Jack Kinert completed a most successful Navy career with three consecutive command tours, not surprising for a Navy junior born in the Navy town of San Diego.  His year at George Washington University was only a warmup for the Naval Academy (21st Company). 

After graduating, he wrapped two surface ship tours, LOFBERG (DD 759) and TERRELL COUNTY (LST 1157) around a PG School stint in which he earned an MS in Physics.  From then on, it was submarines, on the SSBNs SIMON BOLIVAR, ALEXANDER HAMILTON, and as CO of CASIMIR PULASKI for six successful deterrent patrols.

Following a London tour at CINCUSNAVEUR, he took command of the submarine tender L.Y.SPEAR.  Jack led SPEAR in a pioneering deployment to Diego Garcia, the first forward-based support and repair ship for our Indian Ocean fleet responding to the Iranian hostage crisis.  His achievements there led to his second major command tour: first CO of the Bangor, Washington Trident submarine base.  In these two tours, Jack established himself as the right man to take on new challenges.  He ended his Navy service commanding the NROTC unit at UCal Berkeley.  He earned the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Legion of Merit, and two Meritorious Service Medals. 

Jack and Barbara, whom he married in 1958, retired to Silverdale, Washington, where Barb still resides. They have two children, Kent and Kimberly.  Jack’s final service was as a tenured professor at Olympic College, teaching mathematics and physics.  He died of cancer on 25 April 2003.