Blocked from the more prestigious sea command he wanted, King accepted USS Bridge and gained practical experience in fleet supply. After a year he used that unwanted sea billet to improve his seniority and press again for destroyers or a cruiser, only to be offered submarines. He trained at New London to command a submarine division, proposed the familiar dolphin insignia despite never earning it himself, and took charge of the submarine base. Salvage work on S-51 and other lost boats added demanding technical experience and repeated exposure to the human cost of peacetime submarine service.
Chapter · 25:53-30:33
A store ship led King into logistics and submarines
King turned an unwanted store-ship command into logistics experience, then learned submarines and directed difficult salvage operations.