Thomas R. Weschler papers

VADM Thomas R. Weschler was born in Erie, PA on December 21, 1917 to Charles L. and Florence M. Weschler. He attended Cathedral Preparatory School for boys and Academy High School and entered the U.S. Naval Academy in 1935, graduating with distinction in 1939. While at the Academy, he was active in sports and was on the staff of the Lucky Bag and the Log. He was not commissioned upon graduation due to vision problems. He returned to the Naval Academy in 1940 as an instructor in thermodynamics and was commissioned ensign in the Naval Reserve in December of that year.

In June of 1941, Weschler was assigned to USS Wasp (CV 7), where he saw action in the European and Pacific Theaters. The Wasp was damaged by Japanese torpedoes near Espiritu Santo and was subsequently sunk by U.S. forces. Rescued by USS Duncan, Weschler was assigned to the Destroyer Base in San Diego and then to the USS Sigsbee (DD 502) from 1943 to 1945. The Sigsbee took part in major operations in the Pacific Theater, including the Gilberts, Hollandia, Guam, Leyte, Lingayen Gulf, Iwo Jima, and Okinawa. From March to June 1945 he was executive officer of the USS Young (DD 580), which participated in the Mindanao landings. Upon completion of that assignment, he attended the Naval Postgraduate School and MIT, where he received a master of science degree in ordnance engineering.

Weschler served as gunnery officer in USS Macon (CA 132) for two years, from 1947to 1949, then joined the staff of Commander Cruisers, U.S. Atlantic Fleet in the same billet, with duties as assistant training officer. He graduated from the Command and Staff Course at the Naval War College in 1951 and remained on the staff in the department for two years.

Toward the end of the Korean War inJune 1953, he took command of USS Clarence K. Bronson (DD 668), which operated in Korean waters; He remained with the ship for two years before being appointed naval aide to the Chief of Naval Operations, 1955 through 1957. In 1958, he reported to the USS Canberra (CAG 2) as executive officer, followed by an assignment at the Bureau of Naval Weapons Special Projects Office in Pittsfield, MA. For the next two years he was designated special projects officer at the Bureau of Naval Weapons in Washington, D.C. He remained in the Washington area until 1963, when he graduated from the National War College.

Weschler returned to sea as commanding officer of USS Montrose (APA 212) in 1963, where he served for a year. In 1964, he was assistant chief of staff for plans on the staff of Commander Amphibious Force, Pacific and in September 1965 took command of Amphibious Ready Group. During that time, he planned and conducted a series of raids against Viet Cong forces. In February 1966, he was appointed Commander Naval Support Activity, Danang, where he had responsibility for procuring equipment and provisioning the Vietnamese forces.

In March 1967, he was designated program coordinator for the destroyer and missile destroyer program in the office of the Chief of Naval Operations. In that capacity and as Director Ship Characteristics Division and Chairman, Ship Characteristics Board he planned and developed the program that included new nuclear frigates, the DD 963 destroyers and missile ships.

Weschler returned to sea as commander of Cruiser Destroyer Flotilla Two in May 1970. In 1971 he had additional duty as Commander Cruiser-Destroyer Force, U.S. Atlantic Fleet. He became Director, J-4, the Joint Staff in the office of the Joint Chiefs of Staff in 1973.

Vice Admiral Weschler retired from the Navy in 1975. He returned to the Naval War College in 1976 as head of the Department of Continuing Education and became chairman of the Department of Operations in 1977, a position he held until 1981. After his second retirement, he remained a close associate of the Naval War College, where he was a member of the Naval War College Foundation and was prominent in other navy activities. He was involved in community activities as a volunteer with the Meals on Wheels Program, as chair of a biography series at the Redwood Library, as chair of the Tall Ships Committee for many years, and as chairman of the Commodores Council of the American Sail Training Association. The Weschlers moved to a retirement community in Mystic, CT in 2008.

Vice Admiral Weschler' s medals include the Distinguished Service Medal, the Legion of Merit, the Commendation Medal, the American Defense Service Medal, the American Campaign Medal, the European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal, Asiatic Pacific Campaign Medal, the World War II Victory Medal, Navy Occupation Service Medal, National Defense Service Medals, Korean Service Medal, United Nations Service Medal, Vietnam Service Medal and the Philippine Liberation Ribbon, the Cross of Gallantry by the Republic of Vietnam, the Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal, and the Philippine Republic Presidential Unit Citation Badge.

1917

Born in Erie, PA

1939

Graduated, U.S. Naval Academy, B.S. Electrical Engineering

1940

Commissioned Ensign, USNR

U.S. Naval Academy, Instructor

1941-1942

USS Wasp (CV 7)

1942

Destroyer Base, San Diego, CA

1943-1945

USS Sigsbee (DD 502);Gunnery Officer

1945

USS Young (DD 580), Executive Officer

1945-1946

Naval Postgraduate School and MIT, M.S.

1947-1949

USS Macon (CA 132), Gunnery Officer

1949-1950

U.S. Atlantic Fleet, Commander Cruisers, Gunnery & Assistant Training Officer

1950-1953

Naval War College, Student, Command and Staff Department, Staff

1953-1955

USS Clarence Bronson (DD 668), Commanding Officer

1955-1957

Chief of Naval Operations, Aide

1958-1959

USS Canberra (CAG 2), Executive Officer

1959-1960

Bureau of Naval Weapons Special Projects Office, Pittsfield, MA, Ordnance Technical Liaison Officer

1960-1962

Bureau of Naval Weapons, Special Projects Officer

1962-1963

National War College, student

1963-1964

USS Montrose (AP A 212), Commanding Officer

1964-1965

Commander Amphibious Force, Pacific, Assistant Chief of Staff, Plans

1965-1966

U.S. Seventh Fleet, Commander Amphibious Ready Group

1966-1967

Naval Support Activity, Danang, South Vietnam, Commander

1967-1970

DX/DXG Program, Office of the Chief of Naval Operations, Program Coordinator; Ship Characteristics Division, Director; Ship Characteristics Board, Chairman

1970-1971

Cruiser Destroyer Flotilla Two, Commander

1971-1973

U.S. Atlantic Fleet, Cruiser-Destroyer Force, Commander

1973

Office of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the Joint Staff, J-4, Director

1975

Retired, Promoted to Vice Admiral

1976-1977

Naval War College, Continuing Education Department, Director

1977-1981

Naval War College, Department of Operations, Chairman

1981

Retired from the Naval War College