User:Jhjonesjr/T. R. Sargent, III,

THE COMMANDANT of the US Coast Guard ANNOUNCES WITH REGRET THE DEATH OF VICE ADMIRAL THOMAS REECE SARGENT III, USCG, RETIRED, ON SATURDAY 29 MAY 2010 IN LAKE SAN MARCOS, CA. VADM SARGENT RETIRED 1 JULY 1974.

BORN IN WOOLWICH, PLUMSTEAD, JUST SOUTH OF LONDON, ENGLAND ON 20 DECEMBER 1914, VICE ADMIRAL SARGENT IMMIGRATED TO THE UNITED STATES IN 1922, COMING THROUGH ELLIS ISLAND, NEW YORK, AND FINALLY ARRIVING IN NEW LONDON, CT. HE GRADUATED FROM BULKELEY HIGH SCHOOL, NEW LONDON, CT IN 1933. HE GRADUATED FROM THE U.S. COAST GUARD ACADEMY, NEW LONDON, CT ON 2 JUNE 1938 WITH A BACHELOR OF SCIENCE DEGREE AND LATER OBTAINED A MASTERS DEGREE IN CIVIL ENGINEERING FROM RENSSELAER POLYTECHNIC INSTITUTE.

HE SERVED A GOOD PORTION OF HIS LONG AND DISTINGUISHED CAREER AT SEA ABOARD THE CUTTERS MODOC AS A LINE OFFICER AND ASSISTANT ENGINEER, BIBB (WPG-31) AS EXECUTIVE OFFICER CONDUCTING GREENLAND PATROLS JUST PRIOR TO THE U.S. ENTRY INTO WWII, AND WINNEBAGO (WPG-40) AS COMMANDING OFFICER. DURING WORLD WAR II HE SERVED IN THE COAST GUARD-CREWED NAVY SUB-CHASER USS PC-469 AS EXECUTIVE AND COMMANDING OFFICER, THE CUTTER DUANE (WPG-33) AS CHIEF ENGINEER OFFICER AND THE USS SANDUSKY (PF-54) (PHILIPPINE CAMPAIGN) AS COMMANDING OFFICER WHERE HE WAS AWARDED THE BRONZE STAR MEDAL WITH COMBAT V DEVICE. HE ALSO SERVED AS THE CIVIL ENGINEERING PROJECT MANAGER FOR THE LONG RANGE AIDS TO NAVIGATION SYSTEM (LORAN), AND TRAVELLED THE WORLD CONDUCTING PRELIMINARY SITE SURVEYS TO SET UP THE SYSTEM, INCLUDING CONSTRUCTION OF THE LORAN STATION CHAIN IN VIETNAM AND THAILAND. AS CIVIL ENGINEER OF THE COAST GUARD, HE WAS A MEMBER OF THE TEAM THAT DESIGNED AND APPROVED THE DISTINCTIVE RED AND BLUE COAST GUARD RACING STRIPE. TODAY, THIS NOW FAMOUS SLASH APPEARS THROUGHOUT THE COAST GUARD AND IS EMULATED BY COAST GUARDS THROUGHOUT THE WORLD. HE WAS PROMOTED TO REAR ADMIRAL ON 1 JULY 1967 AND SERVED AS THE COMMANDER OF THE ELEVENTH COAST GUARD DISTRICT AND THEN AS CHIEF OF STAFF OF THE COAST GUARD AT COAST GUARD HEADQUARTERS. HE WAS PROMOTED TO THE RANK OF VICE ADMIRAL ON 26 MAY 1970 AND SERVED AS THE ELEVENTH VICE COMMANDANT OF THE COAST GUARD WITH COMMANDANT CHESTER R. BENDER FROM 1970 TO 1974. HIS OTHER MILITARY DECORATIONS INCLUDE THE DISTINGUISHED SERVICE MEDAL AND THE LEGION OF MERIT. MORE INFORMATION ON VADM SARGENTS DISTINGUISHED CAREER IS CONTAINED WITHIN HIS ORAL HISTORY WHICH IS POSTED ON THE U.S. COAST GUARDHISTORIAN WEBSITE, AT HTTP://WWW.USCG.MIL/HISTORY/