TOM S. SUTHERLAND, LCDR, USN

Tom Sutherland '39

Date of birth: July 5, 1915

Date of death: November 16, 1944

Age: 29

Lucky Bag

From the 1939 Lucky Bag:

TOM SLAUGHTER SUTHERLAND

Kansas City, Missouri

Pug, Tom

KANSAS CITY lose a potentially great politician the day that Tom began the long trek eastward to the School on the Severn. His gift of gab and ability to see the humorous side of any and all situations have made him the central figure in many a bull session. Although the practical Scotch blood in Pug never enabled him to appreciate fully the beauty of the French language, he had little trouble weathering the storms brewed by the academic departments. An injury Youngster year kept him from his first love—wrestling—but he devoted his natural athletic ability to any sport that happened to be in season. His good nature and infectious grin have helped smooth out many a bump, and made it a happier four years.

Football 4; Wrestling 4, 3, 2, 1; Track 4, 3, 2, 1; G.P.O.

TOM SLAUGHTER SUTHERLAND

Kansas City, Missouri

Pug, Tom

KANSAS CITY lose a potentially great politician the day that Tom began the long trek eastward to the School on the Severn. His gift of gab and ability to see the humorous side of any and all situations have made him the central figure in many a bull session. Although the practical Scotch blood in Pug never enabled him to appreciate fully the beauty of the French language, he had little trouble weathering the storms brewed by the academic departments. An injury Youngster year kept him from his first love—wrestling—but he devoted his natural athletic ability to any sport that happened to be in season. His good nature and infectious grin have helped smooth out many a bump, and made it a happier four years.

Football 4; Wrestling 4, 3, 2, 1; Track 4, 3, 2, 1; G.P.O.

Loss

Tom was lost when USS Scamp (SS 277) was sunk, possibly by a Japanese surface craft or mine, south of Tokyo Bay, probably on November 16, 1944. He was the boat's executive officer.

Other Information

From researcher Kathy Franz:

Tom attended Central high school, also junior college and was colonel of the R.O.T.C. of the Kansas City high schools. His parents were Jesse and Grace; brothers Richard and John.
Tom and Vee Louise Cutter were married on June 7, 1941, at the Saint Clemson Episcopal church in Honolulu. The bride was given in marriage by Captain Tarbutton, U. S. N., the commanding officer of Tom’s ship, the U.S.S. Helm.

He has a memory marker in Texas.

Tom was awarded the Bronze Star medal; unable to find citation.

Photographs

"Tom Sutherland was appointed Cadet Colonel by Captain Harry E. Mitchell. The Cadet Colonel was chosen because of his accuracy, character, dependability and trustworthiness from the R. O. T. C. Unit." From his high school yearbook.
"Cadet Colonel R. O. T. C.; President Boys’ High School Club; President Central Emerson Club; President Officers’ Club; Gold Medal Intersociety Oration ’31; R. O. T. C. Editor Centralian; Constitutional Oration ’31, ’32; Chairman Senior Pin and Ring Committee; Student Council; Zoology Club. National Honor Society. Tom’s proficiency and executive ability are reflected in the honors he has won." From his high school yearbook.
"Tom won the Constitutional Oratory contest with his speech on “Our Enduring Constitution.” He represented Central High School in a local contest with other high schools." From his high school yearbook.
From the Lucky Bag

Navy Directories & Officer Registers

The "Register of Commissioned and Warrant Officers of the United States Navy and Marine Corps" was published annually from 1815 through at least the 1970s; it provided rank, command or station, and occasionally billet until the beginning of World War II when command/station was no longer included. Scanned copies were reviewed and data entered from the mid-1840s through 1922, when more-frequent Navy Directories were available.

The Navy Directory was a publication that provided information on the command, billet, and rank of every active and retired naval officer. Single editions have been found online from January 1915 and March 1918, and then from three to six editions per year from 1923 through 1940; the final edition is from April 1941.

The entries in both series of documents are sometimes cryptic and confusing. They are often inconsistent, even within an edition, with the name of commands; this is especially true for aviation squadrons in the 1920s and early 1930s.

Alumni listed at the same command may or may not have had significant interactions; they could have shared a stateroom or workspace, stood many hours of watch together… or, especially at the larger commands, they might not have known each other at all. The information provides the opportunity to draw connections that are otherwise invisible, though, and gives a fuller view of the professional experiences of these alumni in Memorial Hall.