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In Memory

Henry Durbin Hukill - Class Of 1949 VIEW PROFILE

Henry Durbin Hukill

      

Henry Durbin Hukill

Nov. 3, 1930 - Jul. 13, 2006

1953 graduate of the U. S. Naval Academy. Submariner, nuclear qualified. AFTER uSN retirement managed restoration of Three Mile Island reactor to service.
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Full entry in the necrology records of Naval Academy Alumni Association:

Captain Henry Hukill Jr., USN (Ret) died July 13, 2006 in Elizabethtown, Pennsylvania. Henry (Hank) Hukill was born in South Bend, Indiana on November 3, 1930. He was the son of Henry D. and Mary S. Hukill. Hank was raised in South Bend and graduated from John Adams High School in 1949. He was appointed to the US Naval Academy that same year and graduated four years later with the class of "53". One month after graduation he was married to Virginia E. Moritz, also from South Bend. After graduation and commission as an ensign, he reported to the Attack Transport USS NEWKENT (APA 217) in Norfolk, Virginia where he served as Gunnery Officer and qualified as Officer of the Deck. One year later he was selected for submarine training and attended Officers Basic Submarine School, class number 99. After graduation in December 1954, he reported to the USS CUSK (SS 348) in Port Hueneme, California. He served on the CUSK for about two years as supply officer and Assistant Engineer. In early 1957 Hank was transferred to the USS BERGALL (SS 320) which was home ported in New London, Connecticut. While on BERGALL he was assigned duties as Torpedo Officer/First Lieutenant and then as Engineer. In the spring of 1958 Hank was selected for nuclear power training. He attended nuclear power school in 1958 and completed prototype training at West Milton, New York in July 1959. Hank then reported to the commissioning crew of the USS ROBERT E. LEE (SSBN 601) (Blue) in Newport News, Virginia. In his three years, (4 deterrent patrols), aboard LEE he served as A Division Officer, as E RC Division Officer and as M Division Officer. Following this tour of duty in New London, Connecticut, he was transferred to the USS THEORDORE ROOSEVELT (SSBN 600) (Gold), also based in New London, where he was Engineer for one year (2 deterrent patrols). In 1963 Hank was ordered to the commissioning crew of the USS VON STEUBEN (SSBN 632) in Newport News, Virginia as prospective Executive Officer of the Gold Crew. After commissioning and prior to the ship's first patrol he was shifted to the Blue Crew, home based in Charleston, South Carolina, and completed 4 deterrent patrols. In 1967 Hank attended 13 weeks of prospective Commanding Officer training at the Division of Naval Reactors, US Atomic Energy Commission, Washington, D.C. He then reported to the USS CASIMIR PULASKI (SSBM 633) (Blue) as Commanding Officer. His command tour of almost 5 years included 5 highly successful deterrent patrols and an equally successful 15 month overhaul/refueling and conversion to the Poseidon missile system at Electric Boat Company in Groton, Connecticut. He was awarded the Meritorious Service Medal for his command tour and was selected two years early for promotion to Captain. In nineteen years of sea duty Hank completed 15 submarine deterrent patrols. After a short one month tour as a submarine Division Commander in New London, Hank received unexpected, rapid response orders to the Division of Naval Reactors, ERDA, where he was the senior line officer on the staff of Admiral H.G. Rickover. This assignment proved to be one of the most challenging and rewarding of his naval career. In this position he was in charge of the Prospective Commanding Officer's Course and was the primary communications link between Admiral Rickover (including his staff) and the senior commanders of the operational units of the nuclear fleet. During this tour Hank suffered a major heart attack from which he completely recovered and returned to full active duty. After almost four years in Admiral Rickover's office, Hank retired in late December 1975. After retiring from the Navy, Hank was employed for a year by Burns Roe, Inc., a nuclear architect engineering firm in Oradell, New Jersey, as Operations Manager for the Clinch River Breeder Reactor Plant Project. He then came back to work for the Navy as the civilian special assistant to the Commander Naval Sea Systems Command for Engineering Duty Officer matters. During his three years in this capacity he was involved in many changes and improvements in the selection, training and career paths for the more than 1200 active duty Engineering Duty Officers. In June 1980 Hank accepted the position with General Public Utilities (GPU) as Vice President and Director, Three Mile Island Nuclear Generating Station, Unit 1 (TMI-1) located just outside Middletown, Pennsylvania. TMI-1 was the sister plant to TMI-2 which in March 1979 suffered the first significant accident to a civilian nuclear electric generating plant. Hank's initial responsibilities encompassed all aspects of the recovery and restart of TMI-1 which was approved by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) in late 1985. For the next five years he directed the safe and successful operation of TMI-1. Hank retired from GPU in late 1990 after more than 10 difficult and challenging years in charge of TMI-1. On retirement from GPU, Hank and his wife Ginnie formed Hukill Hukill Inc., a nuclear consulting corporation. For the next five years he traveled frequently, providing nuclear safety and operational consulting services to senior management of numerous electric utilities. In February of 1996, Hank retired from employment and settled down with his wife in their home of 16 years in Elizabethtown, Pennsylvania. He kept active in retirement by serving on his church's building committee, by serving as an officer and on the Board of Directors of the local Boat Club, by attending and participating in funeral services for more than 150 veterans as a member of the Red Rose Military Honor Guard, by entertaining his large family at their small cottage on the Susquehanna River, and by extensive travels throughout the world. He also participated in many Naval Academy Class of '53 activities. Hank married his wonderful wife, the former Virginia (Ginnie) Ellen Moritz of South Bend, Indiana on July 6, 1953. In their more than 53 years together they had seven children, 12 grandchildren, moved more than 20 times, lived in 7 different states and traveled together many, many times both throughout the USA and in many foreign countries. As Hank said so often, Ginnie was the "rock" that raised and held our family together during his many long periods at sea. Additionally, she was very active and a leader in many Navy wives social and charitable organizations and functions and was always available to help other wives whose husbands were at sea. Hank often remarked that when introduced to other Navy families the comment would be made, "Oh, you must be Ginnie's husband". In summary, Ginnie fully supported Hank throughout his career and contributed significantly to his success. In addition to his wife, Hank is survived by two daughters, Meredith H. Ingersoll of Ashburn, Virginia, and Melissa J. Hukill of Middletown, Delaware; four sons, Mark A. Hukill of Annandale, Virginia, Matthew S. Hukill of Greensboro, North Carolina, Monte J. Hukill of Jamestown, North Carolina, and Mitchell C. Hukill of Lancaster, Pennsylvania, and 12 grandchildren. In addition, one son, 2nd Lt. Maurice E. Hukill, USMC (deceased), was killed during the terrorist attack on the Marine barracks in Beirut, Lebanon on October 23, 1983.

Hukill, Henry Durbin
DOB 11/3/1930 ~DOD 7/13/2006 IN
Copyright 2006 Lancaster Newspapers, Inc. Intelligencer Journal (Lancaster, Pennsylvania) July 19, 2006 Wednesday SECTION: B; Pg. 3 LENGTH: 558 words HEADLINE: Capt. Henry D. Hukill Jr., US Navy (Ret.) SERIES: Obituaries BYLINE: Intelligencer Journal Staff DATELINE: Lancaster, PA BODY: Three Mile Island Vice President Captain Henry "Hank" D. Hukill, Jr., US Navy (Ret.) of 7 Meadowbrook Lane, Elizabethtown, Pennsylvania died July 13, 2006 of natural causes. He was 75 and had been under a doctor's care for over two years. He was the husband of Virginia E. Moritz Hukill. They observed their fifty-third wedding anniversary on July 6, 2006. Born and raised in South Bend, Indiana, Hank graduated from the US Naval Academy in 1953 and subsequently served over 22 years of active duty in the Navy, primarily on nuclear submarines, until retiring in late 1975. As part of his naval career, he commanded a nuclear powered missile submarine (USS CASIMIR PULASKI (SSBN 633)) for five years and completed his last four years of service as the senior line officer on the staff of Admiral H.G. Rickover, the father of the nuclear submarine. After retiring from the Navy, Hank was employed for a year by Burns and Roe Inc., a nuclear architect engineering firm in Oradell, New Jersey as Operations Manager for the Clinch River Breeder Reactor Plant Project. He then came back to work for the Navy as a civilian special assistant for Engineering Duty Officer Matters. In 1980 he became Vice President and Director of Three Mile Island Nuclear Generating Station, Unit 1, for General Public Utilities (GPU) and moved from Alexandria, Virginia to Elizabethtown, Pennsylvania. He served in this position for more than 10 years which included the recovery and restart of Unit 1 in 1985 after the accident at Unit 2 in 1979, and then five years of successful operation. He retired from GPU in late 1990 and until 1996 consulted for several electric utilities as a nuclear safety advisor to senior management. Hank was a member of St. Peter's Catholic Church of Elizabethtown and served on the church's building committee. He was also a member of the Lancaster Chapter of the Military Officer Association of America, The Red Rose Honor Guard, the US Naval Academy Alumni Association, American Legion Conewago Post 329, GPU/Met Ed Retired Employees Association, the Tri-County Boat Club, and a life member of the Navy Marine Coast Guard Residence Foundation. Surviving in addition to his wife are two daughters, Meredith H. Ingersoll of Ashburn, Virginia and Melissa J. Hukill of Middletown, Delaware; four sons, Mark A. Hukill of Annandale, Virginia, Matthew S. Hukill of Greensboro, North Carolina, Monte J. Hukill of Jamestown, North Carolina, and Mitchell C. Hukill of Lancaster, Pennsylvania; and 12 grandchildren. In addition, one son, Second Lt. Maurice E. Hukill, United States Marine Corps (deceased), was killed during the terrorist attack on the Marine barracks in Beirut, Lebanon on October 23, 1983. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Friday, July 21, 2006 at St. Peter Catholic Church, 1840 Marshall Drive, Elizabethtown at 2:00 p.m. Friends may call at the church from 12:00 noon until the time of service. Interment will take place at a later date in Arlington National Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to St. Peter Catholic Church or to the Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society, 875 N. Randolph Street, Suite 225, Arlington, VA 22203 or to Hospice of Lancaster County, 685 Good Drive, PO Box 4125, Lancaster, PA 17604. Arrangements by Miller/Sekely Funeral Services, Elizabethtown. www.millerfuneralhome.com

Source: Jack Davison.

 

07/14/2021 DEC

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