Rear Admiral Albert Monroe Sackett

(1920-2016)
FatherTimothy Franklin "Frank" Sackett (1882-1920)
MotherClara Marie De Meulenaere (1888-1988)
170 Rear Admiral Albert M Sackett
(1920–2016)
Rear Admiral Albert Monroe Sackett, son of Timothy Franklin "Frank" Sackett and Clara Marie De Meulenaere, was born in Victor, Poweshiek County, IowaG, on 24 June 1920. He died aged 95 at home in Knollwood, Washington, DCG, on 20 May 2016.1 He married on 2 August 1947, Patricia ___.1
     In 1930 Albert was living in Warren Township, Victor Town, Poweshiek County, IowaG, in the household of his mother Clara, and was recorded in the census as Albert M Sackett, aged nine and born in Iowa.2

Obituary
The following obituary appeared in The Washington Post on 22 May 2016.

ALBERT M. SACKETT, Rear Admiral, U.S. Navy, died peacefully at home in Knollwood, in Washington, DC, on Friday, May 20, 2016. He was born in Victor, Iowa on June 24, 1920. His parents were Timothy Frank Sackett and Clara DeMeulenaere Sackett. His father died when Albert was only 2½ months old, and his mother was left to raise him and his three siblings, Genevieve, William and Jean, all deceased.
     He credits the molding of his character, work ethics and life to his mother, the Sisters of St. Francis, who taught him throughout school, and later in life to wife, Patricia (Patt). She was his best friend and mother of their children. She raised them many times by herself while he was off to war and the numerous ship deployments to the Mediterranean and the Far East. She and his family were a beacon for the sailor to return to. He considered winning her hand in marriage on August 2, 1947 as the highlight of his life.
     Admiral Sackett had a very successful 40 year career in the Navy. Following recruit training in 1937, at the Great Lakes, Illinois, training center, he was assigned to his first ship, the USS Northampton (CA-26), a heavy cruiser attached to the Pacific Fleet. The pre-World War II years were spent in training and preparing to serve our nation in war. In 1939, the Navy established a task force, composed of two aircraft carriers, two cruiser divisions (Northampton included) and a flotilla of destroyers and ordered them to Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. This task force operated throughout the Pacific, many times shadowing Japanese shipping and preparing for the ultimate conflict.
     He re-enlisted in the summer of 1941 and returned to the East Coast for assignment to another ship, the USS Jamestown, which led the first PT Boat squadron involved with the U.S. Marines in the capture and defense of Guadalcanal. Following the capture, the Jamestown operated in support of the landings and occupation of other islands in the Solomon Islands. By this time, he had advanced to Chief Petty Officer and was recommended for appointment as a commissioned officer. He was then assigned to a rocket ship, the USS LCI (R) 74, at Leyte Gulf, Philippines. Through most of the remainder of the war his ship participated in many amphibious assault landings throughout the Philippines, Borneo and East Indies. During the latter part of the war he was ordered to command his first ship, the USS LCI (R) 34. The ship's role was preparing for the landings on the homeland of Japan. The dropping of the atomic bombs forced the Japanese to surrender, unconditionally.
     Following the war, he was ordered to take command of the USS LST 990 and operated for another year consolidating equipment through the captured islands, finally returning to the States in mid-1946. Subsequent sea assignments were in command of four more ships, the USS LSM 109, destroyer USS Preston DD 795 during the Korean War, the guided missile destroyer USS John King DD (G) 3, and the guided missile cruiser USS Gridley CA 21 during the Vietnam War.
     He also had three shore commands—the Naval Destroyer School in Newport, Rhode Island, where all officers ordered to serve in the destroyers were trained; Chief of Naval Technical Training Command in Memphis, Tennessee, which included 57 commands under him conducting all of the Navy''s enlisted training; and his last assignment as the Commandant of the Ninth Naval District in Great Lakes, Illinois.
     The Admiral also had duty at Naval Headquarters in Washington DC, once as the Special Assistant to the Secretary of the Navy and another tour as Head of Officer Distribution at the Bureau of Naval Personnel. He, along with a sizable staff, was responsible for the management and assignment of 70,000 naval officers.
     After his retirement from the Navy, Admiral Sackett held several leadership roles in Memphis, Tennessee, most memorably as the Vice President of Community Relations at the Memphis Commercial Appeal. He proudly served on the boards of 19 organizations and was an avid golfer, with three holes-in-one to his name.
     He and Patt traveled extensively and enjoyed reading, playing cards and spending time with their family and friends. He is survived by his wife, Patt, who resides in Washington, DC; and his six children, Priscilla (Mike Nicholls), Timothy, Albert, Kirk (Suzanne), David (Dulce) and Julie Butler (Syd). He had 10 grandchildren, Steven, Amy, Christina, Christopher, Cadee, Maggie, Mallory, Ashley, Shane and Nicole; and seven great-grandchildren, Andrew, Caleb, David, Aaron, Callie, Caydence and Gabriel. He also leaves his many friends, especially his golf friends and his many relatives, mostly in Victor, Iowa. He treasured their friendship. A private family memorial service, with burial in Victor, Iowa is planned. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made in Albert's name to Children's National Medical Center, 801 Roeder Rd., Suite 300, Silver Spring, MD 20910; or the charity of your choice.

[Albert M. Sackett] ... joined the Navy in 1937 and completed recruit training at Naval Training Center, Great Lakes. His initial assignments included the USS Northampton, Surface Diesel School at the Submarine Base, New London, Connecticut, and the USS Jamestown. He attained the rate of chief petty officer prior to receiving his commission.
     After being commissioned an ensign in 1944, he served as engineering officer and executive officer of the USS LCI (R) 7a4 and then as commanding officer of USS LCI (R) 34, and commanding officer of USS LST-990 and USS LSM-109.
     His subsequent assignments included USS Joseph P. Kennedy (DD-850) as engineering officer; squadron engineering officer with Destroyer Squadron 16; Staff of Commander Destroyer Flotilla Four as Material and Operations Officer; Operations, Plans and Security Officer, Naval Training Center, Great Lakes; and commanding officer of USS Preston (DD-795).
     After a course in Naval Warfare at the Naval War College, he became the first commanding officer of the guided missile destroyer USS John King (DDG-3).
     Rear Admiral Sackett then served as head, Missile Systems Training Branch, Bureau of Naval Personnel and special assistant to the Under Secretary of the Navy before assuming command of the guided missile cruiser USS Gridley (CG-21).
     He became commanding officer of the Naval Destroyer School, Newport, RI, in June 1969. In August 1970 he returned to the Bureau of Naval Personnel for duty as director of the Officer Distribution Division, where he was responsible for the duty assignments of the 72,000 officers in the Navy.
     Upon being selected to Flag Rank in 1972, he was assigned duty as chief of Naval Technical Training with headquarters at Naval Air Station, Memphis, Tennessee. His duties encompassed the responsibility for almost all enlisted training in the Navy—recruit, submarine, surface, and aviation, conducted at 53 subordinate commands throughout the country. The average on-board staff and student population exceeded 60,000.
     He next assumed duties as Commandant, Ninth Naval District and Commander Naval Base, Great Lakes.
     Admiral Sackett retired from the United States Navy on July 1, 1977, and resides in Memphis, Tennessee, where he serves as director, Community Relations, Memphis Publishing Company.
     Included among the many awards Rear Admiral Sackett has received are the American Defense Service Medal; Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal with Seven Stars; Navy Occupation Service Medal; China Service Medal; National Defense Service Medal with Bronze Star; Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal; the Philippine Liberation Ribbon with One Star; the Navy Commendation Medal with Gold Star; the Meritorious Service Medal with Gold Star; the Legion of Merit with Gold Star; and the Distinguished Service Medal.
     Rear Admiral Sackett holds a BA degree in social science from George Washington University. He is married to the former Patricia Soer, also of Victor, and they have two daughters and four sons.

—Joe B. Havens. Chief: the evolution, development and role of the chief petty officer in the United States Naval Service. Turner Publishing Company (1996).


Albert M. Sackett, formerly of Memphis Publishing Company, dies at 95
By Daniel Connolly of The Commercial Appeal

When Albert M. Sackett died Friday at age 95, his family sent an obituary to the newspaper. The obituary recounts his birth in Iowa, his 40-year Navy service and his career that included working for the company that publishes The Commercial Appeal.
     The obituary comes straight from the source: Mr. Sackett wrote it himself.
     He had some health issues a couple of years ago and decided it was time to write the obit, said one of his daughters, Julie Butler, 51. The decision to write the obituary reflected his sharp mind and attention to detail, she said. "He was an admiral to the end. Very organized and put everybody's wishes first. Really made a point of keeping the family sailing in the right direction."
     Mr. Sackett died in Knollwood, a military retirement community in Washington, D.C. The cause was small-cell lung cancer, his daughter said.
     Mr. Sackett was born in rural Victor, Iowa in 1920. His father died when he was an infant, and his mother was left to raise him and three siblings on her own. At 17, he enlisted in the Navy.
     His service would span from 1937 until 1977, through World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War and thereafter.
     In 1983, Mr. Sackett was appointed director of community relations for Memphis Publishing Company, which at the time published both The Commercial Appeal and the former Memphis Press-Scimitar. An article at the time quoted Mr. Sackett: "I believe business and industry have a commitment to help the communities where they earn their livelihoods."
     He retired in 1994.
     His daughter said that at one point, he served on 19 local boards, including the Rotary Club and the Black Business Association. He also played a leadership role in the Liberty Bowl Festival Association.
     She said in a phone interview Friday night that she was too numb to describe him well, but she asked other people in the home to try their best, and relayed their descriptions: "Great presence and personality. Whose warm voice you could hear three rooms away. And whose hug could make you feel unconditional love and relevance. He had kind of a larger than life personality."
     When writing his own obituary, Mr. Sackett gave a prominent place to his wife Patt, who survives him.
     A private memorial service is planned with burial in Victor, Iowa.

The Commercial Appeal (http://www.commercialappeal.com), May 2016


Albert Monroe Sackett
USS Northampton & Flag Allowance, qtr to 31 Mar 1939, "Sackett, Albert Monroe, 321 19 64, F.2c, enlisted 7 Sep 1937, received on board 1 Jan 1938."
USS Northampton & Flag Allowance, qtr to 30 Jun 1939, "Sackett, Albert Monroe, 321 19 64, F.2c, enlisted 7 Sep 1937, received on board 1 Jan 1938."
USS Northampton & Flag Allowance, qtr to 30 Sep 1939, "Sackett, Albert Monroe, 321 19 64, F.2c, enlisted 7 Sep 1937, received on board 1 Jan 1938."
USS Northampton & Flag Allowance, month to 31 Oct 1939, "Sackett, Albert Monroe, 321 19 64, F.2c, enlisted Des Moines 7 Sep 1937, branch USN, change rating, 16 Oct, F.2c to F.1c."
USS Northampton & Flag Allowance, qtr to 31 Dec 1939, "Sackett, Albert Monroe, 321 19 64, F.1c, enlisted 7 Sep 1937, received on board 1 Jan 1938."
USS Northampton & Flag Allowance, qtr to 31 Mar 1940, "Sackett, Albert M, 321 19 64, F1c, enlisted 7 Sep 1937, received on board 1 Jan 1938."
USS Northampton & Flag Allowance, qtr to 30 Jun 1940, "Sackett, Albert M, 321 19 64, F1c, enlisted 7 Sep 1937, received on board 1 Jan 1938."
USS Northampton & Flag Allowance, qtr to 30 Sep 1940, "Sackett, Albert M, 321 19 64, F1c, enlisted 7 Sep 1937, received on board 1 Jan 1938."
USS Northampton & Flag Allowance, month to 30 Nov 1940, "Sackett, Albert Monroe, 321 19 64, F1c, enlisted Des Moines, Iowa, 7 Sep 1937, branch USN, change rating, 16 Nov 1940, to MM2c."
USS Northampton & Flag Allowance, qtr to 31 Dec 1940, "Sackett, Albert Monroe, 321 19 64, MM2c, enlisted 7 Sep 1937, received on board 1 Jan 1938."
USS Northampton & Flag Allowance, sailing 23 Jan 1941, from Pearl Harbor, TH, to Long Beach, CA, "Sackett, Albert M, 321 19 64, MM2c, enlisted Des Moines, Iowa, 7 Sep 1937, branch USN, agree ex en, 11 Jan 1941, agreed to extend enlistment for two full years."; "Sackett, Albert M, 321 19 64, MM2c, enlisted Des Moines, Iowa, 7 Sep 1937, branch USN, tran, 11 Jan 1941, SubBase, New London, Conn, for a course of instruction in Surface Diesel Engine School."
USS Jamestown, sailing 26 May 1941, New York, NY, to Annapolis, Maryland, "Sackett, Albert Monroe, 321-19-64, MM2c, branch USN, rec, 26 May 1941, at New York."
USS Jamestown, month to 30 Jun 1941, "Sackett, Albert Monroe, 321-19-64, MM2c, enlisted DesMoines, Iowa, 7 Sep 1937, branch USN, ext enl, 24 Jun, 2 yr ext enl effective."
USS Jamestown, qtr to 30 Jun 1941, "Sackett, Albert Monroe, 321-19-64, MM2c, enlisted 7 Sep 1937, received on board 26 May 1941."
USS Jamestown, qtr to 30 Sep 1941, "Sackett, Albert Monroe, 321-19-64, MM2c, enlisted 7 Sep 1937, received on board, 26 May 1941."
USS Jamestown, qtr to 31 Dec 1941, "Sackett, Albert Monroe, 321-19-64, MM2c, enlisted 7 Sep 1937, received on board, 26 May 1941."
USS Jamestown, qtr to 31 Mar 1942, "Sackett, Albert Monroe, 321-19-64, MM2c, enlisted 7 Sep 1937, received on board, 26 May 1941."
USS Jamestown, month to 30 Apr 1942, "Sackett, Albert Monroe, 321-19-64, MM2c, enlisted Des Moines, Iowa, 7 Sep 1937, branch USN, tran, 28 Apr, Naval Res Armory, Detroit, Mich, for course of instruction at Packard Motor Car Co."; "Sackett, Albert Monroe, 321-19-64, MM2c, enlisted Des Moines, Iowa, 7 Sep 1937, branch USN, tran, 23 Apr, rec Ship at New York, USS Pontiac detail."
USS Jamestown, sailing 30 Jun 1942, from Melville, RI, to New York, NY, "Sackett, Albert Monroe, 321-19-64, MM1c, Des Moines, Iowa, enlisted 7 Sep 1937, branch USN, rec, 2 Jun, US NAV TRG SCHL, Detroit, Mich."
USS Jamestown, qtr to 30 Jun 1942, "Sackett, Albert Monroe, 321-19-64, MoMM1c, enlisted 7 Sep 1937, received on board 26 Feb 1941 [sic]."
USS Jamestown, qtr to 30 Sep 1942, "Sackett, Albert Monroe, 321-19-64, MoMM1c, enlisted 7 Sep 1937, received on board 26 May 1941."
USS Jamestown, qtr to 31 Dec 1942, "Sackett, Albert Monroe, 321-19-64, MoMM1c, enlisted 7 Sep 1937, received on board 26 May 1941."
USS Jamestown, qtr to 31 Mar 1943, "Sackett, Albert Monroe, 321-19-64, MoMM1c, enlisted 7 Sep 1937, received on board 26 May 1941."
USS Jamestown, 5 May 1943, "Sackett, Albert Monroe, 321 19 64, MoMM1c, enlisted Des Moines, Iowa, 7 Sep 1937, branch USN, change rating, 2 May, from MoMM1c to CMoMM(AA)."
USS Jamestown, month to 30 Jun 1943, "Sackett, Albert Monroe, 321-19-64, CMoMM(AA), enlisted DesMoines, Iowa, 7 Sep 1937, branch USN, disch, 10 Jun 1943, Honorably Discharged BCL of US."; "Sackett, Albert Monroe, 321-19-64, CMoMM(AA), enlisted BCL of US, 7 Sep 1937, branch USN, reen, 11 Jun 1943, REEN for four years BCL of US."
USS Jamestown, qtr to 30 Jun 1943, "Sackett, Albert Monroe, 321 19 64, CMoMM(AA), enlisted 11 Jun 1943, received on board 26 May 1941."
USS Jamestown, qtr to 30 Sep 1943, "Sackett, Albert Monroe, 321 19 64, CMoMM(AA), enlisted 11 Jun 1943, received on board 11 Jun 1943 [sic]."
USS Jamestown, qtr to 31 Dec 1943, "Sackett, Albert Monroe, 321 19 64, CMoMM(AA), enlisted 11 Jun 1943, received on board 26 May 1941."
USS Jamestown, qtr to 31 Mar 1944, "Sackett, Albert Monroe, 321 19 64, CMoMM, enlisted 11 Jun 1943, received on board 26 May 1941."
USS Jamestown, month to 30 Apr 1944, "Sackett, Albert Monroe, 321 19 64, CMoMM, enlisted BCL of US, 11 Jun 1943, branch USN, trans, 24 Apr, ComTwel. furaspers."
USS Banner (APA-60), 20 Nov 1944, "Sackett, Albert M, 378140, Ensign, branch USN."

 Notes & Citations

  1. Obituary, Washington Post, 22 May 2016.
  2. 1930 United States Federal Census, Roll 680, p. 2A, image 379.0
    Warren Township, Victor Town, Poweshiek, Iowa
    Sackett, Clara M, head, home owned, value $2600, not farm, 41, single , b. Belgium, father b. Belgium, mother b. Belgium, mother tongue Flemish, immigrated 1890, occ: none
    Sackett, Genevieve E, dau, 16, b. IA, father b. IA, mother b. Belgium
    Sackett, William L, son, 15, b. IA, father b. IA, mother b. Belgium
    Sackett, Jean E, dau, 12, b. IA, father b. IA, mother b. Belgium
    Sackett, Albert M, son, 9, b. IA, father b. IA, mother b. Belgium.
Appears inSacketts in the Military
Notable Sacketts
Sackett Family Association membership
Rear Admiral Albert Monroe Sackett (1920–2016)
Member # 170
Joined 1 June 2007
Sackett line9th great-grandson of Thomas Sackett the elder of St Peter in Thanet
Sackett ancestry
Thomas Sackett the elder (say 1530–1595), labourer of St Peter in Thanet, Kent, m. Joane ___
Thomas Sackett the younger (c1557–1615), yeoman of Birchington, Kent, m. Martha Strowde
Simon Sackett the colonist (1595–1635), of Thanet, Kent, & Newtown (Cambridge), Massachusetts, m. Isabel Pearce
John Sackett (1632–1719), farmer of Westfield, Massachusetts, m. Abigail Hannum
John Sacket (1660–1745), farmer of Westfield, m. Mahitable (Danks) Harris
Eliakim Sacket (1712–1764), m. Bethesda Fowler
Pliny Sacket (1753–), m. Elisabeth Kellogg
Pliny Sacket (1786–1853), m. Nancy Bartlett
Edwin Sackett (1823–1896), m. Elizabeth Hall
Kirtland Monroe Sackett (1854–1908), m. Nancy E Campbell
Timothy Franklin "Frank" Sackett (1882–1920), m. Clara Marie De Meulenaere
ChartsLine 3a (American)
Generation.Tree10R.3
Last Edited31 Jan 2023
 

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