Thomas P. Gallagher

Thomas P. Gallagher "Tom" (age 80) Thomas P. Gallagher left this world for the next on January 20, 2011. Tom suffered from Alzheimer's disease, but he lived his last few months much like he lived his life, telling tall tales, laughing at old jokes and talking about ships. Tom was born on March 9, 1930 in Quincy, Massachusetts. Though he lived in Maryland for 40 years - he remained a New England boy at heart. His stories of clamming on the beach, swimming in the quarries and working in the shipyard were often told and retold. Tom served in the Korean War as a Bridge Construction Foreman in the Army Corp of Engineers. He received the Korean Service Medal w/3 Bronze Service Stars and the United Nations Service Medal. He was Honorably Discharged and returned to his work at the Fore River Shipyard and took up residence in Norwell Massachusetts. In 1963 he accepted a position as a Naval Architect with the Surface Ship Structure Branch of NAVSEA in Washington DC and took up residence in Bowie Maryland in 1964. He served in several positions with NAVSEA until his retirement in 1988 as the Head of Research Dynamic High Performance Mine Warfare Branch. While with NAVSEA, he played a prominent role in the EEO and Handicap Committees and was well known for training and mentoring young Engineers and other employees. He was a pioneer in the application of computer aided ship design. During his 40 year career, he worked on a wide variety of ships including submarines, destroyers, amphibious and landing crafts, and hydrofoils. In his final years with NAVSEA, he played a key role in the design of the Navy's Wooden Mine Countermeasure ships. Tom's reputation for innovation resulted in a wide variety of special projects, including his work with Pontoon Boats and Canal Boats. Perhaps the most unusual was his design for a barbeque pit for the Presidential Yacht - USS Sequoia - for President Lyndon Johnson. Tom is survived by his children, Tom Gallagher, Marie Pierce, Susan Gallagher, Bob Gallagher, Amy Chaffee, Paul Gallagher, Monese Weeks, Bianca Christensen and Patrick Christensen; 18 grandchildren and 1-great grandchild. A Mass will be held at St. Pius X, 14720 Annapolis Rd., Bowie MD on Thursday, January 27, 2011, at 11am, followed by a visitation at the family-owned BEALL FUNERAL HOME, 6512 NW Crain Hwy. (Rte. 3 South), Bowie, MD from 12:30 to 1:30pm. Interment private.. In lieu of flowers, please make donations to the Alzheimer's Association, 1850 York Road, Suite D,Timonium, MD 21093.