Personal Histories
Thomas L. Dwyer ENS (CPT USN ret.)
I was sophomore at Columbia college in New York when the war started on 7 Dec. 1941. In April of 1942, I enlisted in the Navy V-12 Officer Training Program for college sophomores and juniors.
The Navy called me to “active duty” as an Apprentice Seaman on the first of July 1943. I was sent to Cornell for one semester and subsequently to the Columbia Midshipman’s School, where I was commissioned in April ’44 as Ensign (DVG). My orders were to torpedo school at Newport, RI. After a brief tad to Norfolk, VA I received orders to report to Hadley’s pre-commissioning detail which I did in mid October 1944.
A brief summary of my active duty career in the Navy follows:
| YEAR | ASSIGNMENT | REMARKS |
| 10/44 – 07/45 | HUGH W. HADLEY (DD774) | ASST GUNNERY/TORPEDO/ DEPTH CHARGE OFFICER |
| 11/45 – 06/47 | SOLEY (DD707) | 1ST LT/X.O. |
| 09/47 – 11/49 | PCS 1387, FLEET SONAR | C. 0. |
| 01/50 – 07/50 | USN POST GRAD SCHOOLINTELLIGENCE | STUDENT |
| 07/50-06/52 | DISTRICT INTELLIGENCE OFFICEKODIAK, ALASKA | ASST DIST INTEL OFFICER |
| 07/52-11/55 | OPNAV/ONI PENTAGON | INTELLIGENCE ANALYST |
| 11/55-08/57 | AMERICAN EMBASSY PARIS, FRANCE | ASST NAVAL ATTACHE |
| 10/57-10/58 | COMPHIBGRU ONE | ASST INTELLIGENCE OFFICER |
| 58-60 | OPNAV\ONI | INTELLIGENCE ANALYST |
| 60-61 | NAVAL WAR COLLEGE NEWPORT, R.I | STUDENT |
| 61-65 | STAFF CINCPAC | INTELLIGENCE ANALYST |
| 65-68 | COMNAVFOR JAPAN YOKASUKA, JAPAN | A/CS INTELLIGENCE |
| 68-70 | OPNAV ONI | INTELLIGENCE |
| 70-74 | STAFF CINCPAC | DEP J2/J2/EXECUTIVE ASST AND SENIOR AIDE TO CINCPAC |
| 09/01/74 | RETIRED |
My wife, Marie Therese, and I remained in Hawaii until 1986 when we moved to St. Michaels, MD. Golf and travel are our hobbies. We are convinced that life here is as good as it gets. I have two daughters and two sons by a previous marriage spread from Guam to Hawaii to Florida to England. My shipmates on the Hadley were the absolute best I ever served with. Tested in battle, they performed valiantly and i am proud to have served with them.
M.
Webmaster’s note: Tom passed on 11 May 01.