Navy submarine officer saw action during Vietnam War

Retired U.S. Navy Captain Len Wass lived a fascinating career, serving aboard submarines and later as a successful management consultant in civilian life.

This Navy veteran grew up in Chicago, surrounded by veterans. Most notably, his father served in World War II. Wass became intrigued with the Navy through watching television shows, and he decided that if he enlisted he wanted to command a submarine out of Pearl Harbor.

Wass took his oath of office at the Naval Academy as a midshipmen in 1960, and in 1964 he was officially commissioned to the Navy’s Nuclear Submarine Force. Getting into the force was no easy task. Although Wass was top of his congressman’s list of appointees at the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland, he had to prove to Admiral Hyman Rickover, father of nuclear propulsion in the Navy, that he was right for the submarine force.

Wass had three different interviews with Admiral Rickover – the first two he got thrown out of, Wass said.

“I learned a great deal from him,” Wass said. “The minimum standard he set for the submarine force was excellence, not satisfactory. If you’re operating below excellence and slacking, you’re fired.”

The training needed for the submarine force was intensive. The training entailed six months of nuclear power training, six months of engineering operator qualifications and six months of submarine school.

Directly after training in 1964, Wass was assigned to the USS Runner (SS-476), a diesel submarine that operated out of Norfolk, Virginia and cruised the St. Lawrence Seaway and through the Great Lakes for a reserve and publications tour. In 1966, he had the opportunity to pick what submarine he wanted to serve on, so he reached his goal of working out of Pearl Harbor by picking the USS Sterlet (SS-392). On this diesel submarine, Wass provided direct support to U.S. operations during the Vietnam War.

“[In 1966], the Vietnam War was really building up,” Wass said. “When I arrived at Pearl Harbor, I was sent to the Philippines for an eight-month deployment. I was very quickly qualified as the underway officer of the deck. The Sterlet was completely submerged for 84 days to support the Vietnam War.”

Wass’ deployment was one of his scariest times in the military. The operations conducted involved direct confrontations with China and the Soviet Union. The Sterlet’s diesel engine made it difficult for the sub to escape these dangerous situations.

“If we thought we were detected or in confrontation with bad guys, if you will, we had to find a way to sit there and get it over with,” Wass said.

Historically, death was a common occurrence in the submarine force. Wass said that almost 22% submarine personnel were killed during World War II, mainly in the Pacific fighting the Japanese.

Following his five years of active duty that culminated with being assigned to the nuclear-powered USS Kamehameha (SSBN-642) out of Pearl Harbor and forward deployed out of Guam, Wass completed active duty as a lieutenant. He went on to serve 20 years active-duty training in submarine units while on reserves, finishing his Navy career as a captain.

In 1969, Wass had left active duty and began his career in management consulting. He attended a University of Chicago graduate school of business program and went on to consult for the boards and CEOs of large companies. Wass eventually went on to start his own consulting firm.

“I started my own little firm,” Wass said. “It was for the boards of energy companies and it operated throughout the U.S. and overseas to Australia. In 2009, I retired from getting paid, not from working. It’s all volunteer work.”

Since retiring, Wass has stayed close to the military and now resides in Oswego. He is a chairman of the 786 Club, a club that supports the USS Illinois (SSN-786) out of Chicago. The USS Illinois is a nuclear-powered submarine commissioned in 2016.

Wass has a strong friendship with the president of the 786 Club and leader of the Navy League Aurora Council 247, Rick Todas. Todas is a Marine Corps veteran who enlisted in 1964, and joined the National Guard in 1974. He retired from the military in 2005 reaching the rank of colonel.

Wass and Todas met more than a decade ago, and when Todas received an email from the Department of the Navy asking if a local Navy league would support the USS Illinois, Wass suggested that supporting it should be done.

I received an email from the Department of the Navy saying, ‘we need somebody to create a commissioning committee for the USS Illinois,’” Todas said. “Len said, ‘We have to do this.’ The Aurora League did sponsor the Navy committee.”

The 786 Club’s mission is to create, “A Lifetime Alliance Between Crew and Citizens.” This is done through periodic lunch-ins, admirals and other veterans coming in as speakers, and by showing an overall sense of gratitude toward veterans.

“I remember when I came back from the Vietnam War, people were pointing at me and calling me a baby killer,” Wass said. “I wasn’t the only one. A lot of Vietnam War vets have that happen to them. It’s a real pleasure to see America change, and I’m glad to see change. This personally stimulated me to establish the 786 Club to thank young sailors for what they’re doing.”

Through the club, Wass and Todas have retained a close relationship by attending lunch-ins together and speaking on a frequent basis. They even go on trips together.

“Sometimes we talk daily, sometimes we take a two-day break,” Todas said. “There’s always something going on. I conversed with him yesterday, and we’re meeting downtown for the 786 Club, so we’ll be together all day. We have a hunting trip planned soon.”

Both veterans admire one another for their unique military careers, and their close relationship has allowed them to get a solid understanding of each one’s morals and values.

“Len is a very intelligent guy in the first place,” Todas said. “He’s loyal to his principles, reverent to God and persistent in his business and community affairs. He’s active in the community and respects others.”