Thomas Jones Senn (December 21, 1871 – February 11, 1947) was a decorated United States Navy officer with the rank of

rear admiral Rear admiral is a senior naval flag officer rank, equivalent to a major general and air vice marshal and above that of a commodore and captain, but below that of a vice admiral. It is regarded as a two star "admiral" rank. It is often regarde ...

. He was a recipient of the Navy Cross.

Biography

Thomas Jones Senn was born on December 21, 1871, in the small town of

Graniteville, South Carolina Graniteville is a census-designated place (CDP) in Aiken County, South Carolina, United States. The population was 2,614 at the 2010 census. It lies along U.S. Route 1, west of Aiken in Horse Creek Valley, which originates in the nearby town ...

. Senn attended the United States Naval Academy at

Annapolis, Maryland Annapolis ( ) is the capital city of the U.S. state of Maryland and the county seat of, and only incorporated city in, Anne Arundel County. Situated on the Chesapeake Bay at the mouth of the Severn River, south of Baltimore and about east o ...

, and graduated in 1891. During World War I, Senn served as a

captain Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police department, election precinct, e ...

as assistant chief of the Bureau of Navigation, before his transfer to . Senn served with USS ''North Dakota'' in the waters of Atlantic and was awarded the Navy Cross for his leadership of that ship. After the war, Senn was appointed the commander of the Naval Torpedo Station. He was subsequently appointed a commanding officer of the from her commissioning on December 1, 1923, to May 5, 1925. He later was promoted to

and served as Assistant

Chief of Naval Operations The chief of naval operations (CNO) is the professional head of the United States Navy. The position is a statutory office () held by an admiral who is a military adviser and deputy to the secretary of the Navy. In a separate capacity as a memb ...

for three years, from 1925 to 1928. Senn was commandant of the

11th Naval District The naval district was a U.S. Navy military and administrative command ashore. Apart from Naval District Washington, the Districts were disestablished and renamed Navy Regions about 1999, and are now under Commander, Naval Installations Command ...

from 1930 to 1933 and the

12th Naval District The naval district was a U.S. Navy military and administrative command ashore. Apart from Naval District Washington, the Districts were disestablished and renamed Navy Regions about 1999, and are now under Commander, Naval Installations Command ...

in 1935 at the time of the crash of the , a dirigible that was under the command of later ''West Virginia'' commanding officer

Herbert V. Wiley Herbert may refer to: People Individuals * Herbert (musician), a pseudonym of Matthew Herbert Name * Herbert (given name) * Herbert (surname) Places Antarctica * Herbert Mountains, Coats Land * Herbert Sound, Graham Land Australia * Herbert, ...

. Senn retired from the Navy in 1936 and died on February 11, 1947, at the age of 75 at Naval Hospital in San Diego, California. He was buried at

Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery is a federal military cemetery in the city of San Diego, California. It is located on the grounds of the former Army coastal artillery station Fort Rosecrans and is administered by the United States Department o ...

together with his wife Percie B. Senn (1874–1950).

Navy Cross citation

Captain Thomas J. Senn was awarded the Navy Cross for action aboard ''North Dakota'' during World War I.

Citation: The Navy Cross is awarded to Captain Thomas J. Senn, U.S. Navy, for exceptionally meritorious service in a duty of great responsibility as commanding officer of the U.S.S. North Dakota, in the Atlantic Fleet.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Senn, Thomas J. 1871 births 1947 deaths People from Graniteville, South Carolina United States Naval Academy alumni United States Navy personnel of World War I United States Navy admirals Recipients of the Navy Cross (United States) Burials at Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery