Frederick Joseph Harris of Mystic Conn., passed peacefully at 5:47PM on 10/24/2025, with his family by his side. “Fred” was born on 11/25/1944 at Framingham Union Hospital to Frederick Everett and MaryRosa Camilla Harris.

Fred was a proud patriot who loved his country. Fred received his bachelor’s degree in Marine Engineering from Maine Maritime Academy (with Honors) in 1967. Upon graduation, Fred was commissioned in the U.S. Naval Reserve with the obligation of sailing in the U.S. Merchant Marine. In the Merchant Marine, Fred sailed on various U.S. flag vessels, most notably aboard the SS Transglobe – the most decorated American merchant ship of the Vietnam War. Following his sailing career, which he completed as Chief Engineer, he entered Babson College, where he received his MBA in 1972, graduating with distinction. Soon after graduation, Fred began his shipbuilding career as a senior systems engineer for Electric Boat in the TRIDENT Nuclear Submarine Project.

Fred joined EB as an engineer in the OHIO Class nuclear submarine program with increasing responsibility for the design, engineering and procurement of equipment for the nuclear propulsion plant associated with the delivery of 18 Trident Class ships. He led the Electric Boat engineering organization in the transformation of the long- standing traditional drawing board approach to ships design to a state-of-the-art integrated computer driven 3D visualization and production control process. Fred led the Virgina Class Program Management organization for the submarine design-build concept leading to on time delivery of the 1st Virginia Class attack submarine, VIRGINIA, SSN 774, in 2004.  Fred then led the design and engineering effort to incorporate Virginia Class lessons learned into the construction program to support the unique requirements associated with the 3rd Seawolf Class submarine, USS JIMMY CARTER, SSN 23 at which time, he was promoted to VP of programs.

In 2006, Fred was promoted as the President of General Dynamics National Steel and Shipbuilding Company (GD-NASSCO) responsible for the design, engineering, procurement and construction of several classes of Naval Auxiliary Surface Vessels for the United States Navy (USN) and the Military Sealift Command (MSC) and for multiple designs of cargo and tanker surface vessels for commercial US shipping customers involved in the Jones Act US shipping trade.

Major military and commercial ship program major accomplishments include design, engineering, procurement and construction associated with:

Fourteen dry cargo and ammunition ships of the LEWIS and CLARK Class  (TAKE) for the USN/MSC – rescuing the program from construction delays and cost overruns to one of the most successful shipbuilding programs in Naval history by invoking significant process and productivity improvements leading to an unprecedented ship schedule discipline and cost reduction effort.

Multiple Mobile Landing Platforms (MLP) – later renamed Expeditionary Sea Base (ESB) Naval auxiliary fleet support ships.

Multiple crude oil tankers, product carriers and cargo surface vessels for several US shipping companies involved in US Jones Act trade.

In 2013, Fred was assigned as the President of General Dynamics Bath Iron Works responsible for the design, engineering, procurement and construction for two classes of the USN’s destroyer programs including the Arleigh Burke Class advanced flight guided missile destroyers and the Zumwalt Class advanced multi-mission stealth  destroyers.  Fred retired from GD-Bath in December 2016. Following GD retirement, he provided technical consulting services in support of ship construction to several nations, including France, Spain and Australia

Fred’s thorough knowledge of ship construction processes, design and build practices, and his openness to seek out best business practices earned him a succession of promotions at Electric Boat, including Vice President and VIRGINIA Class Program Manager, Vice President of Programs and Sr. Vice President of Programs. As Sr. Vice President, he was assigned responsibility for all new design and construction, life cycle, repair, and business development programs at Electric Boat. Under Fred’s leadership, the VIRGINIA Class Program earned a reputation as the premier shipbuilding program in the U.S. Navy, with the first submarine of the class completed within three months of the original planned delivery date set ten years earlier. During this same period, the design and the conversion of the first four TRIDENT Ballistic Missile Submarines to SSGNs were completed under his direction, all ahead of schedule and under budget. Another significant achievement of Fred’s at Electric Boat was his management and development of the addition of an approximately 100-foot-long hull section for the SEAWOLF Class Submarine, USS Jimmy Carter (SSN 23). This pioneering modification provided unprecedented undersea multi-mission capabilities.

On January 1, 2006, Fred was appointed President of General Dynamics NASSCO and Vice President of the General Dynamics Corporation. In 2013 Fred was additionally given the responsibility as President of Bath Iron Works, while also serving as President of General Dynamics NASSCO.

Fred was a devoted Roman Catholic who upheld a lifelong devotion to the rosary and was an active member of multiple parishes as his travels took him. Fred was a high-school and university football standout, as well as an avid shooter, card player, amateur historian, scouting leader, craftsman, and unrepentant trickster. Serving as Assistant Scoutmaster to Boy Scout Troop 42, Fred led numerous fundraising drives to ensure every boy in the troop that wanted to attend summer camp would be able to regardless of ability to pay. Fred was also extremely active in charity work, donating extensive time, money, and other resources to not only scouting but also the United Way, the American Red Cross and the American Heart association, the American Lupus foundation, and many other worthy causes.

In recognition of his accomplishments in the Shipbuilding industry, Fred held many non-GD leadership positions and received numerous honors. There are too many to mention, but they include: being named Maine Maritime Academy Outstanding Alumni Award for the year 2000; Council Member, American Bureau of Shipping; Past Board Chair, American Shipbuilding Association; 2002 recipient of the Society of Naval Architects & Marine Engineers (SNAME) William M. Kennedy Award awarded for “Outstanding Service and Contribution in the Development of Systems and Planning Applied to Shipbuilding and Ship Repair”; 2010 recipient of the Harold E. Saunders Award, given by the American Society of Naval Engineers (ASNE), for his significant contributions to naval engineering; 2012 recipient of the Society of Naval Architects & Marine Engineers (SNAME) Vice Admiral Emory Scott Land Medal for “Outstanding Accomplishment in the Marine Field”; 2012 recipient of The Royal Institution of Naval Architects (RINA) William Froude Medal, “awarded to an individual who has made a conspicuous contribution to naval architecture and/or shipbuilding” and in 2010, in honor of his many accomplishments, the Maine Maritime Academy granted him an Honorary PhD.

Fred is survived by his wife Peggy, his daughter Meghan and her husband Rick LaFlamme and Meghan’s grandson Ziah Camacho; Fred’s son Teddy, Teddy’s wife Meghan and their two daughters Jillian and Allison. Fred is also survived by his sister Elaine Larson, his brother Albert Harris and Albert’s wife Donna, his brother-in-law David Foley and David’s wife Martha, his niece Kim McGee and his nephews Doug Larson and Michael Foley, as well as many other beloved family members, friends, and colleagues. Fred is pre-deceased by his father Fred, his mother MaryRosa, his brother-in-law Glenn (Elaine’s late husband) and Rick’s daughter, Nichole Laflamme.

It is impossible to summarize the life of Fred in a few paragraphs. He was a truly larger than life persona who will be dearly missed by all who had the great good fortune to cross his path.

“His Master replied, ‘Well done, my good and faithful servant! …. Come, share your Master’s joy.”

Matthew 25:23

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