Charles E. Tolman

Charles E. Tolman (25 June 1903 – 1 February 1943) was an officer in the United States Navy. He was posthumously awarded the Navy Cross for his valiant leadership as the commanding officer of USS De Haven (DD-469) on 1 February 1943.

Born in Concord, Massachusetts, Tolman entered the United States Naval Academy in the summer of 1921 and graduated on 4 June 1925. After serving in battleship USS Utah (BB-31), he was transferred to USS Worden (DD-288) in 1926. Tolman then completed training courses at the Naval Torpedo Station, Newport, Rhode Island, and at the Submarine Base, New London, Connecticut.

Tolman served in submarines USS O-4 (SS-65) in 1928 and USS S-22 (SS-127) from 1929 to 1932 when he returned to the Naval Academy for two years. He then served in submarine USS S-46 (SS-157) in 1934 and commanded USS S-30 (SS-135) from April 1935 to May 1937. He was attached to the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations for 17 months before assuming command of USS Spearfish (SS-190) on 7 October 1939. In January 1941, Tolman joined the staff of Commander, Submarines, Atlantic Fleet.

World War II

Commander Tolman became the commanding officer of USS De Haven (DD-469) upon her commissioning on 21 September 1942. The destroyer steamed to the South Pacific in November 1942 and supported operations in the Solomon Islands. On the afternoon of 1 February 1943, while escorting landing craft, De Haven was attacked by six Japanese dive bombers. Fighting off the attackers, the destroyer downed three enemy planes before a bomb struck her navigating bridge, stopped her, and killed Tolman. Two more hits and a near miss doomed De Haven, which sank within two minutes. Tolman was posthumously awarded the Navy Cross for his valiant leadership.

Legacy

USS Tolman (DM-28) was named for him.