Compiled By Brant Burgiss

SOMEWHERE IN THE ATLANTIC-- Eric B. Anderson never thought he would be thrust in the national spotlight as the Commanding Officer of a recovery ship, but two recent salvage operations have earned him the attention of the American public.

In mid-July of this year, John F. Kennedy Jr.'s private plane disappeared from radar during a flight to Martha's Vineyard. Traveling with Kennedy to his cousin's wedding were his wife, Carolyn and her sister Lauren Bessette.

When officials realized the plane, a Piper Saratoga II, was overdue, a SAR (search and rescue) was initiated to look for survivors. As time passed, however, it soon became apparent that the chance of the party's survival was nil and the mission would turn into a recovery attempt.

After initial attempts to find the downed airplane failed, the USS Grasp (ARS-51), under the command of LCDR Eric Anderson, was assigned to help find the missing aircraft.

As a nation of well-wishers looked on through daily television broadcasts, the Grasp made contact with Kennedy's single-engine aircraft just 7.5 miles southwest of Aquinnah.

Using a special underwater camera on a small, unmanned submarine called an ROV (remote operated vehicle), Navy sailors onboard Grasp were able to locate John F. Kennedy Jr.'s body near the wreckage.

Divers had to operate under difficult conditions in the 100-foot plus depths off Martha's Vineyard, and teams from Grasp had to work in short 15-minute shifts due to the depth and temperature of the water. Despite the elements, the remains of JFK Jr., as well as those of his wife and sister-in-law, were soon recovered. Senator Ted Kennedy and his two sons, who had been brought to the search area by the Coast Guard, were present on USS Grasp when the recovery was made.

Survey Ops Off Cape Hatteras
Just a week after the Kennedy recovery, LCDR Anderson and his ship took a step back in time as they were involved in video and surveying operations of the sunken Civil War vessel USS Monitor off the coast of North Carolina near Cape Hatteras.

Known primarily for her clash with the Merrimack (CSS Virginia) at Hampton Roads in March of 1862, the Monitor helped mark the first time two steam-propelled iron ships engaged each other in battle.

The Monitor sunk while under tow in heavy seas nine months later on New Year's Eve 1862, and lay undiscovered on the ocean floor until she was found in 1973 by researchers from Duke University.

LCDR Anderson was eager to dive on USS Monitor, and remarked during a recent interview with the Winston-Salem Journal, "The Monitor is the grandfather of all warships. I mean, our modern Navy historically can trace its roots right back to the Monitor and the Merrimack."

The mission for Anderson and his crew during this sortie was to help catalog the layout of the wreck for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Researchers hope that the video shot by the crew of the Grasp will help in the later recovery attempts of the turret and the Monitor's unique single-cylinder engine before the ship succumbs to the elements of the sea.

During one of several dives to the Monitor, Anderson was able to climb under the protective armor belt of the hull and look into the engine room. The engine had fallen loose, but appeared to be intact - and recoverable. On one day with particularly good underwater visibility, Eric was also able to see the 120-ton turret clearly, and felt with his own hands the three distinct indentations where shells from the Merrimack had pounded her. "I've seen photos showing those dents since I was a little kid, and it was amazing to be actually on the wreck."

Anderson's Navy Career
After his commissioning, LCDR Anderson attended Surface Warfare Officer's School in Coronado, California followed by Basic Diving Officer, Salvage Officer, Fundamentals of Munitions, and Mixed Gas Diving Officer schools in Panama City, Florida.

His first shipboard assignment was as the Assistant Weapons Officer and then the Assistant Operations Officer in USS DETROIT (AOE 4). His next tour was in USS RECOVERY (ARS 43) where he served as Supply Officer and then as Chief Engineer.

Following Department Head and Prospective Executive Officer Schools in Newport, Rhode Island, Lieutenant Commander Anderson served in USS HOIST (ARS 40) as Executive Officer.

After HOIST was decommissioned, he served as Executive Officer in USS SAFEGUARD (ARS 50). Following this tour he attended the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, California where he earned a Master of Science Degree in Operations Research.

LCDR Anderson's personal decorations include the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal (three awards) and the Navy Achievement Medal (two awards).