Albert H. Thomas, Jr.

Captain Albert H. Thomas, Jr., U.S. Navy (ret.), 80, died 31 December 2003 in San Diego, CA. A native of Franklin, Tennessee, Captain Thomas attended Georgia School of Technology prior to his entrance into the U.S. Naval Academy. He was graduated from the Academy in June, 1945 with the class of 1946. His first ship was USS NEW JERSEY (BB 62), in which he served until reporting to Submarine School in 1946. Upon graduation he served on board the submarine USS CAIMAN (SS 323) From February 1947 until April 1950. After 4 months of Electronics School he reported to USS CARBONERO (SS 337) where he served for two years. He was then assigned as Assistant REGULUS Project Officer at the Navy's Air Missile Test Center, Pt. Magu, CA for two years. A two-year tour of duty in USS SPINAX (SS 489) was followed by two years in the Bureau of Naval Weapons and a year at the Naval War College. Captain Thomas' next tour of duty was aboard USS TIRU (SS 416) where he served as Commanding Officer. He later served on the staff of COMSUBFLOT FIVE as Operations Officer, as Officer-in-Charge of Guided Missile Unit TEN, U.S. Naval Submarine Base, Pearl Harbor and on the Staff, Commander U.S. Military Assistance Command in Viet Nam. He then served in the Office of Secretary of Defense in the Pentagon.. Next he served as Commander Submarine Division 122, followed by command of the USS Hunley (AS 31) until June 1968. He was then assigned to staff duty at Commander Amphibious Forces, Pacific Fleet, in San Diego until his retirement October, 1968. His wife of 26 years, Lilly Mae, 3 stepsons, 5 grandchildren and several nieces and nephews survive him. Memorial Services, with full military honors, was  held on Wednesday, January 14th at the Naval Submarine Chapel, Pt. Loma, San Diego.