Vice Admiral James A. Sagerholm, USN (Ret.), of Severna Park, Maryland, died on November 3, 2022 of complications due to Parkinson's disease. He was 94 years old.

He was born in Uniontown, PA, on 23 December 1927, the son of Mr. and Mrs. F. Norris Sagerholm, Sr. Upon graduation from Baltimore Polytechnic Institute in 1946, he enlisted in the Navy, and after attending schools at Jacksonville, FL, and Lakehurst, NJ, was assigned to the Navy Hurricane Weather Center at Naval Air Station, Miami, FL.

Appointed a midshipman by the Secretary of the Navy, he was sworn in on 16 June 1948. President of the class of 1952, he worked with the presidents of the classes of 1951 and 1953 in formulating the Brigade Honor Concept, which is still in effect. He also lettered in varsity track, competing in the quarter mile and the mile relay.

Following graduation on 6 June 1952, he served in the Korean War on board the heavy cruiser USS Rochester. Other sea duty was in two coastal minesweepers, two destroyers, and three nuclear submarines, commanding the Gold crew, USS Kamehameha (SSBN-642) from 1968 to 1971. He had previously qualified for command of destroyers while executive officer of USS Sproston (DD-577).

Sagerholm was promoted to rear admiral in May of 1975. Flag assignments included Deputy Director of Naval Intelligence; Commander, South Atlantic Force; Director of the Office of Program Appraisal on the staff of the Secretary of the Navy; Executive Director of the President's Foreign Intelligence Advisory Board in the White House; and the Chief of Naval Education and Training. While commanding the South Atlantic Force, he circumnavigated the South American continent twice, and conducted the first West African Training Cruise. He retired in the rank of vice admiral in November of 1985.

Admiral Sagerholm attained a Master of Arts degree in military history from Norwich University in 2009, graduating cum laude . He was editor of As We Recall: Reminiscences of the Naval Academy Class of 1952, published in 2015. He also authored his autobiography, From Green Hills to Blue Seas , published in 2016, as well as a historical fiction, Sounded Forth The Trumpet, published in 2021.

Survivors include his daughters Lisa Sagerholm-Hunter (Dr. Rick Hunter) of Severna Park, MD; A. Denise Sagerholm of Fort Lauderdale, FL; wife, Janice Wolfe; and Jeannine Murphy (David Murphy) of Blairsville, GA; twelve grandchildren and fourteen great-grandchildren. Three grandsons are in the armed forces: Lieutenant (Junior Grade) Nathaniel Murphy, USN; Major Dane Sagerholm, USMC (USNA '08); and Lieutenant Samuel Murphy, USN (USNA '15). He was predeceased by his dear wife, the former Peggy Herrlich of Baltimore, his son. Captain Mark Sagerholm, USMC (USNA '83), and his brother, F. Norris Sagerholm, Jr. (USNA '49).

Family and friends my visit on Thursday, November 10, 2022 from 2-4pm and 6-8pm at Barranco Severna Park Funeral Home & Cremation Care, P.A., 495 Ritchie Hwy, Severna Park, MD, 21146. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Friday, November 11, 2022 at 10:00am at St. John the Evangelist Roman Catholic Church, 689 Ritchie Hwy, Severna Park, MD, 21146. In Lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society at https://support.nmcrs.org/a/homepage

Burial at Arlington National Cemetery will take place on Thursday, February 16, 2023 at 11:00AM. Family and friends who wish to attend are asked to arrive at the Cemetery by 10:15am on the day of the burial.

Video created by the Family