Admiral Austin, who graduated from the Naval Academy in 1924, provides a relatively brief description of his junior officer years, which contained a fair amount of submarine duty. From 1937–1940, he was press officer in the Navy Department, then went to the U.S. Embassy, as special naval observer in London under Vice Admiral R.L. Ghormley. While CO of the destroyer Woolsey, he was credited with sinking a German submarine during North African landings. He then commanded the new destroyer Foote for a year before commanding DesDiv 46 in Arleigh Burke's famous "Little Beaver" squadron in the Solomons campaign. After duty on Admiral Nimitz's staff, he held a variety of assignments at sea and ashore, including three-star duty as Director of the Joint Staff Office, DCNO (Plans and Policy), Commander Second Fleet, and President of the Naval War College.