William C. Eddy

William Crawford (“Bill”) Eddy (August 22, 1902 – September 15, 1989) might best be described as a 20th-century Renaissance man. Naval officer, submariner, engineer, television producer, educator, cartoonist, artist, inventor, entrepreneur, explorer, writer – all of these characterizations and more could justifiably be applied to him, and he was successful in all of them.

Bill Eddy was born and raised in Saratoga Springs, New York, where his father was a successful businessman and four-term mayor. He completed high school at the New York Military Academy, then received an appointment to the United States Naval Academy. With minimal hearing capability, he passed the physical examination by “reading lips,” then kept this deficiency hidden throughout his years at the Academy and during his initial military service.

Upon graduating from the Naval Academy in 1926, Eddy’s first assignment as an ensign was on the light cruiser USS Cincinnati (CL-6). He was initially sent to Nicaragua to “fight the Banana Wars,” then dispatched to China to protect American interests and “show the flag” along the Yangtze River. In 1928, Eddy requested and received a transfer to the submarine service. At six-foot six, he was almost too tall for submarines, but nevertheless received an assignment on the USS S-35, patrolling the Asiatic waters from the Philippines. To compensate for his hearing problem, he designed a visual display for audio tracking signals; this apparatus was widely used on submarines for many years. When Eddy learned that the Navy needed a suitable badge for the submarine service, being a talented artist he designed the "Dolphins" insignia; this was adopted and is still proudly worn by eligible personnel.

In 1930, Eddy was sent to the Naval Submarine Base New London in Connecticut. Here he qualified as a submarine commander and was promoted to lieutenant (junior grade). Remaining at New London, Eddy set up an electronics course for officers. He had his own laboratory for conducting research in underwater sound gear and signal communicating from a submerged position; his research resulted in four secret patents. When standing a physical examination for promotion to lieutenant, his hearing loss came to light, and he was forced into disability retirement at the close of 1934.

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