RADM Thomas M. Dykers
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Topic: RADM Thomas M. Dykers
Posted By: 610ET
Subject: RADM Thomas M. Dykers
Date Posted: 11 Sep 2019 at 9:10pm
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Watching some old SS episodes and was curious about his career but there isn't much out there. In 1944 at his 17 year point he was an O4 and still had the Jack. 5 years later he was a retired RADM but nothing about what he did those last 5 years. Seems like a pretty fast promotion track. Anyone know his story?
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Replies:
Posted By: enavigator
Date Posted: 23 Jul 2020 at 1:23pm
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Your post was 4 years ago. I guess you didn't get any replies. I too have wondered about the Admiral. I do know he had some kind of connection to New Orleans, he is buried in one of the major cemeteries there. Found his grave site quite by accident. I have a snap of his gravestone somewhere. If interested I will try and locate it and send you a copy...... Regards, Bill Cook
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Posted By: 610ET
Date Posted: 23 Jul 2020 at 1:37pm
Hi Bill, I was mostly interested in his rapid promotion. The answer I received was that he did make O6 quickly because of his war record. Also it seemed to be the practice back then to let an O6 with his record retire at the rank of RADM. Thanks.
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enavigator wrote:Posted By: SaltiDawg
Date Posted: 24 Jul 2020 at 9:16am
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A Tombstone Promotion was a means of promoting combat-decorated officers of the United States Navy to the next higher rank at the time of retirement. For instance, a retiring captain (O-6) who had a Combat Award was actually advanced in grade on the retired list to the rank of rear admiral and wore two stars although junior to all other one star officer of other services. The officer's retired pay was still based on the O-6 rank so the advancement in grade resulted in no increase in retired pay. This practice was discontinued in December 1959. "Although it is generally assumed this was a post World War II practice, it actually predated the War. The United States Navy Regulations, 1920 with changes up to and including No. 19 1938 Article 1668(3) stated: "All line officers of the Navy who have been specifically commended for their performance of duty in actual combat ... are placed upon the retired list with the rank of the next higher grade and with three-fourths of the active-duty pay of the grade in which serving at the time of retirement." |
Posted By: SaltiDawg
Date Posted: 24 Jul 2020 at 9:19am
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Dykers took command of the USS Jack in 1942 and subsequently sank eight Japanese ships and was highly decorated for his service.[6] In 1949 Rear Admiral Dykers retired from the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations and moved to California. There he became a technical advisor for the film industry, aiding in films such as The Flying Missile, Submarine Command, and Torpedo Alley. He later produced and narrated the 1957–58 TV series The Silent Service. |
Posted By: 610ET
Date Posted: 13 Aug 2020 at 8:10pm
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I just noticed that their retirement pay is 3/4 of the base pay of the rank at which they were serving. Would that be true of a less than 30 year career?
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Posted By: FTGC(SS) Lane
Date Posted: 13 Aug 2020 at 8:51pm
Starts off at 50% @ 20 and goes up to 75% @ 30.
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