Died April 5, 1950 Role US Navy admiral | Name Thomas Craven Rank Vice Admiral | |
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Born July 8, 1873
Vallejo, California ( 1873-07-08 ) Allegiance United States of America Commands held Director of Naval Communications Battles/wars Philippine–American War
World War I
World War II Awards Distinguished Service Medal Battles and wars Philippine–American War, World War I, World War II | ||
Years of service 1896–1937,1942-1946 Service/branch United States Navy | ||
Thomas Tingey Craven (8 July 1873, Vallejo, California – 5 April 1950, St. Albans, New York) was a United States Naval Officer with service in World War I and World War II and rose to the rank of Vice Admiral.
Biography
He was a son of Henry Smith Craven, a United States Navy officer and engineer and the grandson of his namesake, Thomas Tingey Craven (1808–1887) and great-grandson of Commodore Thomas Tingey (1750–1829). Craven graduated from the United States Naval Academy in 1896. He married Antoinette Merritt in 1901. In 1908, Craven was stationed aboard the battleship USS South Carolina (BB-26) assigned duties as the ship's gunnery officer. In 1916, Thomas T. Craven was given command of the gunboat Sacramento (PG-19) which he commanded throughout World War I until 1918.
In 1919 while serving as the director of Naval Aviation, Tingey ordered the USS Jupiter (AC-3), a collier, to be converted into the U.S. Navy's first dedicated aircraft carrier which was renamed, USS Langley (CV-1). In the aftermath of the Honda Point Disaster in September 1923, Admiral Tingey defended Captain Edward H. Watson, Commanding Officer of Destroyer Squadron 11, during the courts martial proceedings.
During the remainder of his naval career, Craven commanded Destroyer Squadron 15, was the Director of Naval Communications, commanded Great Lakes Naval Training Station, the Yangtze Patrol in China, Battleship Division One and served as the Commandant of the Thirteenth Naval District in Bremerton, Washington prior to retiring from active duty in 1937.
Following the United States' entrance into World War II, Vice Admiral Craven was recalled to active duty serving as superintendent of the New York Maritime Academy at Fort Schuyler, NY until 1946.