In 1940, John J. Viera enlisted in the U.S. Navy at the age of 17 in response to the war in Europe, rejecting a football scholarship from the University of Notre Dame in favor of a life at sea. He fought in many sea battles during World War II and was a survivor of the Pearl Harbor attack as an 18-year-old seaman. After the war, John served as a young Chief Quartermaster and sailing master on Treasure Island’s 90-foot training yacht, Varuna. In 1951, he was appointed Platoon Leader of Underwater Demolition Team 11 in Coronado, his first special warfare assignment. He was also a qualified Navy hard hat diver, scuba diver, and parachutist. As a Lieutenant on the Underwater Demolition staff, he played a vital role in starting up the program that became SEAL Team One. He commanded three ships, including the destroyer, USS Wedderburn.
One of John’s remarkable feats happened off the Vietnam coast when he was the Commanding Officer of the USS Wedderburn. He received a message that a U.S. Marine platoon was pinned down deep inland by the Viet Cong, beyond the ship’s firing range. Without hesitation, John grounded the ship within striking distance of the Marines’ position. The ship’s guns blasted away, covering the Marines as they safely repositioned. Backing out into the open ocean, the executive officer reported that the props were churning up sheets of mud. But, as Commanding Officer, John treated the episode like just another day at sea.
Commander John J. Viera retired from the Navy in 1972 with more than 30 years of uniformed service. However, he continued his love affair with the sea as an Unlimited Master Mariner, piloting ships worldwide. In 1995, John fully and finally retired from his 55-years at sea without any accidents, but with many near misses. His retirement was marked in Ketchikan, Alaska, by a poignant announcement made over the intercom of a Holland America ship, loudly proclaiming, “… attention to the forward gangway, a great sailor is leaving the sea.” John passed away in 2001 at the age of 77.
VOL. 114, NO. 46 – Nov. 13, 2024
