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@eastonpt
When I hear Oklahoma I immediately think of the long running Broadway Musical of the same name....Oklahoma !
I am also reminded of my neighbor, dear friend and occasional diving buddy the great diver Tommy Thompson who was from your state.
'It was about 50 years ago I was hoisting a party which was attended by a multitude of LA Co UW Instructors....Tommy who was at that time the PR for US Divers (Aqua Lung Now ) came into the party and announced "I just opened a dive shop in (some eastern state) One of these days I will probably open a dive shop in my home stated of Oklahoma !"
That was 50 years ago...Things have certainly changed with the passing of 50 years..
A big California Welcome to you and yours !
Who was Tommy ?
"Tommy" Thompson passed away on June 15,1997 at the age of 79 as the result of respiratory failure due to complications of cancer.
In 1937 he left Oklahoma to join the US Navy where he became a hardhat diver and Fleet Boxing Champion. He began diving with SCUBA when it became available to the fleet and his skill with this apparatus was exceptional. "Tommy" rose through the ranks and as a "Mustang" enjoyed a variety of demanding assignments, including command, involving submarine duty, diving, and explosive ordinance demolition. During WWII he participated in 13 combat submarine patrols throughout the Pacific and in 1946 he was on the submarine that made the first transit under the icemass of Antarctica. During this tour he was called upon to perform a dive to make a repair on a bent screw in 28.6 degree F. water thus becoming the first scuba diver under the Antarctic ice cap. A thin rubber suit and several layers of woolen underwear served as his thermal protection.
He was the recipient of many awards both in and out of the military. The Silver Star, Bronze Star, Presidential Citation and Submarine Combat Citation plus commendations from the various commands he served. He was a committed Naval Officer whose achievements marked him as an exceptional talent in the military. As a resource to many civilian agencies he was also widely honored for his exceptional skills both while in the military and later as a civilian. Lt. Commander Thompson retired from the Navy in 1964 while he was assigned to the Long Beach Naval Station Mine Squadron 9 and in charge of the Explosive Ordinance Demolition Unit.
While he was stationed in Long Beach in 1960 he became certified as an Underwater Instructor with the Los Angeles County Underwater Instructors Association and was honored as the Outstanding Graduate in his course. In 1962 he was selected as the Outstanding Instructor in the program and in 1963 was awarded the Conrad Limbaugh Award for outstanding service. Tommy was a man of few words who harbored a great passion for teaching. His students knew they were in the presence of a great talent who "had been there and done that". He spoke directly and was not a man to encourage mediocrity.
Tommy joined US Divers in 1964 and spent 10 years working with the commercial diving division, equipment testing, training and public relations. He then joined the Commercial Diving Center in Wilmington, Ca. as special projects director for the diving school. The University of California, Irvine requested his assistance in developing their scientific diving program and he served as the UC Irvine Diving Safety Officer for over 20 years retiring in 1995.
Tommy was a diving pioneer who was always ready to provide his expertise to any worthwhile diving project. His unselfish approach to diving education in Los Angeles County as well as the entire country made him a much sought after lecturer, trainer and diver in countless programs such as the Peruvian and Canadian Navy, Los Angeles County Sheriffs Emergency Services Dive team, The New York State Police dive team, Life Guard dive teams and many government agency and public safety diving groups. Tommy is survived by his wife of 52 years, Juanita Sue and his daughters Leslie and Jo. 12 of his 14 brothers and sisters preceded him to rest.
There are too few Tommy Thompson's in this world and we will all miss him greatly -- Dr. Glen Egstrom
So now you have the history of the greatest diver that ever came out of your state--
Dr Samuel Miller, III
CC
@Akimbo
@The Chairman
@boulderjohn Yes ! There was diving and diving instruction before PADI
When I hear Oklahoma I immediately think of the long running Broadway Musical of the same name....Oklahoma !
I am also reminded of my neighbor, dear friend and occasional diving buddy the great diver Tommy Thompson who was from your state.
'It was about 50 years ago I was hoisting a party which was attended by a multitude of LA Co UW Instructors....Tommy who was at that time the PR for US Divers (Aqua Lung Now ) came into the party and announced "I just opened a dive shop in (some eastern state) One of these days I will probably open a dive shop in my home stated of Oklahoma !"
That was 50 years ago...Things have certainly changed with the passing of 50 years..
A big California Welcome to you and yours !
Who was Tommy ?
"Tommy" Thompson passed away on June 15,1997 at the age of 79 as the result of respiratory failure due to complications of cancer.
In 1937 he left Oklahoma to join the US Navy where he became a hardhat diver and Fleet Boxing Champion. He began diving with SCUBA when it became available to the fleet and his skill with this apparatus was exceptional. "Tommy" rose through the ranks and as a "Mustang" enjoyed a variety of demanding assignments, including command, involving submarine duty, diving, and explosive ordinance demolition. During WWII he participated in 13 combat submarine patrols throughout the Pacific and in 1946 he was on the submarine that made the first transit under the icemass of Antarctica. During this tour he was called upon to perform a dive to make a repair on a bent screw in 28.6 degree F. water thus becoming the first scuba diver under the Antarctic ice cap. A thin rubber suit and several layers of woolen underwear served as his thermal protection.
He was the recipient of many awards both in and out of the military. The Silver Star, Bronze Star, Presidential Citation and Submarine Combat Citation plus commendations from the various commands he served. He was a committed Naval Officer whose achievements marked him as an exceptional talent in the military. As a resource to many civilian agencies he was also widely honored for his exceptional skills both while in the military and later as a civilian. Lt. Commander Thompson retired from the Navy in 1964 while he was assigned to the Long Beach Naval Station Mine Squadron 9 and in charge of the Explosive Ordinance Demolition Unit.
While he was stationed in Long Beach in 1960 he became certified as an Underwater Instructor with the Los Angeles County Underwater Instructors Association and was honored as the Outstanding Graduate in his course. In 1962 he was selected as the Outstanding Instructor in the program and in 1963 was awarded the Conrad Limbaugh Award for outstanding service. Tommy was a man of few words who harbored a great passion for teaching. His students knew they were in the presence of a great talent who "had been there and done that". He spoke directly and was not a man to encourage mediocrity.
Tommy joined US Divers in 1964 and spent 10 years working with the commercial diving division, equipment testing, training and public relations. He then joined the Commercial Diving Center in Wilmington, Ca. as special projects director for the diving school. The University of California, Irvine requested his assistance in developing their scientific diving program and he served as the UC Irvine Diving Safety Officer for over 20 years retiring in 1995.
Tommy was a diving pioneer who was always ready to provide his expertise to any worthwhile diving project. His unselfish approach to diving education in Los Angeles County as well as the entire country made him a much sought after lecturer, trainer and diver in countless programs such as the Peruvian and Canadian Navy, Los Angeles County Sheriffs Emergency Services Dive team, The New York State Police dive team, Life Guard dive teams and many government agency and public safety diving groups. Tommy is survived by his wife of 52 years, Juanita Sue and his daughters Leslie and Jo. 12 of his 14 brothers and sisters preceded him to rest.
There are too few Tommy Thompson's in this world and we will all miss him greatly -- Dr. Glen Egstrom
So now you have the history of the greatest diver that ever came out of your state--
Dr Samuel Miller, III
CC
@Akimbo
@The Chairman
@boulderjohn Yes ! There was diving and diving instruction before PADI
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