Thomas Leigh Gatch
| Thomas Leigh Gatch | |
|---|---|
Gatch as a young Naval officer
|
|
| Born |
August 9, 1891 Salem, Oregon |
| Died | December 16, 1954 (aged 63) San Diego, California |
| Place of burial | Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery, San Diego, California |
| Allegiance |
 United States of America
|
| Service/branch |
 United States Navy
|
| Years of service | 1912–1947 |
| Rank |
 Vice Admiral
|
| Commands held |
Judge Advocate General Atlantic Fleet service force USS South Dakota |
| Battles/wars | |
| Awards |
Navy Cross (2) Purple Heart |
Thomas Leigh Gatch (August 9, 1891 – December 16, 1954) was an American naval officer and attorney in the 20th century. A native of Oregon, and grandson of educator Thomas Milton Gatch, he served in the United States Navy as a ship commander during World War II and Judge Advocate General of the Navy from 1943 to 1945. His last command was as commander of the Atlantic Fleet’s service force.
Thomas L. Gatch was born on August 9, 1891, in Salem, Oregon to Claud Gatch and the former Helen Plummer. His grandfather had been the president of Willamette University in Salem, and both his father and grandfather served as mayor of the town. Thomas began his college career at Oregon Agricultural College where his grandfather served as president from 1897 to 1907. However he later transferred to the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland and graduated in 1912.
After college, Thomas spent five years at sea before joining the Navy’s Judge Advocate General’s Office (JAG) in 1919 in Washington, D.C.. In DC, he studied law at George Washington University Law School where in 1922 he earned his law degree. Gatch then went back to active duty aboard a ship, before teaching for three years at the Naval Academy.
In 1935, he returned to the JAG’s headquarters where he remained through 1938. Gatch then returned to sea until 1940. That year he began serving as Assistant Judge Advocate General, keeping that post until February 1942 after World War II began. Gatch then became commander of the USS South Dakota, a South Dakota-class battleship. Serving in the South Pacific until December 1942, he distinguished himself in that role in the Pacific Theater of Operations in battles such as the Battle of the Santa Cruz Islands during the Guadalcanal campaign. He received two Navy Crosses for his service.
...
Wikipedia