Theisen (b. 1923) was born in Madison (Wisconsin) to parents of Norwegian and German descent.
His mother, an orphan, lived with several foster families on Wisconsin farms, and his father was a submarine tender with the Navy during World War I. As a teenager, Theisen worked on a friend's farm and at Stein's Department Store in Madison. He joined the Navy in 1942, following two brothers and two cousins already in the military. Theisen went to boot camp in Farragut (Idaho), pre-radio training at Wright Junior College (Illinois), and Radio Materials School at the Naval Research Laboratory in Washington D.C. During the war, he built and tested mines and Mark 27 electronic torpedoes at the Mine Warfare Test Station in Solomons (Maryland) as part of "Project F." He also completed submarine training at New London (Connecticut), where his father trained years earlier. In December 1945, Theisen was discharged on points and returned to his old job at Madison Kipp Corporation. He worked there for fourteen years. Theisen got engaged on leave following boot camp, and he was married on leave after submarine training. His wife moved to Washington D.C. during the war and worked as a waitress at Hot Shoppe. They had five children together.
From the description of Oral history interview with Kenneth Theisen, [sound recording], 2005. (Wisconsin Veterans Museum Research Center). WorldCat record id: 669054300
