Thomas Sherman Crow, fourth Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy was born in 1934, in McArthur, Ohio, and graduated from McArthur High School in 1952.
Education
After completion of recruit training, Crow attended Academy of Sciences "P" School and Department of Administration and Management "A" School at NATTC, Memphis, Tennessee. In 1958, he attended Department of Administration and Management “B” School at NATTC, Memphis, Tennessee, and was advanced to AMH2.
Career
After battling cancer, he died at his home in San Diego, California on November 30, 2008. He was interred in Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery in San Diego, California. His first tour was as an Airframe Structural Mechanic, Transport Air Crew member, VR-21, Barbers Point, Hawaii.
He became a Search and Rescue Helo Crew member, National Academy of Sciences, USA Chincoteague, Virginia.
Crow served as Aircrew A3D, VAH 9, Sanford, Florida, and deployed aboard United States Ship Saratoga (CV-60). This tour was followed with a tour as an instructor at Department of Administration and Management “B” school, Memphis, Tennessee.
He reported to Fighter Squadron 121, National Academy of Sciences, USA Miramar, California, in September, 1966. During this tour, he deployed aboard United States Ship Coral Sea, and served in country in Da Nang and Chu Lai, Vietnam.
In August 1969, Crow reported to Naval Air Station North Island, California.
During this tour he was advanced to Chief Petty Officer. His tour included a four month TAD to VRC-50 in support of Central Intelligence Agency, COD, aircraft maintenance. Crow received training at Department of Defense Race Relations Institute at Patrick Air Force Base, Florida.
With this training, he reported as Race Relations Education Specialist at Commander Naval Air Force Pacific Det ONE. In April 1974, he served as Program Manager, implementing Phase II of Equal Opportunity/Race Relations Program.
He earned his associates of applied science degree in business administration from National University, San Diego. Crow attended Navy Drug/Alcohol Counselor School, National Academy of Sciences, USA Miramar and served in the Human Resource Management Office in February 1977.
In December 1977 he was selected to serve as Master Chief of the Force, Senior Enlisted Advisor to Commander Naval Air Force Pacific. During this tour he earned his Bachelor of Business Administration at National University, San Diego, California.
In June 1979, Crow was selected by the Chief of Naval Operations to serve as the fourth Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy.
He was sworn into the position on September 28, 1979. Crow retired from active duty on 1 November 1982. He remained an active advocate of the Navy as a Company-chairman of the Secretary of the Navy Retired Affairs from 1983-1986, honorary board chairman, United States. Navy Memorial Foundation, Navy League of the United States, Fleet Reserve Association, a member on the board of advisors to San Diego Armed Services Young Men’s Christian Association, and president of the United Armed Forces Association.