J. Edward Snyder
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Rear Adm. J. Edward Snyder, USN (Ret.) was notable as the captain of the battleship USS New Jersey during that ship's deployment to the Vietnam War in 1968. Considered by those serving on the New Jersey to be a "sailors captain", Captain Snyder was able to motivate his men through his more relaxed shipboard policies.
Snyder's first unique action, upon taking command of the New Jersey was to have the shower stall removed from the head in the Captain's Quarters. In its stead, he had a bathtub brought aboard ship, as he preferred it to the shower. Although crews at the shipyard refused to install it, once underway, sailors aboard BB-62 attached it to ships plumbing. Snyder used his in-port cabin with its bathtub nightly, saying that since he would be blamed if something happened regardless of whether he was sleeping on the bridge, he would rather be comfortable in his cabin.
Another oddity aboard the Jersey at this time was its twin swimming pools. Sailors converted two of the forty calibur gun tubs towards the bow of the ship by welding shut the open side and painting the interior blue. It was well known aboard ship that Captain Snyder was one of the first men in the pool when there was down time.
Snyder allowed sailors to sunbathe on the decks by the bow of the ship, and completely contrary to accepted Navy standards, allowed sailors to wear beards while serving on the Jersey.
