Today, very sadly, Vice Admiral Zech passed away and is no longer with us. I saw him last week and he was in good spirits. He was ill and weakened from his lengthy hospital stay - but his spirits were high. He was very much an old school submariner and later a surface warfare officer. My goodness, how he loved the Navy and his family. After his retirement from the Navy, he was Chairman of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. He leaves behind a wonderful widow - Jo, 5 beautiful daughters and many grand children. And a very sad Shipmate who will grieve deeply and keep his memory alive in all ways that he can. Farewell Admiral Zech. Those who knew you - loved and respected you greatly. Those who didn't - missed out on a great experience.
2 comments:
NRC Chairman Zech was a GREAT person and he was truly admired (and respected) by those of us who knew him and worked with him at the USNRC during his tenure as Chairman. A wonderful family man and overall leader. They don't make them like that anymore!!
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SUBJ/PASSING OF VADM LANDO W. ZECH, USN(RET)// GENTEXT/REMARKS/1. IT IS WITH
DEEP SADNESS THAT I REPORT THE PASSING OF AN OUTSTANDING NAVAL OFFICER, VICE ADMIRAL LANDO W. ZECH, USN (RET) ON 9 JANUARY 2011. VADM ZECH WAS A HERO, WONDERFUL HUSBAND AND FATHER,
AND AN INSPIRATION TO US ALL. WHILE THE NAVY FAMILY HAS LOST A GREAT MAN, WE CELEBRATE HIS REMARKABLE LIFE.
2. VADM ZECH SERVED HONORABLY FOR OVER 39 YEARS IN THE NAVY AFTER HIS GRADUATION FROM THE NAVAL ACADEMY IN 1944 WITH THE WORLD WAR II CLASS OF 1945. HIS FIRST ASSIGNMENT WAS THE USS JOHN D. HENLEY (DD 553) IN THE WESTERN PACIFIC WHERE HE PARTICIPATED IN THE SECOND BATTLE FOR THE
PHILIPPINES, THE IWO JIMA AND OKINAWA CAMPAIGNS AND ON PICKETT STATION DUTY OFF THE COAST OF JAPAN DURING THE LAST DAYS OF THE WAR. AFTER THE WAR AND A SECOND DESTROYER TOUR ABOARD THE USS HENRY W. TUCKER (DD 875), VADM ZECH VOLUNTEERED FOR SUBMARINE DUTY AND SUBSEQUENTLY COMMANDED FOUR SUBMARINES, USS SEA ROBIN (SS 407), USS ALBACORE (AGSS 569), AND AFTER NUCLEAR POWER TRAINING,
USS NAUTILUS (SSN 571) AND USS JOHN ADAMS (SSBN 620). HE LATER COMMANDED THE GUIDED MISSILE CRUISER USS SPRINGFIELD (CLG 7). AS A FLAG OFFICER HE SERVED
AS COMMANDANT OF THE THIRTEENTH NAVAL DISTRICT; CHIEF OF NAVAL TECHNICAL TRAINING; COMMANDER U.S. NAVAL FORCES, JAPAN; DEPUTY CHIEF OF NAVAL OPERATIONS FOR MANPOWER, PERSONNEL AND TRAINING AND FINALLY AS CHIEF OF NAVAL PERSONNEL.
3. AFTER RETIREMENT, HIS SERVICE DID NOT END. HE WAS APPOINTED A
COMMISSIONER AND LATER CHAIRMAN OF THE U.S. NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION BY PRESIDENT RONALD REAGAN. HE CONTINUED HIS SERVICE IN INDUSTRY FOCUSED ON NUCLEAR SAFETY AND REGULATION.
4. VADM ZECH IS SURVIVED BY HIS WIFE OF SIXTY ONE YEARS, JOSEPHINE, FIVE DAUGHTERS, 12 GRANDCHILDREN AND THREE GREAT-GRANDCHILDREN. PLEASE TAKE A MOMENT TO REMEMBER THIS GREAT MAN AND SAILOR.
5. RELEASED BY ADMIRAL G. ROUGHEAD, CHIEF OF NAVAL OPERATIONS.//
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