- Thomas Wright Rudderow
Thomas Wright Rudderow was born at
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania , on8 August 1885 . He attended thePennsylvania Nautical School and served as navigator and watch officer in SS "Adams" and SS "Mexico" prior to assuming duties asPort Captain , Port of Philadelphia, in 1914. Commissioned Ensign in the Naval Militia of Pennsylvania on14 July 1916 , he was mustered into Federal service7 April 1917 , and assigned in May to the interned "Prinz Eitel Friedrich", later renamed "DeKalb". On1 July 1918 , he transferred to the U.S. Naval Reserve Force.In September, he reported for duty with Destroyer Forces at
Queenstown, Ireland . He served in USS "Allen" (DD-66) during November 1918; in USS "McCall" (DD-28) from December 1918 to March 1919; and under Commander, Flotilla B,Destroyer Force, Atlantic , between March and June 1919. Relieved from active duty on25 June 1919 , he remained in the Naval Reserve until transferred to the Honorary Retired List on1 September 1939 .On
3 January 1942 , shortly afterWorld War II broke out, while Superintendent andCommanding Officer of the Pennsylvania Nautical School Ship "Seneca",Lieutenant Commander Rudderow was recalled to active duty and assigned to the yacht "Cythera" (PY-26), anotherWorld War I veteran being fitted out for coastal patrol work. Assuming command of "Cythera" when she commissioned on3 March , Lieutenant Commander Rudderow was killed when his ship was torpedoed by U-402 off theNorth Carolina coast on2 May 1942 . Only two of "Cythera's" crew survived. They were picked up by the Germansubmarine , taken to Germany, andintern ed for the duration of the war.The
Rudderow class destroyer escort "Rudderow" (DE-224), is named in his honor.
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