Background
Thomas Jones Senn was born on December 21, 1871 in the small town of Graniteville, South Carolina.
Thomas Jones Senn was born on December 21, 1871 in the small town of Graniteville, South Carolina.
Senn attended the United States Naval Academy at Annapolis, Maryland and graduated in 1891.
During the World War I, Senn served as a Captain as Assistant Chief of the Bureau of Navigation, before his transfer to North Dakota. After the war, Senn was appointed the commander of the Naval Torpedo Station. He was subsequently appointed a Commanding Officer of the West Virginia from her commissioning on December 1, 1923 to May 5, 1925.
He later was promoted to rear admiral and served as Assistant Chief of Naval Operations for three years, from 1925-1928.
Admiral Senn was Commandant of the 11th Naval District from 1930-1933 and the 12th Naval District in 1935 at the time of the crash of the Macon, a dirigible that was under the command of later West Virginia commanding officer Herbert V. Wiley. Rear admiral Thomas J. Senn retired from the Navy in 1936 and died on February 11, 1947 at the age of 75 years at Naval Hospital in San Diego, California.
Citation: The Navy Cross is awarded to Senn, United States. Navy, for exceptionally meritorious service in a duty of great responsibility as commanding officer of the United States.S. North Dakota, in the Atlantic Fleet.