Deep River - James F. Burns Jr., 85, of Madison, formerly of Deep River, husband of the late Letitia (Townsend) Burns, died at Middlesex Hospital on Aug. 27, 2008.

Born in Jersey City, N.J., he was the son of the late James F. Sr. and Gertrude (Corkery) Burns. Mr. Burns attended Teaneck High School, Teaneck, N.J., and graduated from Columbia University in 1943 with a degree in mechanical engineering from the Columbia School of Engineering.

After graduation, Mr. Burns volunteered for the submarine service. He served as the engineering officer on the USS Macabi (SS375) during World War II. In 1947, he returned home and began to design fossil fuel power plants, first for Houston Lighting & Power in Houston and then for EBASCO Services in New York City.

His knowledge of turbines and electrical power generation would lead him to a 24-year career in nuclear reactor design and construction for the U.S. Navy's developing nuclear submarine program.

In 1955, he began working at Electric Boat, a division of General Dynamics Corp., in Groton. His first assignment was to the design team for the S5W nuclear reactor, which was the power plant for the USS Skipjack (SSN-585).

Many people consider the USS Skipjack to be the first true submarine, as it married the concept of nuclear power, initiated in the USS Nautilus, with the teardrop-shaped hull design.

The result was a submarine designed for optimum performance under water.

The S5W reactor was such an advance on the USS Nautilus that it entirely changed the magnitude of its power and performance capabilities. In fact, this reactor proved to be so efficient that the U.S. Navy began to mass-order them.

From 1963 to 1965 Mr. Burns served as the site manager for the S5G prototype nuclear reactor project at the Navy Test Facility in Idaho Falls, Idaho. This reactor became the propulsion system for the USS Narwahl (SSN-671).

From 1965 to 1968, he served as the project manager for the construction of that submarine.

The USS Narwahl was a one-design boat that incorporated many innovations into her design, propulsion system, and construction. She proved to be the quietest submarine of her era.

From 1968 to 1975, Mr. Burns served as the director of nuclear engineering.

In that capacity he was responsible for the design and construction of all power plants for nuclear submarines for the U.S. Navy.

From 1975 to 1977, he was the site manager for the S8G prototype nuclear reactor project at Knolls Atomic Power Plant in Schenectady, N.Y.

This reactor became the power plant for the USS Ohio (SSBN-726) and all subsequent nuclear powered fleet ballistic missile submarines of that class.

For a brief period in 1977, he directed shipyard operations in the construction, overhaul, repair, and test of nuclear submarines as the operations manager at Electric Boat.

In 1978, General Dynamics created General Dynamics Services Inc., a division dedicated solely to service, particularly overseas, and Mr. Burns served as vice-president of this new division.

In that capacity he was responsible for the development of a proposal to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for the construction of two naval bases and procurement of ships.

In 1979, Mr. Burns returned to EBASCO Service in New York where he worked until his retirement in 1984. He went on to serve as a consultant to Proto-Power Corp. in Groton in the applications of magnetic bearings to nuclear reactor design.

Mr. Burns served on Columbia University's alumni fundraising campaign, was an active member of the board of trustees for the Deep River Historical Society, and was chairman of the Deep River Housing Authority, where he oversaw the construction of Kirtland Commons, a 26 room elderly housing facility in Deep River.

For his efforts on that project, he was recognized by the Deep River Rotary Club as their Citizen of the Year for 1998.

Mr. Burns is survived by his children, James F. Burns III of Deep River, Anne Jennis of Syosset, N.Y., J. Townsend Burns of Chester, Daniel C. Burns of North Andover, Mass., and five grandchildren.

Visiting hours will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. Wednesday at Robinson, Wright & Weymer Funeral Home, 34 Main St., Centerbrook. Funeral services will be at 10 a.m. on Thursday from St. John's Episcopal Church, Main St., Essex.

Interment at Fountain Hill Cemetery will be private.

In lieu of flowers, donations in Mr. Burns' name may be made to the Macular Degeneration Research, a program of the American Health Assistance Foundation (www.ahaf.org) or to St. John's Church, Essex CT 06426.

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