Who is considered the 'Father of Naval Combat Demolition' and what did he establish?

• A. Captain Henry Knox established the Army's demolition program.
• B. CPO John Doe established the Underwater Demolition Team Training.
• C. Admiral Grace Hopper established the Explosive Ordnance Disposal School.
• D. LCDR Draper L. Kauffman established the Naval Combat Demolition Unit (NCDU) Training School in June 1943.

Answer: (D)

The main idea here is identifying who earned the title “Father of Naval Combat Demolition” and what he set in motion. Draper L. Kauffman, then a lieutenant commander in the U.S. Navy, organized and led the creation of the Naval Combat Demolition Unit Training School in June 1943. This established a formal, standardized program for underwater demolition, explosive handling, and obstacle clearance to support amphibious assaults. The training school professionalized naval combat demolition, producing units that played crucial roles in WWII invasions and later evolved into the Underwater Demolition Teams and, eventually, the modern Navy SEAL community. The other options don’t align with naval combat demolition history or the timing of this initiative.