Thomas B. Hayward
Admiral Thomas Bibb Hayward (May 3, 1924 – March 3, 2022) was Chief of Naval Operations for the United States Navy from July 1, 1978, until June 30, 1982,[1] after which he retired from military service.However, when roughly halfway through the flight training syllabus, he competed for and was accepted to attend the United States Naval Academy at Annapolis, Maryland, to position himself for a career in the U.S. Navy at war's end.The Korean War having begun, as a lieutenant junior grade, he reported to VF-51 and flew from the decks of the aircraft carriers USS Essex (CV-9) and USS Valley Forge (CV-45), flying 146 combat missions, and was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross,[3] seven Air Medals, and two Navy Commendation Medals with Combat "V" for Valor.In 1967, he attended the National War College and obtained a master's degree in Foreign Affairs from George Washington University.In January 2007, the United States Naval Academy Alumni Association announced Admiral Thomas B. Hayward as one of four recipients of its 2007 Distinguished Graduate Award.