NSL UPDATE 04-16-2004

VADM John A. Tyree, USN (Ret.)

Vice Admiral John Augustine Tyree, Jr. died at the White Sands Nursing Facility in La Jolla, California on April 8th after a long illness.    The funeral will be held at Arlington National Cemetery in Washington, D.C., on a date to be determined by his family.

John Tyree Jr. was born in 1911 in Blackstone, Virginia and raised in Danville, Virginia. He graduated from the United States Naval Academy in 1933 and served on the U.S.S. Lexington and the U.S.S. Ranger.  He attended Submarine School at Groton, Connecticut and served first as the Executive Officer and then as Commanding Officer on the U.S.S. Finback (SS230) during World War II.  As Commanding Officer of  Finback, Tyree conducted  five highly successful wartime patrols throughout the Pacific Command, for which he was awarded  two Navy Crosses, a Silver Star and three Bronze Stars. 

In August 1944, Tyree began a thirteen-month assignment as an Assistant Naval Aide at the White House to Presidents Roosevelt and Truman.  He attended the Yalta Conference with President Roosevelt and the Potsdam Conference with President Truman.

Tyree subsequently served as Commander, Submarine Squadron SIX and Commander Service Squadron THREE  prior to being selected to flag rank. As a flag officer his assignments included: Commander, Submarine Flotilla Two; Deputy Commander, Submarine Force, Atlantic Command; Commander, Naval Forces, Korea; Commander, South Atlantic Force; Assistant Chief, Naval Operations; Chief of Staff, United States Forces, NATO; and Inspector General, U.S. Navy. 

Tyree retired in November, 1971 to Waterford, Connecticut, near his Naval roots in New London.  After the death of his first wife, Margaret James Tyree in 1974, he married Nora McDavid Tyree in January 1975. They had many happy years together and traveled extensively; having a winter home in Costa del Sol, Spain. Tyree was active in the Submarine Force Library and the Museum Association.  He was also a member of the Thames Club for over forty years.

He is survived by his second wife Nora McDavid Tyree, of La Jolla, California; his two daughters, Judith T. Onofrio, and her husband Dr. Burton Onofrio of Rochester, Minnesota and Johanne Liebig and her husband Herb Liebig of Marietta, Ohio; his five grandchildren and ten great-grandchildren; and his two stepchildren, Nancy Curren and Dr Jack and Pam Curren and their two children of San Diego, California.