Rear Admiral Ronald J. Kurth, USN

Attended the University of Wisconsin between 1949 and 1950

Rear Admiral Kurth left Madison to enter the US Naval Academy to graduate with distinction with the class of 1954. Upon graduation, he began a Naval career which lasted 36 years.

He entered flight school and earned his wings in the Spring of 1956. His assignments included the Hurricane Hunters and Anti-Submarine Patrol Five. He completed a tour as a faculty member of the Naval Academy teaching Russian and thereafter was the Fast Carrier Task Force Officer of the Deck on the America. He was awarded a PhD at Harvard in 1970 and became the only known serving officer to be given a corporate appointment as a teaching fellow on the Harvard faculty.

He began a twenty year involvement in US-Russian affairs as a member of the US delegation negotiating the Incidents at Sea Agreement and continued as the Naval Attache’ in the American Embassy in Moscow. He command the Naval Air Station in Millington, Tennessee; and later returned to Russia to serve as the Defense Attache’ in Moscow. For his achievements during his years in Moscow, he was elected to the Attache’ Hall of Fame. He has served four assignments in the Pentagon, including three years as the Director of Politico-Military Policy for the Navy. He concluded his Naval career as the President of the Naval War College, Newport, Rhode Island.

After his Naval career, he has served as the President of the Murray State University in Western Kentucky, the Dean of Academic Affairs at the Air War College, Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama, and is now President of St. John’s Northwestern Military Academy in Delafield, Wisconsin.

RADM Kurth is married to the former Charlene Schaefer, also of Madison, Wisconsin. They have four adult children, all married. All their three sons were NROTC students and commissioned into the United States Navy. Each has served from five to seven years.