Frederick Joseph Harris, of Mystic, Connecticut, passed away peacefully at 5:47 p.m. on October 24, 2025, surrounded by his family. “Fred” was born on November 25, 1944, at Framingham Union Hospital, the son of Frederick Everett and MaryRosa Camilla Harris.
Fred was a proud patriot who loved his country. He graduated with honors from the Maine Maritime Academy in 1967 with a bachelor´s degree in naval engineering. Upon graduation, he was commissioned in the United States Naval Reserve, with the obligation to serve in the U.S. Merchant Marine. In the Merchant Marine, he sailed on several U.S.-flagged vessels, notably aboard the SS Transglobe, the most decorated U.S. merchant ship of the Vietnam War. After his maritime career, which culminated as Chief Engineer, he entered Babson College, where he earned his MBA in 1972, graduating with distinction. Shortly after graduating, Fred began his career in shipbuilding as a senior systems engineer for Electric Boat on the TRIDENT Nuclear Submarine Project.
Fred joined Electric Boat as an engineer on the Ohio-class nuclear submarine program, assuming increasing responsibility for the design, engineering, and procurement of equipment for the nuclear propulsion plant associated with the delivery of 18 Trident-class submarines. He led Electric Boat´s engineering organization in transforming the traditional paper-based naval design method to a state-of-the-art integrated 3D visualization and computer-aided manufacturing process. Fred led the Virginia-class program management organization for submarine design and construction, enabling the on-time delivery of the first Virginia-class attack submarine, the VIRGINIA (SSN 774), in 2004. Fred subsequently led the design and engineering effort to incorporate lessons learned from the Virginia class into the construction program to meet the specific requirements of the third Seawolf-class submarine, the USS JIMMY CARTER (SSN 23), at which time he was promoted to vice president of programs.
In 2006, Fred was promoted to president of General Dynamics National Steel and Shipbuilding Company (GD-NASSCO), responsible for the design, engineering, procurement, and construction of various classes of naval auxiliary surface ships for the United States Navy (USN) and Military Sealift Command (MSC), and multiple designs of cargo and tanker surface vessels for U.S. commercial shipping customers involved in U.S. Jones Act maritime trade.
Major accomplishments in military and commercial ship programs include the design, engineering, procurement, and construction of: fourteen LEWIS and CLARK class dry cargo and ammunition ships (TAKE) ships for the USN/MSC, rescuing the program from construction delays and cost overruns and turning it into one of the most successful shipbuilding programs in naval history through significant improvements in processes and productivity, leading to unprecedented discipline in ship delivery and significant cost reductions.
Multiple Landing Platforms (MLP), later renamed Expeditionary Seabase Support (ESB) ships. Multiple crude oil tankers, product carriers, and surface cargo ships for various US shipping companies engaged in trade covered by the US Jones Act.
In 2013, Fred was named president of General Dynamics Bath Iron Works, responsible for the design, engineering, procurement, and construction of two classes of U.S. Navy destroyers: the Arleigh Burke-class advanced guided-missile destroyers and the Zumwalt-class advanced multi-mission stealth destroyers. Fred retired from GD-Bath in December 2016. Following his retirement, he provided technical consulting services in support of shipbuilding to several countries, including France, Spain, and Australia.
Fred´s deep knowledge of shipbuilding processes, design and construction practices, and his willingness to seek out best business practices earned him a series of promotions at Electric Boat, including the positions of Vice President and Program Director for the Virginia-class submarine program, Vice President of Programs, and Senior Vice President of Programs. As Senior Vice President, he was responsible for all design and construction, lifecycle, repair, and business development programs at Electric Boat. Under Fred´s leadership, the Virginia-class program established itself as the U.S. Navy´s most important shipbuilding program, and the first submarine in the class was completed just three months ahead of the delivery date set ten years earlier. During that same period, the design and conversion of the first four TRIDENT ballistic missile submarines to SSGNs was completed under his direction, all ahead of schedule and under budget. Another significant achievement for Fred at Electric Boat was the management and development of the addition of an approximately 30-meter-long hull section for the Seawolf-class submarine, the USS Jimmy Carter (SSN 23). This pioneering modification provided unprecedented multi-mission submarine capabilities.
On January 1, 2006, Fred was named President of General Dynamics NASSCO and Vice President of General Dynamics Corporation. In 2013, Fred also assumed the presidency of Bath Iron Works, while retaining his position as President of General Dynamics NASSCO.
Fred was a devout Roman Catholic who maintained a deep faith in praying the rosary throughout his life and was an active member of several parishes in his travels. Fred excelled as a football player in high school and college, as well as being an avid shooter, card player, amateur historian, scout leader, craftsman, and inveterate prankster. As assistant leader of Scout Troop 42, Fred led numerous fundraising campaigns to ensure that all the boys in the troop who wanted to attend summer camp could do so, regardless of their ability to pay. Fred was also very active in charity work, donating significant time, money, and other resources not only to Scouting, but also to the United Way, the American Red Cross, the American Heart Association, the American Lupus Foundation, and many other worthy causes.
In recognition of his achievements in the shipbuilding industry, Fred held numerous leadership positions outside GD and received multiple honors. Too many to list, but among them are: Maine Maritime Academy´s Distinguished Alumnus Award in 2000; member of the American Bureau of Shipping Council; past chairman of the American Shipbuilding Association Council; in 2002, he received the William M. Kennedy Award from the Society of Naval Architects & Marine Engineers (SNAME) for his “Outstanding Service and Contribution to the Development of Systems and Planning Applied to Shipbuilding and Repair”; in 2010, he received the Harold E. Saunders Award from the American Society of Naval Engineers (ASNE) for his significant contributions to naval engineering; and in 2012, he received the Vice Admiral Emory Scott Land Medal from the Society of Naval Architects & Marine Engineers (SNAME) for his “Outstanding Achievements in the Maritime Field.” In 2012, he received the William Froude Medal from the Royal Institution of Naval Architects (RINA), “awarded to a person who has made an outstanding contribution to naval architecture and/or shipbuilding,” and in 2010, in recognition of his many achievements, the Maine Maritime Academy awarded him an honorary doctorate.
Fred is survived by his wife Peggy, his daughter Meghan and her husband Rick LaFlamme, and Meghan´s grandson Ziah Camacho; his son Teddy, Teddy´s wife Meghan, and their two daughters, Jillian and Allison. He is also survived by his sister Elaine Larson, his brother Albert Harris and Albert´s wife Donna, his brother-in-law David Foley and David´s wife Martha, his niece Kim McGee, and his nephews Doug Larson and Michael Foley, as well as many other beloved family members, friends, and colleagues. He was preceded in death by his father Fred, his mother MaryRosa, his brother-in-law Glenn (Elaine´s widower), and Rick´s daughter Nichole LaFlamme.
News and image obtained from: “Marinelink”
https://es.marinelink.com/news/obituario-fallece-fred-harris-figura-emblem%c3%a1tica-304106
