My walk was dedicated in honor of:
Navy Veteran Captain Thomas H. McManus , Age 84, of Ft. Washington, MD.
World War II, Korea War Veteran
Passed away May 25, 2006
Captain McManus was born November 21, 1921 in Buffalo, NY to the late Leona and Howard T. McManus. He attended Buffalo Riverside High School and Canisius College prior to enlisting in the Navy?s V-5 Aviation Cadet Program in June 1942. After completing flight training at Pensacola, Florida, he was commissioned Ensign, USNR and designated a Naval Aviator in June 1943. He completed Operational Flight Training and performed duties as a carrier-based fighter pilot in Fighter Observation Squadron ONE during the invasions of the Philippines, Iwo Jima, and Okinawa in the Pacific. After a brief return to civilian life where he obtained his college degree, Captain McManus returned to active duty serving as Public Information Officer at the Naval Air Station, Niagara Falls, and then as Assistant Air Operations Officer of the aircraft carrier USS Lake Champlain with Task Force 77 during the Korean action. He was next detailed to duty as a carrier-based pilot and operations officer of Air Anti-Submarine Squadron THIRTY-TWO, embarked on the aircraft carriers USS Leyte and the USS Valley Forge. Later, he was assigned as Personnel Officer of the U. S. Naval Air Station, Akron, Ohio, followed by duty at the Naval Air Reserve Training Unit, U. S. Naval Air Station, Anacostia, D.C. as Flight Training Officer and later as Naval Leadership Coordinator.
In June 1961, Captain McManus was assigned as Officer-in-Charge of the Navy Recruiting Aids Facility Baltimore, MD. The Facility was later moved to Washington, DC and redesigned the Recruiting Aids Division. Captain McManus remained its Director and on 1 March 1965, he was also designated as the first Commanding Officer of the Naval Personnel Program Support Activity.
Captain McManus holds the following decorations and service medals: four Distinguished Flying Crosses, 13 Air Medals, two awards of the Navy Unit Commendation Ribbon, the Naval Reserve Medal, the American Theater Medal, the European Theater Medal with one major battle star, the Pacific Theater Medal with three major battle stars the World War II Victory Medal, the European Occupational Medal, the National Service Defense Medal with star, the Korean Theater Medal with one major battle star, the United Nations Medal, the Philippine Liberation Campaign Medal with one major battle star, and the Philippine and Korean Presidential Unit Citation Ribbons.
Had an amazing walk. I don’t mind walking in the colder weather. I want to thank everyone who honked and waved in helping me honor this hero. I served in the Navy with his son back in 1984. I am sure that Capt. McManus was very proud of his son. It was an honor to walk for your father Tom.
He will NOT be forgotten.
Thank you so very much for this huge honor. What you do is such a selfless and amazing thing. God Bless you shipmate!
It was an honor brother.
What a wonderful thing you are doing. I’m sure you have inspired many along the way. Thank you for your service.
You are an awesome person to do this in honor of my father and other men and women who have served our country. Thank you is not enough to express my respect and gratitude for what you are doing. May God bless you.
Thank you Diane, I am glad that I am able to do this for him. It was an honor.
So glad that I could do it. It’s an honor.
This is such a special thing you do. Papa, as we know him, was an amazing person. Despite the super hero resume, he was one of the most humble, God fearing men I had the honor of knowing and loving. Thank you so much for keeping their memories alive!
Thank you Laura, It was an honor to walk for him.