Charles W Soules

Retired USN Captain Charles Webster Soules passed away in his sleep in N.E. Columbia, SC at 9:04 on December 6, 2024 at 88 years old. He is survived by his wife Beatrice K. Soules, his daughters Lynnae Lyons and Heather Soules, and grandson Gavin Lyon.

Charles had an amazing Navy career which started after graduating from ROTC Illinois Institute Technology (IIT) when he was then commission on June 6, 1958 as an Ensign in the United States Navy. He was sent to the USS Rockbridge (APA 228) from Jun 1958 to Jul 1959. He was then assigned to the Amphibious Squadron 6 from July 1959 to October 1960. His next assignment was to the USS Eaton (DDE 510) from March 1961 to July 1962. He then got a chance to go to Post Graduate School in Monterey, CA from July 1962 to July 1965 where he met his soon to be wife Beatrice Farmer who was a school teacher at the time. They got married on April 12, 1963. Charles continued his career by doing Nuclear Propulsion Plant Operator Training in Trenton, NY from August 1965 to August 1966. During that time their first daughter Lynnae was born in Saratoga Springs, NY on February 26, 1966. After training the family moved to Long Beach, California so Charles could join the USS Long Beach (CGN 9) from September 1966 to December 1968. During this duty station, their second daughter Heather was born in Long Beach, CA on July 31, 1967. Taking a leap of faith, Charles took his entire family to his next duty station at Naval Ship Repair Facility, Subic Bay, Philippines from January 1969 to July 1972. His duty station after that was as an Assistant Planning and Estimating Superintendent at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard in Bremerton, WA from August 1972 to May 1975. Charles then took more training courses; in May of 1975 he did a Steam Generator Inspector Course and in July of 1975 a Boilerwater/Feedwater treatment course. All of this prepared him for his next career move, which was as Chief Engineer on the USS Midway (CV-41) in Yokosuka, Japan. He and his family were there from August 1975 to September 1977. During this time frame he was instrumental in getting the USS MIDWAY an E for Excellence for the engineering department which he had the honor to paint on the stack of the ship. After a successful time on the Midway he and his family moved to San Diego, CA so he could first become Assistant Ships Material Officer and then promoted to Ships Material Officer at COMNAVAIRPAC San Diego, CA from September 1977 to June 1982 and became a CAPT at this duty station. It was during this time frame, Charles and his girls discovered their love for sailing. About this time Charles made a difficult choice, he decided to take a CDR’s job for a year as a Production Officer in Yokosuka, Japan so when the post for the Commanding Officer of the Ship Repair Facility in Yokosuka, Japan came available he could take that post. So he made that leap of faith and was in Yokosuka, Japan from July 1982 to May of 1987. During that time he purchased his own sailing boat called the Gumbate (Do your best in Japanese) and sailed it to Korea and back with a friend, and sailed to many places in Japan that the family happily explored with him. Both daughters graduated from Yo Hi on the base in Yokosuka. At the end of this duty station he was able to ship his sailboat back on various aircraft carriers till it arrived in Long Beach, CA. And a short sail later it was docked at Treasure Island, San Francisco, CA. Charles last duty station was as Commanding Officer, Supervisor of Shipbuilding Conversion and Repair in San Francisco, CA from May 1987 to June 1989. He officially retired from the Navy on July 1, 1989. At almost all of his duty stations Charles received letters of accommodations or awards/medals. This is his summation of his military achievements:

He was Surface Warfare Officer Qualified.

His awards include:

Legion of Merit (w/2 gold Stars) which means 3 awards (one medal/ribbon and subsequent awards are stars)

Meritorious Service (w/1gold Star) 2 awards

Sea Service Deployment Ribbon

Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal

Navy “E” Ribbon (E for Excellence)

Navy and Marine Corps Overseas Service Ribbon

Vietnam Service Medal(w/ 4 stars) 5 awards

National Defense Service Medal

Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal (w/ device)

Philippine Republic Presidential Unit Citation

Meritorious Unit Commendation (w/2 bronze Stars) 3 awards

Navy Unit Commendation (w/ 1 bronze Star) 2 awards

In Japan he was recognized to have a huge impact on upgrading the Ship Repair Facilities there and for the design and implementation of that design for the upgrading of the USS Midway. The pilots that landed on that aircraft had much difficulty because of the side to side motion of the ship. Charles was part of the team that designed and created ballasts that helped to stabilize the ship which made it safer for the pilots to land on the aircraft carrier. At SRF he was also able to create training programs for SRF engineers which would make them more effective in their jobs. He was huge in creating a strong bridge between the Japanese workers and the US military through his improvements to the facility. It allowed for more jobs for the locals. He was able to in 4 years and 11 months fix 59 ships and fix 50,000 tons of the Maritime Self Defense Force (all equipment other US Military forces used) was repaired. This was significantly more than any Ship Repair Facilities in the US were able to accomplish at that time.

When Chuck retired from the Navy he worked for a company called Calex Manufacturing as an Engineering Manager. He worked there for many years and finally told them he wanted to retire to travel more (because he and his wife traveled on the sailboat with a sailing group and family up through the inlets around San Francisco on weekends and they had purchased a Fifth wheel to travel to friends and family throughout the U.S. on vacation.) Calex asked him to still work for them online prior to it being a common practice, when he was in town he would go in for work. So he worked part time for a few more years. When he finally retired from Calex they had to hire three people to cover his job he had done part time. That is the testament to the dedication that Charles put to any task he was ever assigned. Throughout his life he was able to create cohesive work units and get jobs done to a high level of quality and on time. During his time at Calex, he had the chance of a lifetime! A friend from the British Embassy called him to see if Charles would meet him in the Canary Islands and sail to somewhere on the East coast. He went and had wonderful/scary stories to tell.

Charles and his wife eventually moved to Columbia, SC to be near their grandchild Gavin. In Charles neighborhood he became the neighborhood handyman. Besides fixing bridges, changing light bulbs and getting potholes fixed, he also researched and installed the overflow pump system for the neighborhood lake. While in Columbia, he and his wife attended Shandon Baptist church and they both got baptized there and volunteered their time at Victory Ranch, sang in the Spring Valley Voices choir, and participated in events involving international outreach and even Christmas plays. As a Grandfather he helped Gavin with any school building projects since he and Gavin enjoyed using math in every day projects. He and his wife went to every soccer game Gavin had and for many summers when Gavin was young they took Gavin on their trips in their Fifth wheel.

Charles was proud of his Navy Career, his faith, family, and that he was a lifetime member of the Buchanan Masonic Lodge #68 as well as a member of the Al Bahr Shrine Temple in San Diego.

He will be missed.

Charles’ visitation will be held at 1:00 p.m. Friday, December 20, 2024 at Dunbar Funeral Home, Northeast Chapel, 4219 Hard Scrabble Road, Columbia, SC 29223, with his memorial service to follow at 2:00 pm. His service will also be livestreamed.