Few American naval officers have been as unconventional as Edward Ellsberg and still managed to rise to the rank of rear admiral. This probing biography shows Ellsberg time and again confronting the Navy's conservatism, service politics, and professional jealousies to literally salvage the unsalvageable. Author John Alden vividly describes Ellsberg's first public success in 1925 when he raised the sunken submarine S-51. Two years later he made headlines again during an attempt to save six men trapped in the S-4.In 1941 Ellsberg managed to refloat two Italian dry docks that everyone considered unsalvageable. Then as Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower's salvage officer for North Africa, he unblocked the sabotaged port of Oran, raised more dry docks, and rescued torpedoed ships. In 1944 he was instrumental in preparing the artificial harbors that made the Normandy landings a success. These World War II accomplishments earned Ellsberg the Order of the British Empire but only reluctant notice from his own navy, although he exerted a lasting influence on U.S. submarine recovery operations.Taking full advantage of Ellsberg's extensive collection of papers and archives on both sides of the Atlantic, this insightful study is the first to focus on the determined admiral. A man of many talents. Ellsberg also published a number of books, including the very popular On the Bottom, which brought the story of salvaging to public attention.