Background

Binford, Thomas Howell was born on August 25, 1896 in Durant, Mississippi, United States. Son of John Alexander and Elizabeth (Lowrance) Binford.

Education

Student Mississippi A. and M. College, 1914-1915, Marion (Alabama) Military Institute, 1915-1916. Bachelor of Science, United States Naval Academy, 1919.

Career

Commissioned ensign United States Navy, June 1919, advanced through grades to vice admiral, 1954. Service on destroyers, battleship, cruisers. Signal officer, chief engineer, navigator, damage control officer, executive officier.

Command destroyers div., Asiatic Fleet (participated entire Java Sea campaign), 1942. Commanding officer Destroyer United States Ship Clark, 1940. Commanding cruiser United States Ship Miami (participated in first strikes on Tokyo, raids on Chichi Jima, Iwo Jima, Kyushu, Okinawa, and bombardment of Okino Daito Jima), 1945.

Commander cruiser div. one, United States Pacific Fleet, 1949-1954, retired Recruiting duty, student at Naval War College, bureau of Navigation. Personal aide to commandant Ninth Naval District, Great Lakes, Illinois, 1938-1940. Assistant to Executive officer enlisted section Bureau Naval Personnel, 1934-1935.

Director enlisted personnel, 1942-1944. Chief of staff and aid to commandant 14th Naval District, Pearl Harbor, T.H., 1948-1949. Commandant Armed Forces Information School Assisted in establishing Enlisted Wave Program, 1942.

Membership

Member Newcomen Society N. American, Naval Order United States, Military Order World Wars. Clubs: Army-Navy Country (Washington).

Connections

Married Helen Geary, March 31, 1928.

father:

John Alexander Binford

mother:

Elizabeth (Lowrance) Binford

spouse:

Helen Geary