Sunday, July 16, 2017

Adm Thomas M Dykers - man behind "The Silent Service"

Adm Thomas Michael Dykers (1905 - 1975)
Rear Adm. Thomas M. Dykers, a World War II submarine captain who retired from the Navy and wrote and produced the weekly television series “Silent Service,” died Friday at the age of 69.
The winner of two Navy Crosses and a Silver Star, he commanded the submarine Jack, which sank eight ships in combat during World War II. He retired in 1949.

S-35
Thomas Michael Dykers was born December 3, 1905 in New Orleans, Louisiana. He graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy at Annapolis, Class of 1927. In 1934, he served as a Lt (jg) aboard the submarine u s s S-15. From February 1928 into 1935, S-15 served in the Panama Canal area, although she visited Baltimore, Maryland, from 15 May to 5 June 1933. She departed Coco Solo on 11 January 1935 for Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, where she decommissioned on 26 April 1935. He sailed to Honolulu on the Malolo in 1937 to assume his first command, the S-35, from 18 June 1937 to August 1941. USS S-35 (SS-140) was an S-class submarine of the United States Navy. Her keel was laid down on 14 June 1918 by the Bethlehem Shipbuilding Corporation in San Francisco, California. She was launched on 27 February 1919 and commissioned on 17 August 1922. In May 1932, she arrived at Pearl Harbor where she joined the Pacific Fleet and commenced a schedule of exercises, overhauls, and fleet problems which took her into the 1940s. In April 1941, she was transferred to San Diego, California, and, for the remaining months of peace, she provided services for the West Coast Sound School.


USS Jack, SS-259
 As a Lieutentant Commander, USN, Thomas Michael Dykers, was the first CO of the U.S.S. JACK (SS-259) from  6 Jan 1943 to 25 May 1944. On 25 Apr 1943 the USS Jack under his command departed New London, Connecticut for the Panama Canal Zone. On 2 May 1943, the boat transited the Panama Canal, then arrived at Pearl Harbor from New London 7 May 1943.

On the FIRST War Patrol of that submarine during the period 5 June 1943 to 19 July 1943, in waters off the coast of Honshu, Japan. Commander Dykers led attacks on the enemy and succeeded in sinking or damaging a large amount of hostile shipping. The Pacific Fleet Board Awarded him the Navy Cross September 9, 1943. Key events of the patrol included:
  • 5 Jun 1943 -USS Jack (Lt.Cdr. T.M. Dykers) departed from Pearl Harbor for her 1st war patrol. She was ordered to patrol off Honshu in Japanese home waters.
  • 26 Jun 1943 -USS Jack (Lt.Cdr. T.M. Dykers) torpedoed and sank the Japanese troop transports Shozan Maru (5859 GRT) and Toyo Maru (4163 GRT) off Hachijo Jima, southern Honshu, Japan, in position 33°22'N, 138°56'E. Jack is damaged during a Japanese air attack but continues her patrol. 
  • 4 Jul 1943 USS Jack (Lt.Cdr. T.M. Dykers) torpedoed and sank the Japanese army cargo ship Nikkyu Maru (6529 GRT) off the southeast coast of Honshu, Japan in position 34°33'N, 138°37'E. 
  • 19 Jul 1943USS Jack (Lt.Cdr. T.M. Dykers) ended her 1st war patrol at Pearl Harbor.

The second war patrol of the USS Jack was not as successful due to engine trouble.  On 5 Sep 1943, USS Jack (Lt.Cdr. T.M. Dykers) departed from Pearl Harbor for her 2nd war patrol, ending 10 Oct 1943 at Pearl Harbor. She is now sent to the Mare Island Navy Yard to solve the problems with her engines and general overhaul.


He was awarded  a Gold Star in lieu of a Second Award of the Navy Cross April 24, 1944 for his actions on the THIRD War Patrol of that submarine during the period 16 January 1944 to 13 March 1944, during operations against enemy Japanese shipping in the Pacific War Area. He maneuvered into striking position and launched attacks sinking a total of seven Japanese ships, including four large tankers. Then, he withdrew the JACK from the combat area without damage despite strong hostile countermeasures. Key events of the third war patrol include:
  • 16 Jan 1944 - USS Jack (Lt.Cdr. T.M. Dykers) departed from Pearl Harbor for her 3rd war patrol. She was ordered to patrol in the South China Sea.
  • 19 Feb 1944 - While operating in the South China Sea about 300 nautical miles west of Luzon, Philippines USS Jack (Lt.Cdr. T.M. Dykers) torpedoed and sank the Japanese merchant tankers Kokuei Maru (5154 GRT) and Nanei Maru (5019 GRT) in position 14°34'N, 114°11'E, Nichirin Maru (5162 GRT) in position 15°40'N, 115°48'E, and Ichiyo Maru (5106 GRT) in position 15°46'N, 115°57'E.
  • 13 Mar 1944 - USS Jack (Lt.Cdr. T.M. Dykers) ended her 3rd war patrol at Fremantle, Australia.

He was awarded the Silver Star July 31, 1944 for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity as Commanding Officer of the U.S.S. JACK (SS-259), on the FOURTH War Patrol of that submarine in enemy Japanese-controlled waters, during the period 6 April to 10 May 1944. Maneuvering his ship after it had been bombed by a hostile patrol plane on 25 April, Captain Dykers launched three night attacks against a heavily-escorted enemy convoy to damage severely five Japanese freighters, probably sinking four of them. Patrolling the eastern approaches to Balintang Channel, he destroyed a Japanese trawler by gunfire, capturing two passengers and, the next day, destroyed another trawler. Key events of this patrol include:
  • 6 Apr 1944 - USS Jack (Lt.Cdr. T.M. Dykers) departed from Fremantle for her 4th war patrol. She was ordered to patrol in the South China Sea.
  • 26 Apr 1944 - While operation off the west coast of Luzon, Philippines USS Jack (Lt.Cdr. T.M. Dykers) torpedoed and sank the Japanese troop transport Yoshida Maru No.1 (5425 GRT) in position 18°06'N, 119°40'E, and torpedoed and damaged the Japanese army cargo ship Wales Maru (6586 GRT) in position 18°14'N, 119°53'E.
  • 28 Apr 1944 - USS Jack (Lt.Cdr. T.M. Dykers) sank a Japanese trawler with gunfire east of Luzon, Philippines in position 17°34'N, 124°06'E.
  • 10 May 1944 - USS Jack (Lt.Cdr. T.M. Dykers) ended her 4th war patrol at Fremantle.


After after 22 years of service, in 1949 he retired as a U.S. Navy Rear Admiral, he lived in Groton Connecticut. After retirement, he developed various media projects related to the submarine service and served as a technical expert to hollywood. He was a producer and writer, known for Captain Fathom (1955), Captain Fathom (1965) and Flat Top (1952).

His most well known project was the program "The Silent Service".  The TV series The Silent Service (1957) was based on the exploits of his and other submarines during World War II and the Korean War; he was also the executive producer, narrator and sometimes writer of the series. Every episode was fact based and the realism of the show was elevated by the use of actual combat footage from the files of the United States Navy. The Navy loaned him the U.S.S. Sawfish for the filming of several episodes.

The stories, which varied between the South Pacific during World War II, the Atlantic campaign and the Korean War, were the brainchild of Rear Admiral Thomas M. Dykers, himself a submariner, who retired from the Navy in 1949 after 22 years of service. Admiral Dykers also did an intro piece for each episode, narrated the action and filmed a closing segment, usually with a member of the crew of the submarine that was highlighted on that particular episode.

He died June 13, 1975

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