Thomas C. Hart

Thomas Charles Hart—born on 12 June 1877 in Genessee County, Mich.—graduated from the Naval Academy in 1897 and served his initial tours of sea duty in Massachusetts (Battleship No. 2) and in the steam yp.cht Vixen, during the Spanish-American War.

In the years preceding the First World War, Hart filled a variety of sea and shore duty billets: as a junior officer in battleships, torpedo boats, and submarines; as an instructor at the Naval Academy; as aide to an Assistant Secretary of the Navy; and as commander of the Pacific Torpedo Flotilla. By the spring of 1917, Hart was commanding the cruiser Chicago and the Submarine Base at New London, Conn., while also acting as Chief of Staff to the Commander, Submarine Force, Atlantic Fleet.

During World War I, Hart served concurrently as commander of Submarine Divisions 2 and 5, with Bushnell (Submarine Tender No. 2) as his flagship. One division was based at Bantry Bay, protecting seaapproaches to the British Isles; the second was based at Punta Delgada in the Azores, protecting routes to that vital island. In 1918, after temporary duty with the British Admiralty, Hart was appointed Director ofSubmarines in the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations. Serving in this office as its head until 1922, Hart fought doggedly to improve the lot of the submarine arm of the Navy. His tenacity was responsible for theAmerican Navy's acquisition of surrendered German U-boats after World War I to learn the details of the technical innovations incorporated in the erstwhile enemy craft.

Receiving the Distinguished Service Medal (DSM) for his service as Director of Submarines, Hart spent the ensuing years of the 1920's and 1930's in a succession of sea and shore billets as he advanced up the Navy ladder. He studied at both the Army and Navy War Colleges; commanded the Atlantic Fleet Submarine Divisions, battleship Mississippi (BB-42), and Submarine Flotilla 3; served as Assistant Commandant of the 3d Naval District; Inspector of Ordnance at the Naval Torpedo Station, Newport, R.I.; and Commander of the Control Force. After a tour as Superintendent of the Naval Academy, he went to sea as Commander, Cruiser Division 6, in June 1934. Reporting to the General Board after this tour of sea duty, Hart became its chairman in 1937.

With the temporary rank of admiral, Hart relieved classmate Admiral Harry E. Yarnell as Commander-in-Chief, Asiatic Fleet (CinCAF) on 25 July 1939. For the next two years, as tensions increased in the western Pacific, Hart prepared the small Asiatic Fleet for war with Japan. He reduced the presence of his fleet in Chinese waters and concentrated it in the Philippines to await the onslaught expected momentarily. He also successfully badgered Washington for reinforcements in the way of patrol planes and fleet submarines.

The Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, coupled with nearly simultaneous assaults on British and Dutch possessions and the Philippines, catapulted the United States into World War II. The Americans, with their Filipino allies, fought a delaying action in the Philippines, while a mixed American, British, Dutch, and Australian (ABDA) military structure was set up to operate from Java in an attempt to hold the Japanese at the Malay Barrier. Given command of ABDA naval forces, Hart directed part of this defense into mid-February 1942. By that point, it had become evident that, despite the brave ABDA sailors, the Japanese were not to be denied. Despite the formidable obstacles, Hart persevered in the face of "discouraging surroundings and complex associations" and earned a gold star in lieu of his second DSM for unfailing judgment, sound decisions, and moral courage.

Transferred to the retired list in July 1942 with the rank of Admiral, Thomas C. Hart nevertheless continued on active duty with the General Board through 1944. From February to April 1944, he was chairman of the committee which conducted the "Hart Inquiry" into the Pearl Harbor attack, a duty which took him to the length and breadth of the Pacific Ocean area.

On 9 February 1945, Hart retired from the Navy to fill an appointment as senator from Connecticut. He served in Congress until 3 January 1947 and did not seek reelection. Admiral Hart then returned to his family home in Sharon, Conn., and died there on 4 July 1971, at the age of 94.

Thomas C Hart