Christie was promoted to rear admiral as part of his move back to Newport . In January 1943 , however , Rear Admiral Robert English , Commander , Submarines , U.S. Pacific Fleet , was killed in a plane crash . Christie hoped to get the position but the job went to Rear Admiral Charles A. Lockwood , commander of submarine operations in Fremantle , and the Bureau of Personnel selected Christie to take over Lockwood 's old command . Christie lobbied Vice Admiral Arthur ' Chips ' Carpender , Douglas MacArthur 's Commander Allied Naval Forces , to allow him to replace Fife as commander of the larger submarine force at Brisbane . Carpender refused , and Christie went on to Fremantle . Nevertheless , Christie continued to try for some time to take the Brisbane force under his control
plane crash
Pan Am Flight 1104
Ralph Waldo Christie