Warwick Forrest Retirement Community residents visit Naval Museum

Photo By Max Lonzanida | BTCS(SW) Thomas Dandes (Ret.), Special Events Coordinator with the Hampton Roads Naval Museum, presented a riveting first person narrative account of the fateful actions of Chief Water Tender Peter Tomich, who perished aboard the USS Utah (BB-31/AG-16) during the attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. The presentation was provided for about 25 residents of the Warwick Forrest Retirement Community, who travelled from Newport News, Virginia. Aiding with the presentation was Bob Tully, one of the museum’s longstanding volunteers. Dandes is dressed in the US Navy dungaree uniform, and had the opportunity to demonstrate the uniform’s lack of sweat wicking abilities. Afterwards, the group took a tour of the museum with volunteers Russ Martin and James Hahn. (US Navy Photo by Max Lonzanida/Released)  

NORFOLK, VA, UNITED STATES

10.16.2018

Story by Max Lonzanida  

Naval History and Heritage Command

The Navy League Classroom, located inside the Nauticus Campus was the setting for a historical presentation about Chief Water tender Peter Tomich, who perished aboard the USS Utah (BB-31/AG-16) during the attack on Pearl Harbor, Hawaii on December 7, 1941. BTCS(SW) Thomas Dandes (Ret.), Special Events Coordinator with the Hampton Roads Naval Museum, presented a riveting first person narrative account of Tomich’s actions. The presentation was provided for about 25 residents of the Warwick Forrest Retirement Home, and there were a few who were military veterans. Museum Volunteer, Bob Tully, also a US Navy Veteran, assisted with the narration during the presentation. At the time of the Pearl Harbor attack, the Utah was utilized as a target ship, but that did not deter two torpedoes from sinking her during the attack.

Tomich immigrated to the U.S. from what is now Bosnia-Herzegovina. The Department of Homeland Security’s U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, which is the federal agency tasked with providing immigration and naturalization services and benefits, provides the following summary of Tomich’s heroic actions:

Peter Tomich (Tonic) was born in 1893 in Prolog in what is now Bosnia-Herzegovina, near the Croatian border. He immigrated to the United States in 1913 and joined the U.S. Army in 1917. He became a U.S. citizen and, 10 days after his Army enlistment expired, joined the U.S. Navy. Tomich was awarded the Medal of Honor posthumously for actions he took during Japan’s surprise attack on Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.

“For distinguished conduct in the line of his profession, and extraordinary courage and disregard of his own safety, during the attack on the Fleet in Pearl Harbor, Territory of Hawaii, by the Japanese forces on Dec. 7, 1941. Although realizing that the ship was capsizing, as a result of enemy bombing and torpedoing, Chief Water tender Tomich remained at his post in the engineering plant of the U.S.S. UTAH (AG-16), until he saw that all boilers were secured and all fireroom personnel had left their stations, and by so doing lost his own life." (from Peter Tomich's Medal of Honor citation)

Before the presentation concluded, Dandes hit home with many of those present in the audience regarding an urn that went down with the USS Utah on that fateful day. The urn contained the ashes of Nancy Lynne Wagner, who was born premature in the Philippines. Baby Nancy died shortly after her birth. Nancy, and her surviving twin, Mary, were the daughters of US Navy Chief Yeoman Albert Wagner. The original plan was for Nancy’s ashes to be scattered at sea in a memorial service by the ship’s chaplain. The urn was stored in Chief Wagner’s footlocker aboard the ship until the ceremony could be arranged. During the attack on Pearl Harbor, Chief Wagner was able to escape from the capsizing ship; however, Baby Nancy’s urn, along with over 60 crewmembers, and Chief Water Tender Tomich, were entombed on the ship.

After the presentation, the group followed volunteer Bob Tully downstairs to the Naval Museum. There, the group received a wonderful historical tour that was led by museum volunteers James Hahn and Russ Martin. After a thirty minute tour, the group boarded their bus for travel back to Newport News with a new found understanding of naval history and heritage.

About the Hampton Roads Naval Museum:

The Hampton Roads Naval Museum is one of ten Navy museums that are operated by the Naval History & Heritage Command. It celebrates the long history of the U.S. Navy in the Hampton Roads region of Virginia and is co-located with Nauticus in downtown Norfolk, Virginia. Admission to the museum is free, simply by-pass the ticket line and take the stairs or elevator to the museum on the second deck. The museum hosts a robust educational program for area schools and commands, with free educational programs to area schools aligned with state curriculum standards, a travelling sea chest program, a premier Lego outreach program, and historical presentations for area commands. To inquire, contact their Educational Director, Laura Orr at [e-mail] or at [phone]. The museum is also host to a robust volunteer corps, who serve as docents, support special events, and assist in museum archives. To inquire, contact their Volunteer Coordinator, Darcy Sink at [e-mail] or at [phone]. Lastly the museum proudly hosts military ceremonies, such as re-enlistments, retirements, and promotions for area commands aboard the U.S.S Wisconsin and in the museum’s gallery. To inquire, contact their special events coordinator, Tom Dandes at [e-mail] or call [phone].

• Date Taken: 10.16.2018
• Date Posted: 10.16.2018 13:18
• Story ID: 296617
• Location: NORFOLK, VA, US