Tom enlisted in the United States Navy in 1942 and was assigned
for basic training at the Navy Yard in his home town of
Philadelphia. Following basic he was assigned to Headquarters,
15th Naval District at Fort Amadore, Balboa in the
Panama Canal Zone. There he served under Admiral Van Hook and
Captain Kim. His duties involved assigning naval crews to ships
that were arriving and departing the Canal Zone for and from the
Pacific theater of war. Reflecting on his 3 1/2 year in the navy
during the war, Tom said how lucky he was compared with other
sailors. He cited his brother Bruce’s service as an example.
Bruce saw much combat on Navy ships in the North Atlantic during
the war.
Thomas Tinneny was
the grandson of Yankee Pat Tinneny of Goladuff, Ireland and the
son of James J. Tinneny of Greenock, Scotland and Philadelphia
and his wife Gertrude A. Spence.
