August 7, 2025
The Passing of PHCS Robert “Bob” Carlisle, USN (Ret)
Dear USNPAA Members,
We mourn the passing of Robert “Bob” Carlisle, PHCS, USN (Ret.), who died peacefully on August 5, in Winter Haven, Florida. He was 101 years old.
As a charter member of the Association, Bob devoted his life to the profession of Navy photography and the preservation of its proud legacy. His guiding principle—“By making pictures instead of taking pictures, you have evolved from spectator to participant”—inspired generations of naval photographers and public affairs specialists.
Bob enlisted in the U.S. Navy on December 8, 1941, the day after Pearl Harbor, beginning a remarkable 24-year military career. Starting as a mechanic aboard USS Mona Island in WWII, he transitioned to Navy photography and went on to document history at its highest levels. He captured President John F. Kennedy’s state funeral—where he was the only photographer allowed unrestricted movement—and photographed astronaut Gordon Cooper’s 1963 return from space. His work chronicled presidential inaugurations, world leaders, and pivotal naval operations.
Bob served as head of the Naval Photographic Center, saving thousands of historic images from destruction, and later became Director of Navy Photography in the Office of Information at the Pentagon. His Winter Haven home reflected his lifelong commitment, filled with artifacts like an Apollo 14 flag that traveled to the moon and back. He was a member of the Navy Association of Navy Photographers (NANP).
Bob is survived by his daughter, Linda K. Carlisle (Roswell, NM); son, Richard D. Carlisle, and daughter-in-law Patricia Ann Greenwell (Winchester, VA); and devoted friend and caretaker Patricia Parker (Lakeland, FL).
Fair winds and following seas, Senior Chief Carlisle. Your shipmates will never forget the legacy that you have left behind. You have impacted all of us.
Sincerely,
Dick Thompson
USNPAA Membership
More Notes
The Passing of PHCS Robert “Bob” Carlisle, USN (Ret)
Dear USNPAA Members,
We mourn the passing of Robert “Bob” Carlisle, PHCS, USN (Ret.), who died peacefully on August 5, in Winter Haven, Florida. He was 101 years old.
As a charter member of the Association, Bob devoted his life to the profession of Navy photography and the preservation of its proud legacy. His guiding principle—“By making pictures instead of taking pictures, you have evolved from spectator to participant”—inspired generations of naval photographers and public affairs specialists.
Bob enlisted in the U.S. Navy on December 8, 1941, the day after Pearl Harbor, beginning a remarkable 24-year military career. Starting as a mechanic aboard USS Mona Island in WWII, he transitioned to Navy photography and went on to document history at its highest levels. He captured President John F. Kennedy’s state funeral—where he was the only photographer allowed unrestricted movement—and photographed astronaut Gordon Cooper’s 1963 return from space. His work chronicled presidential inaugurations, world leaders, and pivotal naval operations.
Bob served as head of the Naval Photographic Center, saving thousands of historic images from destruction, and later became Director of Navy Photography in the Office of Information at the Pentagon. His Winter Haven home reflected his lifelong commitment, filled with artifacts like an Apollo 14 flag that traveled to the moon and back. He was a member of the Navy Association of Navy Photographers (NANP).
Bob is survived by his daughter, Linda K. Carlisle (Roswell, NM); son, Richard D. Carlisle, and daughter-in-law Patricia Ann Greenwell (Winchester, VA); and devoted friend and caretaker Patricia Parker (Lakeland, FL).
Fair winds and following seas, Senior Chief Carlisle. Your shipmates will never forget the legacy that you have left behind. You have impacted all of us.
Sincerely,
Dick Thompson
USNPAA Membership
More Notes