Richard “Dick” Pittenger
The Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution announces with great sorrow the death of Rear Admiral Richard “Dick” Pittenger on June 18, 2025. As Oceanographer of the Navy and later as Director of Marine Operations at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI), Rear Admiral Pittenger was instrumental in ensuring access to modern, first-class research vessels and vehicles for the entire oceanographic community. His leadership at WHOI from 1990 to 2024 saw significant advancements, including the mid-life conversions of the research vessels Knorr and Oceanus; the construction of the coastal research vessel Tioga; the integration of tethered vehicles like Argo, Medea/Jason, and DSL-120 into the National Deep Submergence Facility; and construction and acceptance of R/V Neil Armstrong.
Rear Admiral Richard F. Pittenger, or “Dick” as many knew him, was born in Nebraska during the worst of the Dust Bowl during the Depression Era of the mid-1930s. His family moved west, eventually settling in Tacoma, Washington, just south of Seattle on Puget Sound. Once there, he quickly found his sea legs and began actively participating in the Sea Scouts and Sea Cadets. It was those early experiences that first opened him to the foundational elements of leadership through service, seamanship, and scouting.
Dick later joined the U.S. Naval Reserves during the Korean War and earned an appointment to the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Md. According to his classmates, he was a strong scholar—but not a great mechanical engineer, having failed to devise intricate and complicated mouse traps in the barracks. Upon graduating in 1958, Dick was commissioned an ensign and went on to serve for 37 years, rising to the rank of rear admiral. Along the way, he earned a master’s degree in physics, specifically underwater acoustics, at the Naval Postgraduate School.
During his early years in the Navy, he was appointed to various commands, including a minesweeper in Vietnam, a fast frigate that was a member of the then-revolutionary “Anti Warfare Squadron,” and to a destroyer squadron. Because many of his posts included destroyers, he specialized in anti-submarine warfare (ASW) and eventually rose to direct ASW for the Chief of Naval Operations and to become Oceanographer of the Navy.
As Oceanographer of the Navy and throughout his later years at WHOI, Dick played a key role in ensuring access to modern, first-class research vessels and vehicles in the U.S. Academic Research Fleet. He was also a strong supporter of science and engineering education for naval officers through the MIT-WHOI Joint Program in Oceanography.
Upon retirement from the Navy, Pittenger was hired by his former mentee and then-WHOI Director Craig Dorman in 1990 to lead the Institution’s Marine Operations Division and to start a program focusing on Arctic research. When the mid-life conversion of R/V Knorr hit a snag, however, his focus quickly changed.
“I had worked closely with Dick when we were both in the Pentagon, responsible for various aspects of anti-submarine warfare, which is essentially a form of applied oceanography,” said Dorman. “I was extremely lucky and pleased to be able to bring him to WHOI when he retired as Oceanographer of the Navy. His initial task was to expand and enhance WHOI's program for Arctic research—even then, in the early 90s, it was clear that the Arctic regions were important for climate change and national security, as well as for their unique oceanographic characteristics. But at that time, WHOI was responsible for the mid-life extension and lengthening of both the R/V Melville and the R/V Knorr. The Melville had been successfully completed, but the Knorr refit was in both technical and financial trouble, so I asked Dick to take on the responsibilities for Marine Operations. He dug us out of that hole and went on to do a superb job not just for WHOI but for UNOLS, the Navy, and all seagoing research for many years.”
Dick’s era at WHOI also saw the addition of R/V Atlantis to the WHOI fleet, the retirement of Atlantis II, the mid-life conversions of Knorr and Oceanus, the construction of the coastal research vessel Tioga, the creation and revitalization of National Deep Submergence Facility and, in 2004, the award of a grant to build a replacement for Alvin. His influence was felt well away from the WHOI dock, as well. Starting in 2001, Dick led series of discussions about conceptual designs with the Scripps Institution of Oceanography and the U.S. National Science Foundation on ships to replace the aging Knorr and Melville. This evolved into a series of conferences over the next three years where various approaches were debated. For nearly 20 years, Pittenger navigated the halls of Congress and the Pentagon, advocating for what would eventually become R/V Neil Armstrong, which was delivered to WHOI in 2016, and the Scripps-operated Sally Ride.
Over the course of his tenure at WHOI, Dick transformed the organization—not just in his work directing marine operations but through the quality and force of his character. As former WHOI Director Bob Gagosian put it: “His excitement, principles, values, and character raised the bar overall—not only at WHOI, but in the overall oceanographic community and beyond. His passion for Woods Hole, his incredible dedication to trying to get everything right, and his incredible attention to detail, and work ethic, define some of the things that make him great and is a reason why so many of us are here today. Dick was one of the most loyal and dedicated people I have met in my career. His sense of the importance of access to the sea is unmatched. Without his persistence, knowledge and experience, WHOI would not have the ships it has in its fleet. It is an honor and privilege to have known and worked with him over his 35 years at WHOI.”
Former WHOI President and Director Mark Abbott added, “From his decades of experience with ships and the Navy, I could depend on Dick to provide wisdom and insights, both when I was a dean at Oregon State University and when I was director of WHOI. Dick’s enthusiasm for oceanography, and especially for WHOI, would always animate our conversations. He never lost his love of ships and going to sea.”
“Dick embodied WHOI’s values and shared them with the world” said current President and Director Peter de Menocal. “He lived by principles and values honed over a long naval career. He inspired others with his passion for ocean research, exploration, and marine operations. His embrace of WHOI’s mission and our community was apparent to all who knew him.”
“Among his many talents, Dick was an amazing mentor, generous with his time and insights,” said Rob Munier, current Vice President for Marine Facilities & Operations. “His love for WHOI imbued every conversation, inspiring everyone he touched to listen, take note and act in support of our people and mission.”
“For all his accomplishments, Dick was also an affable father figure in Fenno House, joining in staff birthdays and impromptu coffee hours, sometimes bringing a bottle of wine,” said Deputy Director Emeritus, Larry Madin. “He was also an avid photographer and made sets of note cards from his pictures as office gifts at Christmas. Small things to remember him by.”
According to his fishing buddy and current WHOI Corporation Member and Scientist Emeritus David Ross, Pittenger once had to go to Washington, DC, to justify why WHOI operated so many research ships and why they shouldn’t go to other institutions of science. On a calm Sunday morning out on the water, David asked him when he’d be back. His answer was simple: “When I get the job done.” This is the essence of Admiral Pittenger. He is a man of his word and will do something for you when he says he will. He has always been a great leader, friend, mentor, teacher, and a great fishing buddy to many of us.”
Above all else, Dick was a Patriot. He loved his country, he loved the oceans, he loved WHOI, and he dedicated his life to protecting the nation by way of the ocean sciences at WHOI.
Anyone wishing to honor Dick with a gift to WHOI can send donations to the Rear Admiral Richard Pittenger Access to the Sea Fund at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, 266 Woods Hole Rd, MS 40, Woods Hole, MA 02543. Or by going online to WHOI’s website and making an honorary gift in his name which will be directed to this fund.
REMEMBRANCES:
From President Emeritus, Susan Avery:
I was sadden to hear of the death of Dick Pittenger. I always admired his enthusiasm for access to the ocean via ships, submersibles, and new observing technologies – all which provided the needed observational measurements for advancing our understanding of the ocean and the earth system. Dick was an important supporter of the marine work done during my time at WHOI – with the acquisition and christening of the Neil Armstrong. And I will never forget the voyage in Alvin (with Dick’s encouragement) that helped convince the NSF of the importance of access to the ocean in multiple ways and led eventually to an new version of Alvin. The ocean is an amazing component of the Earth System – one that is critical to our future on our planet. We all owe a deep gratitude for Dick’s passion, expertise, and persistence.
Email from the Navy regarding Dick's passing:
Fellow Flag Officers,
It is with deep regret I inform you of the passing of Rear Admiral Richard Fay “Dick” Pittenger, U.S. Navy, Retired, on 18 June 2025 at age 90 . RADM Pittenger enlisted in the U.S. Naval Reserve in May 1953 and served as a Surface Warfare Officer until his retirement in October 1990 as Oceanographer of the Navy (OP-096). His commands included USS PLEDGE (MSO-492), USS CONNOLE (FF-1056) and Destroyer Squadron TWENTY-SIX (DESRON 26). He commanded PLEDGE in operations along the coast of South Vietnam in 1967.
Dick Pittenger enlisted in the U.S. Naval Reserve on 11 May 1953 just before the end of the Korean War. Prior to that he has been involved in Sea Scouts and Sea Cadets in the Tacoma, Washington area. He gained an appointment to the U.S. Naval Academy and entered on 28 June 1954. He was known as a strong scholar and was a varsity fencer. According to the Lucky Bag (yearbook) he was famous as a builder of elaborate and intricate mouse traps, which however never caught any mice. He graduated on 4 June 1958 with a Bachelor of Science in Naval Science and was commissioned an ensign.
In September 1958, Ensign Pittenger reported to Fleet Sonar School, Key West, Florida for duty under instruction. In October 1958 he reported to the Forrest Sherman-class destroyer USS DUPONT (DD-941), shortly after the new ship commenced her first deployment, to the Mediterranean. Upon return from deployment in March 1959, the ship subsequently participated in Operation Inland Sea, the first task force deployment to the Great Lakes via the newly-opened Saint Lawrence Sea Way, during which DUPONT escorted the royal yacht HMY BRITANNIA with Queen Elizabeth II aboard. In September 1959, DUPONT deployed to the United Kingdom and served as plane guard for a trans-Atlantic flight by President Dwight D. Eisenhower.
He was promoted to lieutenant (junior grade) in December 1959 and the same month reported to Fleet Training Center, Newport, Rhode Island for training. In June 1960 he was assigned to destroyer-leader USS NORFOLK (DL-1) for Atlantic ASW hunter-killer operations. In December 1960, he then transferred to guided missile destroyer leader USS FARRAGUT (DLG-6/later DDG-37) as a member of the commissioning crew. Following shakedown in the Caribbean, FARRAGUT was off Guantanamo Bay on was on-call to provide fire support for the Bay of Pigs landing in April 1961 but was not called on to do so. FARRAGUT then participated in a pageant honoring the 250th Anniversary of the founding of Mobile, Alabama, before arriving at her homeport of Mayport, Florida.
FARRAGUT made her first deployment in November 1961, visiting numerous ports in the Baltic Sea and Northern Europe before continuing the deployment in the Mediterranean, returning to home port in March 1962. In May 1962, FARRAGUT participated in a major sea power demonstration involving 84 ships and observed by President John F. Kennedy, the Shah of Iran, and numerous other dignitaries from the deck of nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS ENTERPRISE (CVA(N)-65.) Later in May 1962, FARRAGUT participated in recovery operations for Mercury program Aurora 7 in which astronaut Scott Carpenter splashed down 200 miles beyond the planned location; FARRAGUT was first ship to reach the scene and aided the recovery.
LTJG Pittenger was promoted to lieutenant in June 1962 and reported that same month to Naval Postgraduate School, Monterey, California where he earned a Master of Science in Physics, specializing in underwater acoustics. In May 1965, he reported to the Headquarters, TWELFTH Naval District, at Mare Island, California. He was promoted to lieutenant commander in January 1967.
In March 1967, Lieutenant Commander Pittenger reported to Naval Schools Mine Warfare, Charleston, South Carolina for training. In April 1967, he assumed command of Aggressive-class minesweeper USS PLEDGE (MSO-492) at Long Beach. In May 1967 until January 1968, PLEDGE deployed for operations along the coast of South Vietnam, interdicting Communist seaborne supply routes from North Vietnam to the Viet Cong in South Vietnam.
In July 1968, LCDR Pittenger was assigned as Aide/Flag Lieutenant to Commander FIRST Fleet at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. In November 1969, he reported to Damage Control Training Center, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, then Fleet Sonar School, Key West, Florida and then Naval Destroyer School, Newport, Rhode Island. In March 1970, he assumed duty as Executive Officer of Gearing-class destroyer USS PERRY (DD-844) at Mayport, Florida, deploying to the Black Sea in June/July 1970 and then the Mediterranean. In August 1971 he attended the Naval War College, Newport, Rhode Island, graduating in July 1972. He was then assigned to the staff of Commander Cruisers-Destroyers Atlantic as Anti‑Submarine Warfare (ASW) Officer. He was promoted to commander in April 1973.
In January 1975, Commander Pittenger was assigned to the staff of Commander Naval Surface Force, U.S. Atlantic Fleet as Surface ASW Officer. In March 1976, he reported to Surface Warfare Officer School Command, Newport, Rhode Island for training. In June 1976 he assumed command of Knox-class frigate USS CONNOLE (FF-1056) while deployed to the Mediterranean, engaged in Operation Fluid Drive, a non-combatant evacuation (NEO) from Beirut, Lebanon. CONNOLE was part of a squadron specializing in ASW and served as a test platform for advanced sonars. CONNOLE deployed again to the Mediterranean from June to December 1977.
In April 1978, CDR Pittenger reported to the Commander Naval Surface Forces Atlantic for duty under instruction. In May 1978, he was assigned to the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) as Head, Surface Anti‑Submarine Warfare Branch/Head, Surface Sensor Systems Section. He was promoted to captain in August 1979.
In August 1981, Captain Pittenger commenced a training track at the Bureau of Naval Personnel, Washington D.C. followed Commander Naval Surface Force, Atlantic. In February 1982, he assumed command of Destroyer Squadron TWENTY-SIX (DESRON 26) a “tactical” squadron (as opposed to “admin” squadron), formerly known as the “Mod Squad,” responsible for operations and exercises of assigned destroyers.
On 8 March 1984, Captain Pittenger was designated a rear admiral (lower half) for duty in a billet commensurate with that rank and the same month was assigned as Chief of Staff for Commander-in-Chief, U.S. Naval Forces Europe. He was promoted to rear admiral (lower half) on 1 October 1985. In May 1986, RDML Pittenger was assigned to the Office of the CNO as Director, Anti‑Submarine Warfare Division. He was promoted to rear admiral (two star) on 1 October 1987.
In August 1988, RADM Pittenger assumed duty as Oceanographer of the Navy
(OP-096) where he played a key role in ensuring access to modern first-class research vessels and vehicles in the U.S. Academic Research Fleet He was also a strong supporter of science and engineering education for naval officers through the Massachusetts Institute of Technology – Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute (MIT-WHOI) Joint Program in Oceanography. RADM Pittenger retired on 1 October 1990.
RADM Pittenger’s awards include the Legion of Merit (four awards), Meritorious Service Medal, Navy Commendation Medal, Navy Unit Commendation, Navy Expeditionary Medal (Cuba), National Defense Service Medal (two awards), Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal (Cuba), Vietnam Service Medal (one campaign star), Humanitarian Service Medal Sea Service Deployment Ribbon, and Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal.
After retiring from active duty, RADM Pittenger was hired as Director of Marine Operations at the Wood Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) where he worked from 1990 to 2024. He was instrumental in ensuring access to modern first class research vessels and vehicles for the entire oceanographic community. His leadership of WHOI saw significant advancements, including mid-life conversions of the research vessels KNORR and OCEANUS; the construction of the research vessel TIOGA; the integration of tethered vehicles like ARFO, MEDEA/JASON and DSL-120 into the National Deep Submergence Facility; and construction and acceptance of R/V NEIL ARMSTRONG.
Dick Pittenger’s junior officer tours were right out of a Navy recruiting pitch, visit practically every port in Europe, including the Baltic and Black Seas, steam on the Great Lakes, escort the Queen of England, help rescue an astronaut, secret missions off Cuba (Bay of Pigs standby,) shoot guns and missile for President Kennedy, and more.
Then it was time to get serious. He took early command of a minesweeper engaged in Operation Market Time off the coast of Vietnam, but fortunately was never fired upon. During the 1960’s through the 1980’ however, the greatest potential threat to the U.S. Navy was the rapidly improving capability of the Soviet submarine force. During the course of his career, he made himself into arguably the foremost flag officer expert in the U.S. Navy on anti-submarine warfare (ASW), academically, experimentally, programmatically, and operationally. He finished his Navy career as the Oceanographer of the Navy, leading research efforts to enable the Navy to best use the undersea domain to tactical advantage. By the time he retired, the Soviet Union was finished, its submarine force never able to gain an advantage over the U.S. In many respects his second career as Director of Marine Operations for almost 35 years for Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute (WHOI) was just as consequential, and he was credited with transforming the organization. According to his obituary, “He has always been a great leader friend, mentor, teacher, and a great fishing buddy. Above all, he was a Patriot. He loved his country, he love the oceans, he loved WHOI and he dedicated his life to protecting the nation by way of the ocean sciences at WHOI.
He was a man of his word, and will do something for you when he says he will.” RADM Pittenger served the Navy and nation with great distinction and dedication, and at significant sacrifice to family life, for which we should all be grateful.
Rest in Peace Admiral Pittenger
Very respectfully
Sam
Samuel J. Cox (SES)
RADM, USN (Ret)
Director of Naval History
Curator for the Navy
Director Naval History and Heritage Command