Captain Dornin’s Navy career began upon his graduation from the Naval Academy in 1935. As a midshipman, he won laurels as an outstanding end on the Academy's football team and was selected for All-America honors.
Prior to his graduation from the Submarine School, New London, Conn., Captain Dornin served aboard the USS New Mexico, BB-37, and USS Perry, DD-340.
Three consecutive tours of submarine duty followed his completion of Submarine School. He first served in the USS Plunger, SS-179, then the USS Gudgeon, SS-211, and finally the USS Trigger, SS-237.
Captain Dornin won acclaim as an ace submarine skipper during his command of the Trigger. With this ship he conducted one of the outstanding East China Sea patrols of World War II. During the month of September, 1943, he engaged and sank four Japanese ships--two tankers and two cargo ships--and possibly one or two more which did not show up in the record books. Having expended all her torpedoes in nine days of fast action, Trigger headed home, concluding a patrol that came to be called, “a nine-day wonder". The tonnage-sunk total of 27,095 for a single patrol was one of the highest scored by a U. S. submarine to that date.
In 1944, Captain Dornin became an aide to the late Fleet Admiral Ernest J. King, wartime Chief of Naval Operations. After ADM King's retirement, he became Fleet Admiral Chester W. Nimitz' aide.
In 1946 Captain Dornin took command of the USS Sea Fox, SS-402, and from there went back to the Naval Academy as Assistant Director of Athletics. Since then he has served as Commander Submarine Division 22; Chief of Staff, Officer Submarine Development Group; Executive Officer, U. S. Naval Station, Treasure Island; Commanding Officer, USS Nereus, .AS-17, and most recently, Commander Submarine Squadron Three, Pacific Fleet. He now is Commanding Officer, Recruit Training Command, at the U. S. Naval Training Center in San Diego.
During his eventful career as a submariner, Captain Dornin has won two Navy Crosses, four Silver Stars, three Commendation ribbons and the Submarine Combat Pin with 9 stars.
Commanding Officer, San Diego RTC, Captain Robert E. Dornin, 8 Sept 1956 - 24 Jul 1959.
 Click to enlarge
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Top row, far left, LT Edward (Ned) Beach Jr., then Robert E. Dornin (in the cap), CO of USS Trigger (SS-237), May 1944. |
| Remembrance from John McKenna, CS3,
'59-'61 |
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I was a ship's cook and Captain
Dornin was having
a party of dignitaries and celebrities aboard the Los Angeles for a
dinner party. As you know, the officers had a small group of cooks and
they needed more cooks and more
food than normal. Capt. Dornin asked my Division Officer to
have one of his men cook some fried chicken for the dinner party.
I
was volunteered for this task. I had a special recipe for
some
southern fried chicken - it was my own concoction.
The next day Capt. Dornin and his
staff came down to the galley and asked my 1st. Class Petty Officer, "Who
was the cook that cooked our dinner last night?", and
I was standing there and heard him. I thought to myself, boy I
must
have messed up big time since the ship's CO wants to talk to me.
I introduced myself to Capt. Dornin
as "Sir.
Seaman John McKenna and I do hope your chicken was delightful, Sir,"
and Capt. Dornin replied to me, "Sailor,
that was the best fried
chicken
I have eaten since I left home." He wanted my recipe
and
invited me to
come up to his stateroom and have dinner with him, my choice of
menu.
I said Prime Rib and I went to dinner with the CO. He was a very
nice
person.
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