Douglas Volgenau

Douglas Volgenau Rear Admiral Douglas Volgenau, 76, succumbed on March 25, 2014 as a result of complications associated with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) Disease. Admiral Volgenau was raised in Clarence, new york, a small town outside of Buffalo. He attended a one room school through the sixth grade, Amherst Central High School and graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy with the class of 1959. At sea, he served on a destroyer and four submarines, commanding the USS Billfish (SSN 676), a Sturgeon Class Fast Attack Submarine, for 3 years. Ashore, Admiral Volgenau commanded the Naval Nuclear Power School at Mare Island, California, served as Senior Member of the Pacific Fleet Nuclear Propulsion Examining Board, commanded Submarine Squadron 10 in the New London, Connecticut, and then served as the Commander of the Naval Underwater Systems Center (NUSC), including the laboratory in Newport, R.I. and the Underwater Sound Laboratory in New London, CT. As a flag officer, he served as the Director of Submarine Combat and Weapons System in the Naval Sea Systems Command and then as the first Program Executive Officer, Submarine Combat and Weapons Systems. He retired in 1991, after 32 years of service. Following retirement from the Navy, Admiral Volgenau became a consultant for the Defense and Department of Energy agencies and their support contractors. He spent 20 years as an outside Expert for the Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board. In this capacity, he assisted the Board Staff in the oversight of the Department of Energy’s extensive nuclear weapons facilities complex. Admiral Volgenau is survived by his beloved wife, Sue, of 53 years. She was chosen by him to be the 1959 USNA Color Girl. They have 3 children, Gigi Bruce(Scott), Douglas, Jr., and Andrea Beach(John) and eight loving grandchildren. A Memorial Service is on Friday, March 29 at 10:30 AM at St. John's Episcopal Church in Washington, D.C. Inurnment services to be at a later date at the Annapolis U.S. Naval School. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the ALS Association DC/MD/VA Chapter. 7507 Standish Place Rockville, MD 20855 Or The Dorothy Coleman Volgenau Scholarship Fund Amherst Central High School 4301 Main Street, Amherst, NY 14226