George Patrick March

Rear Admiral, U.S. Navy

George Patrick March was born on 16 January 1924 into a pioneer family in Corvallis, OR. George lived in Valsetz, OR, from 1928-33 after which he moved to Portland, OR. Following graduation from Lincoln High School in 1941, he attended Oregon State College (now University) for two years before entering the U.S. Naval Academy. On 5 June 1946, he graduated from the Academy with a BS degree in Marine Engineering and was commissioned as an Ensign in the U.S. Navy.

On 20 December 1946, he married the beautiful Betty Eileen Saum ("Saumie").

After two years of duty on a destroyer, he studied the Russian language at the Navy's Intelligence School in Washington, DC. He became a specialist in the field of cryptology in 1949 and, for the next 29 years, pursued a career that included staff and command assignments at sea, on foreign shores and in the Washington, DC, area. His foreign shore duty included Morocco, Germany, France, Cyprus, England and Japan. He also served one year in Hawaii.

In 1973, March was promoted to the rank of Rear Admiral and assigned as an Assistant Director of the National Security Agency.

The following year he was ordered to duty as Commander, Naval Security Group Command, with additional duty as the Director, Electronic Warfare and Cryptology Division, on the staff of the Chief of Naval Operations. He retired from the Navy in 1978. Throughout his career, he always inspired people to do their very best.

When on duty in the Washington, DC, area, he attended evening classes at Georgetown University, receiving his MA in 1952 and PhD in 1965 in the field of Russian History.

In retirement he commenced post-doctoral work at the University of Hawaii in the field of East Asian Studies, which involved the study of the Mandarin and Classical Chinese languages. From 1983-93 he lectured in history for the University of Hawaii. In addition to articles published in the journals Sibirica and Pacific Historical Review, he authored two published books: Cossacks of the Brotherhood: The Zaporog Kosh of the Dnieper River (1990) and Eastern Destiny: Russia in Asia and the North Pacific (1996). His vast array of interests and deep desire to keep learning kept him vitally engaged in life.

After his retirement in Olympia, WA, in 1995, he was involved with golf at the Olympia Country and Golf Club (3 holes-in-one!), with squash racquets at the Valley Athletic Club, and with the Olympia World Affairs Council.

George loved and respected people; his friends were very dear to him and he had absolute dedication and love for his family.

Rear Admiral George Patrick March died on 18 October 2009. He is inurned with his beloved wife, Saumie, who predeceased him in 2006, at the U.S. Navy Columbarium in Annapolis, MD.

He is survived by three devoted daughters, Molly, Terry and Peggy and their spouses; five grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.

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