U.S. Navy Diver Thomas Eadie

This month we celebrate Medal of Honor recipient Thomas Eadie, born April 8, 1887.

Born in Glasglow, Scotland, Eadie’s family moved to New Jersey when he was just 3 years old. He enlisted in the U.S. Navy in July 1905 shortly after turning 18.

Eadie achieved the rank of Chief Gunner’s Mate and was also trained as a diver. He aided in the salvage of submarines USS S-51 and USS S-4 in the 1920s, receiving the Navy Cross twice for his role in each operation.

The S-4 was lost off the coast of Provincetown, Massachusettts, after a collision with the USCGC Paulding in December 1927. The S-4 sank to a depth of 120 feet, the entire crew of 40 lost. At that time, salvage operations were performed with a combination of divers, floating pontoons, and tugboats. Divers would descend to the wreck and attach pontoons in order for the vessel to be lifted to the surface. With such large objects and forces at work, this was an incredibly dangerous job. Diver Fred Michels became entangled and trapped underwater while diving, and was rescued by Thomas Eadie, who earned the Medal of Honor for his role in saving Michels’ life.

Eadie’s Medal of Honor citation reads:

“For display of extraordinary heroism in the line of his profession above and beyond the call of duty on 18 December 1927, during the diving operations in connection with the sinking of the U.S.S. S-4 with all on board, as a result of a collision off Provincetown, Mass. On this occasion when MICHELS, Chief Torpedoman, United States Navy, while attempting to connect an air line to the submarine at a depth of 102 feet became seriously fouled, EADIE, under the most adverse diving conditions, deliberately, knowingly and willingly took his own life in his hands by promptly descending to the rescue in response to the desperate need of his companion diver. After two hours of extremely dangerous and heartbreaking work, by his cool, calculating and skillful labors, he succeeded in his mission and brought MICHELS safely to the surface.”

Thomas Eadie received the Medal of Honor from President Calvin Coolige on February 23, 1928. He continued to serve in the Navy, retiring in 1939, and reactivating during World War II. He finally retired for good in September 1946, having served a combined 30 years.