Norman K. Ott

Ott, Jr., Norman K., 78, of St. Petersburg, died Wednesday, March 25, 2009. Born in Allentown, PA, he came here in 1988 from Vienna, Virginia. He was a graduate of Allentown High School. . He was Protestant. In his youth, he attained the rank of Eagle Scout and Order of the Arrow in the Boy Scouts. He was also a graduate of Lehigh University with a BS degree in Electrical Engineering as well as competing on the school swim team. He began his career working for Sylvania Electric and then was commissioned Ensign, USNR upon graduation from the Naval Officer Candidate School in Newport, RI. In 1954, after graduating from UDT Class 13, Ensign Ott served with Underwater Demolition Teams 22 and 21. He participated in detachments in Vieques, PR, St. Thomas, VI, Mediterranean Sea and Artic regions. While with UDT 21, his team trained the original 7 astronauts in SCUBA diving and survival techniques. Such training was necessary in the event that the astronauts would have to jettison their space capsule after the water landing. Discharged as a LTJG in 1957, he then worked for Westinghouse Electric as a Sales Engineer in Pittsburgh, PA. He was married in 1962 to Ruth Ann Ross from Uniontown, PA. From 1962 to 1991 he worked as an Operations Officer for the Central Intelligence Agency conducting operations in Turkey, Africa, Vietnam, Cuba, Persian Gulf and the Near East areas. His last assignment was as the CIA Intelligence Advisor to General Schwarzkopf at CentCom Headquarters in Tampa, FL during Operation Desert Storm. He also was active in the Naval Reserve, attaining the rank of Captain and serving as Commanding Officer of reserve units in Pittsburgh, Miami, Baltimore, Washington, DC, and Norfolk where he was CO of the first SEAL Reserve unit with an operational capability. He was a loving husband, father and grandfather; scout master, football coach, soccer coach, basketball coach, advisor, provider and family comedian. While serving as scout master in Istanbul, Turkey, he led an annual swim from Asia to Europe across the Bosporus Strait. He was an avid tennis player and worked as a league coordinator for the USTA and played in numerous leagues. Upon moving to St. Petersburg in 1988 and retiring in 1991, he spent his time playing with his granddaughters, sailing, playing tennis and was President of the local chapter of the UDT/SEAL Association. He is survived by wife, Ruth Ann Ott, St. Petersburg, FL; a son and daughter-in-law, Kurt M. and Holly Ott of St. Petersburg, FL; a daughter, Kathy A Ott of Nashville, TN; a son and daughter-in-law, Kevin R. and Beth Ott of Belews Creek, NC; two sisters: Leanne Smith and Jeanette Bender, both of Allentown, PA; a brother, Tom Ott of Allentown, PA; four granddaughters: Alexandra and Mandi Ott both of Belews Creek, NC and Callie and Tessa Ott, both of St. Petersburg, FL. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in his memory to NSW Museum, 3300 North A1A, North Hutchinson Island, Fort Pierce, FL 34949 or online at www.navysealmuseum.com or UDT-SEAL Association, Inc., Navy SEAL Building Fund Raiser, P.O. Box 5965, Virginia Beach, VA 23471.