Capt. Thomas C. Edrington III, PhD (USN dec.)

Thomas C. Edrington III spent the larger part of his career in the US Navy as well as earning a PhD in Psychology at Tulane University.  Following  a service related disability retirement he joined the Rand Corporation. His life's journey to Annapolis and beyond into WWII and command were a tribute to his love of the sea and the traditions of being a Navy Junior. The ships he served on include the Parrott DD-218, New York BB-34, Sumner DD-692, Hayes APA-20 and Zelima AF-49. His passion was always in learning, the sea,  and the psychology of teaching, he also listening to jazz. The love of his life was Josephine, his wife.

Captain Thomas Craighead EDRINGTON III graduated from Annapolis in 1934. . He transferred to destroyer duty in the Far East from 1935 to 1941. Captain EDRINGTON subsequently served on the battleship New York as Gunnery Officer during WWII. Following the war, other assignments on heavy cruisers with command (1946-48) of the destroyer USS ALLEN M. SUMNER (DD-692). In the Far East he was decorated for performance in combat in support of the Korean operations while Chief Staff Officer, Amphibious Transport Division 11.

While in the Far East he met and married Josephine  who resided with her parents in the Philippines. Her father, Glenn, managed Tidewater Associated (a US oil company and the original flying horse station)  in Asia. Jo's mother, Caroline, was the first person to import poinsettias to Asia. Jo’s parents were interned in Santo Thomas during WWII, with only her mother Caroline surviving and being liberated. 

 In 1955 he obtained his Ph.D. in Psychology from Tulane followed by a billet in Washington, DC. Retirement from the Navy due to service related disabilities followed and Captain EDRINGTON went to the Rand Corporation in Santa Monica. He left Rand to be part of the creation of the Systems Development Corporation which engaged in highly advanced defense projects.