Commander Charles P. Tesh

Commander Tesh, a native of Winston Salem, North Carolina, was educated at the University of North Carolina and was commissioned an Ensign at the Midshipmen School, University of Notre Dame on 9 July 1945.

As a junior officer, Commander Tesh served in communications and gunnery billets in destroyers USS SAMUEL N. MOORE (DD-747) and USS LYMAN K. SWENSON (DD-729) during the period 1949 – 1952. He continued his sea tour there after in USS MANCHESTER (CL-84) as First Lieutenant. In 1954, he was assigned to a three-year tour with the Armed Forces Special Weapons Project (now Defense Atomic Support Agency) at Albuquerque, New Mexico.

Commander Tesh returned to the U. S. Pacific Fleet in 1957 as Executive Officer, USS BRAINE (DD-630), a position he held until assuming command of USS FORSTER (DER-334) in 1959. In 1960 he was ordered to duty on the staff of the Chief of Naval Operations in the Strategic Plans Division. Upon completion of the tour, in 1962, he attended the Army War College, Carlisle Barracks, Pennsylvania.

In July 1963, Commander Tesh reported to USS ORLECK (DD-886) and was Commanding Officer of that Yokosuka, Japan based destroyer until November, 1964 when he was ordered to command of the San Diego based Missile Frigate, USS KING (DLG-10).

Commander Tesh is married to Mary Louise Schoenfeldt of Los Angeles and resides with Mrs. Tesh and their four children at 1427-6th Street, Coronado, California.

Rear Admiral Charles P. Tesh, 74, of Berkeley Lake, Georgia, retired from the U.S. Navy after 37 years of service, died on May 4, 2000.

Admiral Tesh served in three conflicts, Vietnam, Korea, and World War II. He was a highly decorated veteran and served on the Council of Foreign Relations.

He is survived by two sons, Robert Tesh of Berkeley Lake, and Charles Tesh Jr. of Arcadia, Florida; two daughters, Susan Waters of Simi Valley, California, and Captain Mary J. Meyer of Memphis, Tennessee; one brother, John David Tesh of Salisbury; one sister, Joan Tesh of Flagler Beach, Florida; and 11 grandchildren. The funeral was held at Arlington National Cemetery at 3 p.m. Wednesday, May 24 , 2000.