John W. Breslin

John W. Breslin was born in the borough of Brooklyn, New York City, in November 1930. He served with the US Navy from November 1948 until July 1976, and retired as a lieutenant commander. Breslin was in the Submarine Service from August 1950 until July 1976 and is a Korea War era, Vietnam War era, and Cold War veteran. His family had a tradition of military service, and he had an innate passion to serve his country, noting that he was inspired to enlist by his uncle, stepfather, and other individuals. 

Breslin grew up in New York City during the American participation in World War II. Most of his older friends, or men he knew, served in the war, and he desired to serve, especially in the Marine Corps. Breslin was a student at Jamaica High School when the war ended. He promised his parents he would only enlist after graduating. Two days after graduating, Breslin went to the local Marine recruiting office, where he was told they had no openings. Down the hall however, a Navy petty officer talked to him and convinced him to join the Navy. He did and was sent to the Great Lakes Training Center Navy Base in Illinois.

At Great Lakes, Breslin was instantly forced to adjust to a strict structured environment. When asked about his transition from civilian to military life, he said: “In the Great Lakes, they could really adjust your attitude. They just have a way about it. Suddenly, you become a military person. You are drilling; you are doing manuals. You are doing things you never did before. It really does change an individual from being a high school kid to being a navy guy.”

After boot camp, Breslin was sent to Norfolk, Virginia, where he was assigned to clerical work. He was transferred to New York City in 1948, where he served as a clerk for a commander in a submarine unit. Breslin then went to submarine school, because he was fascinated by how submarines operated and how the crew worked together. He spent around four months in submarine school to qualify for that branch of naval service.

In 1951, Breslin reenlisted in the Navy and was assigned to the USS Tusk, a submarine that was part of a deterrent force armed with nuclear weapons. He was on board the Tusk from 1951 to 1954, where his assignment was mostly clerical work, including maintaining service records. It was a very demanding job, as Breslin was the only one on board qualified for that type of work.

In 1954, Breslin, now a second-class Yeoman, was assigned to shore duty in Washington D. C., where he really enjoyed his time until 1957. Then, promoted to first-class Yeoman, he received orders to join the crew of a submarine about to be commissioned, but he contracted influenza and was hospitalized. Breslin was there when the Soviet Sputnik satellite was launched. After leaving the hospital, he received a new set of orders to report to the submarine USS Sable Fish, which was docked in New London, Connecticut. On arrival, however, Breslin was reassigned to the USS Manta and promoted to chief petty officer. In the winter of 1966, he was sent to Pearl Harbor Hawaii’s Submarine Squadron 7, and then, commissioned as an officer, to Submarine Squadron 15 as a personnel officer. Breslin left Pearl Harbor after four years of service there.

Breslin returned to New London and was assigned as a submarine commander, and then to San Diego. He began to grow tired of the type of work he was doing, and the constant moving with his family; he retired as a lieutenant commander in 1976. In 1977, Breslin and his family moved to Orlando, Florida, where they lived until 2000.

Breslin stayed in touch with many of the men he served with. At the time of his interview, he was a member of the United States Navy Submarine Veterans Organization’s South Jersey chapter. Breslin said he had enjoyed his time in the Navy, and he reaped the benefits of the GI Bill to earn a degree in Business Administration and Communication.

During his service, Breslin received various awards, including Navy Commendation, Navy Achievement, Navy Good Conduct, and Meritorious Unit Commendation medals.