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Thomas J. Hughes, Vice Admiral, U.S. Navy (Ret.), passed away on Tuesday, January 13, 2009, at Fauquier Hospital in Warrenton, Virginia. VADM Hughes died of congestive heart failure after a short stay in the hospital. He had the pleasure of spending Christmas with his second wife, Nancy, his eight children, fifteen of his seventeen grand children, his two great grand children and his stepdaughter.
Admiral Hughes was born in Brooklyn, New York, in 1926. He enlisted in the Navy and was selected through the NROTC program to attend Harvard University in 1944. He graduated with the class of 1947 with a BS in Engineering Science. Other education included Armed Forces Staff College, 1959, and an MS degree in Operations Analysis from Naval Post Graduate School, 1962.
Forty-three years in the U.S. Navy was just the start of VADM Hughes' long career in service to our country. He often said he would not trade one day of his Navy service, even the tough ones, for any other experience.
VADM Hughes served combat duty in both Korea and Vietnam. His command assignments included the USS John King, USS Thuban, and USS Chikaskia as well as Destroyer Squadron Thirty-six, Gunline Commander off South Vietnam, and Commander Service Group Two. While serving duty as Assistant Chief of Naval Personnel for Financial Management Information he was elected as Chairman of the Board of Navy Federal Credit Union, a financial institution dedicated to support of all of our service men and women. VADM Hughes served on the Joint Chiefs of Staff and three tours in the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations with oversight on budget, personnel, and logistics. His awards include Legion of Merit with 5 Gold Stars, 2 Joint Commendation Medals, a Bronze Star with V (combat), Korean Service Medal with 4 bronze stars, Vietnam Service Medal, and United Nations Service Award.
On his retirement from the U.S. Navy, VADM Hughes became President/CEO of the Navy Federal Credit Union. In his nine years in this position, he focused the business on the members, products, services, and staff. If you worked under him, you probably have heard him sing 'Happy Birthday To You'. VADM Hughes was presented a Distinquished Public Service Award from the Chief of Naval Operations for his contribution to the Navy as a civilian. He served on the Thrift Advisory Board of the Federal Reserve, on the Board of Directors of the Baltimore Branch of the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond, on the Board of Directors of the National Association of Federal Credit Unions, on several advisory committees to the Credit Union National Association, and as an advisor to the VISA USA Board of Directors.
Retirement from the Navy Federal Credit Union brought a new offer to serve in a teaching position as the Conrad Chair for Financial Management at the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey California. Five years of teaching post-grad students in Department of Defense, Navy, and Congressional budget practices and procedures earned VADM Hughes a Meritorious Civilian Service Award and a Distinguished Civilian Service Award from the Secretary of the Navy. He was also presented with the Distinguished Alumnus Award by the school president.
