About Thomas F. Connolly
Vice Admiral Thomas Francis Connolly Jr. (October 24, 1909 – May 24, 1996) was a three-star rank admiral in the United States Navy, aviator, and gymnast. As a member of the United States men's national artistic gymnastics team, he won an Olympic bronze medal at the 1932 Summer Olympics. Connolly served in the Navy for 38 years. Over his career he served in World War II, oversaw the development of a program that later evolved into the United States Naval Test Pilot School, commanded two aircraft carriers, and served as Deputy Chief of Naval Operations for Air Warfare, retiring from that post in 1971. Connolly was instrumental in developing the Grumman F-14 Tomcat. The plane was named in his honor and for Thomas Hinman Moorer, then Chief of Naval Operations. While serving in command of this unit, he was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross and the Air Medal, both with two gold stars indicating additional awards. He became one of the first 50 USN pilots to pilot a jet plane, flying a YP-59A on February 24, 1945. Connolly returned to Patuxent and became the second commander of the Test Pilot School in December 1948.
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