Page 10: of Maritime Reporter Magazine (October 2025)

Obituary

In Memoriam

Captain Charles Robert MacVean,

USN, (Ret.), PhD

March 22, 1937 – September 10, 2025

By Kevin Hardy

Capt. Charlie MacVean with some of his USS SEAWOLF (SSN575) divers.

Photo courtesy of John Freeman he book, Blind Man’s Bluff, describes the secret substituted. After THRESHER’s loss at sea with all hands

USN submarine operations known as “The Proj- on 10 April 1963, the now available THRESHER parts were ects.” It begins with the opening line, “There was built into TINOSA, with the serial numbers beginning with something about Commander Charles R. MacVean “593-”. MacVean silently kept the memory of those seamen

T that had a way of inspiring legend.” Authors Sontag and as he worked every day.

Drew narrowed that “something” down to “his sense of Thresher’s loss was traced in part to its inability to blow humor and humanity.” Even in the toughest of situations, its ballast tanks due to excessive moisture in the subma-

MacVean radiated calm assurance and situational command. rine’s high-pressure air ? asks. The moist air inside the ? asks

His sailors and divers would knowingly follow him past cools as it expands and ? ows through the valves. The cool- the Gates of Hell, and did more than once. They called him ing is localized at the point of expansion. The water vapor “Captain,” “Skipper,” “Mac,” or simply “Charlie.” froze and plugged the ? ow paths. This was later con? rmed

Captain “Charlie” MacVean passed away in the company in dockside tests on TINOSA where the ? ow of air lasted of family in San Diego, CA, on September 10, 2025, at the only a few seconds.

age of 88. MacVean joins other stellar American submari- Following quali? cation as a Nuclear Propulsion Engineer, ners enshrined in history: Bushnell, Holland, Lake, Nimitz, MacVean attended the SSBN Navigator course and complet-

Morton, O’Kane, Butler, and others. ed four POLARIS Strategic Deterrent Patrols as Navigator

Charles Robert MacVean was born in Paterson, New Jer- of the USS GEORGE WASHINGTON (SSBN598 (Blue)), sey. Following graduation from high school in Ridgewood, 1968-1972.

New Jersey, he attended Dartmouth College as an NROTC From 1972 until 1975, Commander MacVean served as student. He earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree, Summa Cum the Commissioning Executive Of? cer of the USS PARCHE

Laude and Phi Beta Kappa, majoring in Engineering Phys- (SSN683). PARCHE became the most highly decorated ship ics, and was commissioned in 1959. Ensign MacVean served in U.S. Navy history, mainly for missions that remain clas- as Communicator on board the USS FORREST SHERMAN si? ed to this day.

(DD931) prior to attending Cornell University where he re- He reported for duty as the Commanding Of? cer of USS ceived a PhD in Nuclear Science and Engineering. Lieuten- SEAWOLF (SSN575) in 1975. During his three years in ant MacVean then entered the Nuclear Power and Submarine command, USS SEAWOLF conducted extensive classi? ed

Curriculum, completing courses in Bainbridge, MD, Wind- operations in the Paci? c.

sor Locks, CT, and New London, CT. MacVean had a close intellectual and personal relation-

Lieutenant Commander MacVean was assigned to USS ship with Adm. Hyman G. Rickover, Father of the Nuclear

TINOSA (SSN606) in 1965 where he served as the Main Navy, which he recounted on occasion with stories, includ-

Propulsion Assistant and Navigator. The USS TINOSA ing a presentation for the Naval Submarine League, “Admiral keel was laid at Portsmouth Naval Yard 24 Nov 1959, the Rickover-Up Close and Personal.” Once, while commanding second in a series of fast attack submarines following USS a classi? ed mission on SEAWOLF, a rack of electronics in a

THRESHER (SSN593) from PNY. Charlie recalled some power panel failed spectacularly. To repair it, the submarine parts of the propulsion system for the THRESHER were not surfaced in a fog bank, spare parts were substituted and tested, available for its ? rst voyages, so parts from TINOSA were the reactor restarted, and the ship submerged. USN protocol 10 Maritime Reporter & Engineering News • October 2025

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