A Life in Submarines

Carol W. Kimball

Lawrence Y. Spear, grand old man of submarines

Kim11-001

Scrapbook

8: Communication Artifact

Documentary Artifact

The Day

New London, CT

10/02/2006

Carol W. Kimball

Lawrence Y. Spear was born in Warren, Ohio, entered Annapolis at the age of 16, graduated second in his class, taught at the Naval academy, served as assistant superintendent of construction for Admiral Dewey's famous flagship Olympia but renounced his promising Naval career in 1902 to take a job with the infant Electric Boat Co. as the vice president responsible for submarine design and construction. He worked with John Holland and Frank Cable in developing the Navy's first submarine fleet. Spear became president of NELSECO and Frank Cable its business manager. During WWII Grton-built submarines accounted for 39 percent of all Japanese shipping destroyed in the Pacific. In 1947 Spear became chairman of the board of Electric Boat Division until his death in 1950. In his honor the tender USS L. Y. Spear (AS 36) was launched at Quincy, Mass.

Spear, Lawrence Y.
Lockwood, Charles A. (Vice Admiral)
Dewey (Admiral)
Holland, John
Cable, Frank

flagship Olympia
Annapolis
Navy
submarine design
Electric Boat
Navy's first submarine fleet
NELSECO
Electric Boat Division
tender USS L. Y. Spear (AS 36)
Fulton submarine
McCann Rescue Chamber
USS Cuttlefish
Electric Boat Co.
World War II
WWII
USS L.Y. Spear (AS 36)