Craig Lee Symonds
, Maryland
Craig was born and raised in Anaheim CA on December 31st 1946 to Lee and Virginia Symonds. After graduating from UCLA in 1967 he began graduate studies at the University of Florida where he met his wife Marylou Symonds nee Hayden. They married in 1969 and had their son Jeff Symonds. Drafted for Vietnam Craig was assigned to teach Naval History at the Naval War College in Newport RI. After finishing his service in 1975 Craig returned to Florida to finish his dissertation and then was hired by the United States Naval Academy as a professor of history in the fall of 1976. Craig taught history at the Academy for the next thirty years including an exchange year in Dartmouth England at Britannia Royal Naval College and retired as one of its most decorated professors. He won the yards highest awards for teaching thousands of former students can attest to…