▁Ass istant ▁Director ▁of ▁the ▁U . S . ▁Naval ▁Research ▁Labor atory ▁and ▁Navy ▁Department ▁L ia ison ▁Officer ▁with ▁the ▁National ▁Def ense ▁Research ▁Committee . ▁He ▁has ▁been ▁identified ▁as ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁pione ers ▁of ▁modern ▁electron ics ▁development ▁in ▁the ▁Navy . ▁ ▁World ▁War ▁II ▁ ▁In ▁May ▁ 1 9 4 2 , ▁he ▁assumed ▁command ▁of ▁the ▁USS ▁Prom ethe us ▁( AR - 3 ), ▁a ▁recomm ission ed ▁World ▁War ▁I ▁repair ▁ship . ▁Under ▁his ▁command , ▁she ▁joined ▁the ▁U . S . ▁ 3 rd ▁Fle et ▁at ▁N ou me a , ▁New ▁C aled onia , ▁where ▁he ▁was ▁det ached ▁to ▁command ▁Dest roy er ▁Squadron ▁ 5 ▁and ▁operated ▁as ▁esc ort ▁commander ▁for ▁Task ▁Forces ▁ 6 7 , ▁ 6 8 ▁and ▁ 7 0 . ▁In ▁the ▁interven ing ▁periods ▁when ▁the ▁batt les hips ▁and ▁cru is ers ▁were ▁not ▁at ▁sea , ▁Admir al ▁Br is co e ▁operated ▁Commander ▁Task ▁Group ▁ 6 7 5 ▁( C act us ▁St rik ing ▁Force ) ▁in ▁Gu adal can al ▁waters . ▁ ▁He ▁was ▁transferred ▁to ▁command ▁of ▁the ▁USS ▁Den ver ▁( CL - 5 8 ) ▁in ▁July ▁ 1 9 4 3 ▁and ▁was ▁in ▁command ▁during ▁the ▁Northern ▁Sol omon ▁Islands ▁campaign . ▁During ▁a ▁thirty - six - hour ▁battle ▁with ▁Japanese ▁naval ▁forces , ▁his ▁ship ▁assist ed ▁in ▁the ▁s inking ▁of ▁five