Graham Tahler – Rear Admiral, United States Navy

From a contemporary press report

Graham Tahler, 77, a Navy aviator and decorated World War II veteran  who retired as a Rear Admiral in 1974, died of leukemia October 31, 1998  at Bethesda Naval Medical Command.

Admiral Tahler was awarded a Navy Cross during World War II for actions as a torpedo bomber pilot in Rabaul Harbor in which he sank a Japanese transport ship and severely damaged a Japanese battleship.

 He participated in combat missions at Okinawa and over Japan, and he led a major air strike on Tokyo from the aircraft carrier Shangrila. He flew  more than 140 aircraft carrier takeoffs.

Admiral Tahler was born in New York and attended Queens College. He began his Navy career during World War II and received his commission as an officer and pilot's wings in 1942.

After the war, he remained in the Navy and returned to college. He graduated from Columbia University. Other assignments included duty with the Navy's bureaus of personnel and operations, command of a Naval air training unit in Memphis and service on the staff of the chief of Naval air training, deputy to the president of the Naval War College and assistant chief for Naval reserve in the Bureau of Personnel.

He retired in 1974 after having served as commander of the 6th Naval district in Charleston, S.C.

 On his Navy retirement, Admiral Tahler moved to Pensacola, Florida. He  returned to this area around 1980; at his death, he was living in Falls Church.

He did volunteer deliveries for Meals on Wheels.

His first wife, Joan Wolf Tahler, died in 1990.

Survivors include his wife, Sylvia Jonkers Tahler of Falls Church; five children from his first marriage, Lois Tahler Roman of Fairfax, Virginia Porreca of Drexel Hill, Pa., Ellen Lundquist of Centreville, James William Tahler of Chattanooga and Sarah Draut of Atlanta; 11 grandchildren; and  five great-grandchildren.


TAHLER, GRAHAM, RADM, USN (Ret.)

                  On Saturday, October 31, 1998, at Bethesda Naval Hospital, GRAHAM TAHLER, of Falls Church, VA, beloved husband of Sylvia J. Tahler and the late Joan M. Tahler; dear father of Lois Roman, Virginia Porreca,  Ellen Lundquist, CDR James Tahler, USNR, and Sarah Draut. Also survived by his brothers, Gilbert and Larry Tahler; 11 grandchildren and five great grandchildren.  Funeral services will be held on Wednesday, November 25, at the Old Post Chapel, Fort Myer at 1 p.m.  Interment Arlington National Cemetery. Memorial donations may be made to St. Jude's Children's Hospital, 501 St. Jude's Place, Memphis,  TN 38105.

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