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Captain Thomas
Kincaid Kimmel USN
Commanding
Officer
July 1961 to
July 1962
(This page is made possible by the efforts of Jim Sollee crew
member 1960 - 64, 1st Division - Thank you, Jim)
Thomas Kincaid Kimmel was born in Annapolis, Maryland, on September 29, 1914, son of rear
Admiral Husband E. Kimmel, USN, retired and Mrs. Dorothy Kincaid Kimmel. He attended
Western high school, Washington, D. C., prior to his appointment to the U.S. Naval
Academy, Annapolis, Maryland, from the state of Texas, in 1932. As a Midshipman, he played
football for two years, and class water polo, and was a member of the plebe crew.
Graduated and commissioned Ensign on June 4, 1936, he subsequently advanced in rank,
attaining that of Captain, to date from January 1, 1955.
Following graduation from the Naval Academy in 1936, he joined the U.S. S. Idaho, and in
January 1939 was detached for submarine training at the Submarine Base, New London,
Connecticut. Completing his instruction in June 1939, he joined the USS S-40 the next
month, and was serving in that submarine when the United States entered World War II,
December 8th 1941. He subsequently participated in five or patrols of that vessel.
Ordered to the Navy Yard, Portsmouth, New Hampshire, he reported in October 1942 before
fitting out duty in the USS BALAO. He joined that submarine as Engineering and Electrical
Officer upon her commissioning, February 4, 1943, and followed a six weeks training.
proceeded to Brisbane, Australia, and on July 25, 1943, got underway for her first war
patrol which ended in September of that year. In November 1943 he was assigned duty in
connection with the fitting out of the USS BERGALL at the Electric Boat Company, Groton,
Connecticut. He became Executive Officer and Navigator upon the commissioning a the
BERGALL on June 12th 1944.
"For heroic achievement as Executive Officer, Navigator and Assistant Approach
Officer of the U.S.S. BERGALL during her first war patrol in the Southwest Pacific War
Area from September 8 to November 8, 1944", he was awarded the Bronze Star Metal with
Combat "V". The citation continues in part: "Demonstrating outstanding
seamanship, Commander Kimmel contributed materially to the sinking of two enemy cargo
ships. Expertly performing his duties as Conning -tower and Fire-control Coordinator, he
aided immeasurably in the sinking of one large enemy tanker and, in addition, rendered
invaluable assistance to his Commanding Officer in the evaluation of enemy anti-submarine
tactics".
Detached from the BERGALL, after completing the first war patrol, he returned to the
United States in November 1944 for duty as Officer-in Charge all the Submarine Training
Activity, Portsmouth, New Hampshire. He remained there until September 1945, when he
rejoined the USS BERGOLL , this time as Commanding Officer. Relieved of command of that
submarine in March 1948 he was assigned as an instructor at the Submarine School,
Submarine Base, New London, Connecticut.
In March 1951 he reported as Executive Officer of the USS FULTON and in July 1952 became
Commander Submarine Division Eighty-Two. A year later today reported for duty in the
Bureau of Naval Personal, Navy Department, Washington, D.C. He was a student at the Naval
War College, Newport, Rhode Island in the 1956-1957 and in February of 1957 he was
assigned as Commander of Submarine Squadron 10. On 21 April 1961, Captain Kimmel assumed
the duties of Commanding Officer of the USS MISSISSINEWA (AO-144), the flagship of the
Service Forces of the Sixth Fleet to take her on her fourth Mediterranean Cruise.
In July 1961, Captain Kimmel reported aboard the USS NEWPORT NEWS to assume the duties as
Commanding Officer of the heavy cruiser.
An addition to the Bronze Star Metal with Combat "V", Captain Kimmel has the
China Service of Metal, the American Defense Service Metal, Fleet Clasp, the American
Campaign Metal, the Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Metal, the World War II Victory Metal, the
Philippine Defense Ribbon, and the Distinguished Unit Emblem for duty in the defense of
the Philippines while serving in the USS S-40.
Captain Kimmel is married to the former Nancy Stanley Cookson of Kaban Djahe, Sumatra
Netherlands East Indies, and they have four children: Thomas K. Kimmel, Jr., Virginia
Louise Kimmel, Husband E. Kimmel the II, and William S. Kimmel. |
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