Joseph K. Taussig Jr.

Taussig was born in Newport, Rhode Island, on May 28, 1920.^[2] After attending high school in Washington D.C., Taussig entered the United States Naval Academy and graduated on February 7, 1941. He then was assigned to USS Nevada (BB-36).^[3]

Taussig was the officer of the deck of USS Nevada and senior officer in charge of her anti-aircraft batteries during the Attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941.^[4] Taussig was severely wounded but refused to leave his station until the crew forcibly carried him away. He ended up having his leg amputated, then returned to duty three days later.^[5] He received the Navy Cross for his actions that day.^[6][3][7]

When he retired from active duty in 1954, at age 34, he was the youngest captain in the Navy.^[6]

In 1981 he returned to Navy service as a civilian.^[8] Taussig was "the [U.S.] Navy's first designated high-level safety specialist" and self-styled "safety czar", appointed as a civilian special assistant to the Secretary of the Navy in 1985.^[9] He twice received the Navy Distinguished Public Service Award.^[6]

Taussig married Betty Bostwick Carney, daughter of Rear Admiral Robert Bostwick Carney (future Chief of Naval Operations), in 1943.^[10] He died from an embolism at Anne Arundel Medical Center, on December 14, 1999, aged 79.^[6][7] Betty Carney Taussig established the Joseph K. Taussig Jr. Award at the United States Naval Academy in 2001, in memory of her husband.^[11] She died at the age of 94 on April 27, 2015.^[12] Taussig and his wife are buried at the United States Naval Academy Cemetery.

The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Navy Cross to Ensign Joseph Knefler Taussig, Jr., United States Navy, for exceptional courage, presence of mind, and devotion to duty and disregard for his personal safety while serving on board the Battleship U.S.S. NEVADA (BB-36), during the Japanese attack on the United States Pacific Fleet in Pearl Harbor, Territory of Hawaii, on 7 December 1941. As senior officer present in the anti-aircraft battery of the U.S.S. NEVADA, although seriously wounded, Ensign Taussig refused to leave his battle station and insisted on continuing the control of his battery's fire until he was forcefully taken from his station and lowered in a stretcher, other means of descent being blocked by fire. The conduct of Ensign Taussig throughout this action reflects great credit upon himself, and was in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.^[13]

The Executive Suite at the United States Naval Institute headquarters in Annapolis is named in his honor.

• Simon, Harvey (January 1, 1989), A man and his mission: Joseph Taussig and Navy safety, Harvard University Kennedy School of Government
• Cutler, Thomas J.; Baker, A.D. III (October 2004), "Lest We Forget: Joseph K. Taussig Jr.; USS Langley (CV-27)", Proceedings, 130 (10), U.S. Naval Institute

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Joseph K. Taussig Jr.

• "Taussig Jr, Joseph Knefler, CAPT". Togetherweserved.com. 1941.