Rear Admiral Kenneth G. Wiman assumed his present assignment as Chief, Office of Research and Development, U.S. Coast Guard in June 1981, soon after his promotion to flag rank.
Prior to that assignment, he served as Deputy Chief, Office of Marine Environment and Systems and as Commanding Officer, Coast Guard Base Gloucester at Gloucester City, NJ, with additional duties as Captain of the Port of Philadelphia.
Born on October 1, 1930 in Kearny, NJ, Rear Admiral Wiman received his early education in North Arlington, NJ. He holds an Engineering degree from the U.S. Coast Guard Academy, New London, CT (1952) and a Bachelor of Civil Engineering degree from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY (1957). He has been a registered Professional Engineer since 1961. He holds memberships in the Society of American Military Engineers, American Society of Civil Engineers, Tau Beta Pi (National Honor Society) and Chi Epsilon (National Civil Engineering Honor Society).
His first assignment was as Watch Officer on board the destroyer escort USCGC Ramsden (WDE-482) in the Pacific out of Honolulu, which included operations in the Korean campaign area; he also served as Student Engineer Officer in the USCGC Mackinac for a year, Assistant Engineer in the USCGC Campbell for six months, both cutters operating out of New York on ocean station patrol and search and rescue, and as Engineer Officer in the USCGC Mendota based at Wilmington, NC.
Other numerous assignments were as Industrial Manager and Executive Officer at Coast Guard Base, Ketchikan, AK, Assistant Chief, Civil Engineering Branch at the Seventeenth Coast Guard District office in Juneau, AK, Project Engineer in the Civil Engineering Division, Coast Guard Headquarters, Washington, DC, during which time he was assigned temporarily on AID Mission to New Delhi, India, and a U.S. Delegate to the Seventh International Conference on Aids to Navigation at Rome, Italy. Duties in the LORAN Program took him to Denmark, Germany, Greenland, and the Faeroe Islands. He was next assigned at Coast Guard Base, Galveston, TX, as Deputy Group Commander and Executive Officer, the Coast Guard Academy as Chief of the Physical Plant Division, then Coast Guard Headquarters serving first as Assistant Chief, Civil Engineering Division, Office of Engineering, then the Office of Marine Environment and Systems as Chief, Bridge Division and as Manager, Deepwater Ports Project.
For exceptionally meritorious achievement, Rear Admiral Wiman was awarded the Meritorious Service Medal (1975) for service as Manager, Deepwater Ports Project, a second Meritorious Service Medal (1979) for his performance as Commanding Officer, Coast Guard Base Gloucester and Captain of the Port of Philadelphia, and a third Meritorious Service Medal (1980) upon completion of his assignment as Deputy Chief, Office of Marine Environment and Systems.
He is married to the former Virginia M. Bowling of New London, CT. They have five children: Stephen D., Keith E., Carl D., Gail M., and Susan K.