars in various parts of the world. He particularly loved the diving expeditions he organized. He experienced a spiritual kinship with the vastness of the sea, Kevin had many loves in his life, his friends, his golfing buddies, his Navy comrades, his business associates and, of course his Welch Corgi, Abby. His affection was returned in full measure and many will miss him. He is survived by his wife Gayl, and his brothers Dennis of Palm City, FL. Eugen of Woffeboro, NH, and John of Nauset, MA add Jensen Beach FL. Two brothers predeceased him. There are also stephildren Alison, and Hilary Foshee, Jeff and Jim Erkenbeck, Tom Schnurr and Jennifer McKig He died No, Colorado, October 6 2007. More about Kevin Murphy via an email from Jim Briscoe:When I was about twelve years old, I wrote a letter to UDT (after seeing the Navy Frogman) asking what I had to do to be a frogman when I grew up. I received a letter from UDTRA with a PT schedule and some 8 X 10 photos. The letter was signed by Kevin Murphy. Fast forward to November 1962, I’m in boot camp when they started to take a few volunteers straight into UDTRA from the Naval Training Center. They sent Lance Mann and Kevin to do the interviews. They took one look at my 130lb twig frame and rejected me. I snuck out of my barracks to attend the next two class interviews and finally Kevin said, "If he wants it that bad give him a shot!" After the Navy I was sent to work for Kevin at San Diego Divers’ supply. He was a big part of my young life. I believe he was one of the smartest men I’ve ever met. The design for filling the Baralyme canisters and recharging Emerson rigs were his genius.
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RM JACK "JIM" FOWLER, USN Jim was Bill Baker’s swim buddy in UDT-15 in mid 50’s. He died in his home town of Galatia, Illinois on June 21, 2007 after a long battle with heart disease and diabetes. After leaving the teams, Jack went on to become a mine inspector for many years in the Southeastern Illinois coal district. A former Mayor of Galatia, Illinois, he and wife where they lived for several years prior to his death. His wish was to return to his childhood home to spend his last to weeks of his life there he amid his many friends and his family.
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LCDR JOE DIMARTINO. USN Joe was a seaman in England in 1944 looking for something to do besides peeling potatoes. A call went out for volunteers to join the Naval Combat Demolition Units. Joe signed up. After 4-week crash course he was on his way to Omaha Beach. CDR Draper Kauffman’s first call was to CDR Wally Cooper to head the force of 20 NCDU’s through the D-Day landings at H-Hour. The cost was high in Wally’s units that suffered 68% casualties—dead/wounded. Joe survived. Don Crawford tells of a conversation overheard between a young teammate and Joe at one of the reunions, He asked Joe, "When did you go through Hell Week?" Joe replied, "June 6th 1944." Editor: I was a young frog on the east coast in 50’s when I met Joe DiMartino. At first I didn’t know he was on Normandy beach. I was in awe. I often wanted to ask him what it was like, but I was too timid. To me he was what Joe DiMaggio was to a baseball fan. He was my icon. He always had a wonderful smile, always calm.
When I went to the west coast I lost track of him. I knew he was in Vietnam. Later I found out he was in Coronado. I called him up and talked with for awhile, by then he wasn’t well. So I refrained asking for his bio. The photos are how I remember Joe; smiling, calm, ready, and even. A real teammate! Here he’s standing in the middle of the back row with 22 frogs, the cream
of the teams then. Who knew then his worth, his place in the history of the Underwater Demolition Teams? Many of them are with him now. May God Bless them all. The most Famous American Flag Joe Rosenthal has died. He once said, "I take some gratification being a little part of what the U.S. stands for." I was privileged to meet Joe in person at a Marine Corps reunion of veterans in Louisville, Ky. You could see how gracious he was in conversations even though he was the idol that evening. After being introduced to him he asked me what a sailor was doing there amongst all the Marines, he laughed. As I started to leave he gave me a signed Iwo Jima photo. It resides on my office wall. He had said, "What I see behind the photograph what it took to get up to those heights—the devotion to their country that those young men had, and the sacrifices they made." I know that frogs did like to haze Marines every way they could and did. I recall serving in Camp LeJeune training exercises as lifeguard for the landings. When the boats could not reach the shore for the marines coming off the boats many were near drowning with their heavy gear taking them down. I’ve always felt I wouldn’t mind having a marine beside me. We have the best marines in the in the world The flag at Iwo Jima proves it.
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