Washington - Navy Admiral Thomas Bibb Hayward, who served from 1978 to 1982 as the 21st Chief of Naval Operations (CNO), the Navy's top uniformed officer and its representative among the joint chiefs, died March 3, 2022, in Seattle, WA. He was 97 years old. The career aviator rose to head a growing Navy during the height of the Cold War competition with the Soviet Union, and worked to professionalize a service weighed down with problems of drug use and retention after the Vietnam War. As Chief of Naval Operations, Admiral Hayward was noted for his role in formulating U.S. maritime strategy and for drastically reducing the amount of illegal drug use on the part of Navy officers and enlisted personnel.

Born on May 3, 1924, in Glendale, Calif., Adm. Hayward began his Navy career by enlisting in the V-5 Naval Aviation Cadet program in 1943 during World War II, and transferred to the Naval Academy, graduating in 1947. During his aviation career, Adm. Hayward had 4,600 total flight hours (4,400 in jets) and approximately 450 carrier recoveries. In 1981 he was awarded the Society of Experimental Test Pilots James H. Doolittle Award.

Hayward was promoted to rear admiral in 1971. He made vice admiral in 1973 (when he assumed command of the Seventh Fleet), and full admiral three years later, assuming duty as Commander-in-Chief, U.S. Pacific Fleet. Adm. Hayward was 54 years old when he became Chief of Naval Operations in 1978.

Adm. Hayward retired on 1 July 1982. Following retirement, he devoted himself to helping at-risk students as Chairman of Ethics Resource Center of America. He co-founded the Voyager Expanded Learning Company in 1994 that served well over one million disadvantaged public school children. He helped found several other companies that focus on reading and math solutions for K-12, masters and doctorates in education, both domestic and international distance learning for college and higher education. More information on Adm. Hayward's career can be found at https://news.usni.org/2022/03/04/former-cno-thomas-hayward-remembered-for-professionalizing-navy-taking-on-soviets.

Adm. Hayward and his wife of 69 years, Margaret (Peggy) Hayward, moved to Seattle in 1998. Adm. Hayward served with the Rotary, the Museum of Flight, the Washington Policy Center (from whom he was awarded their "Champion of Freedom"), among other Seattle organizations. Through the Hayward Family Foundation, significant contributions have been made to, among others, Peace Trees Vietnam and Path with Art. Peggy preceded Adm. Hayward in death, in 2017. Survivors include his daughters, Colleen and Cynthia Hayward; his son-in-law, Tom Jacobs; his grandson, Max Smith and his wife, Wendy Parker; his great-grandchildren, Austin and Oliver Smith; and his ten beloved nieces and nephews.

Adm. Hayward would be honored by any contributions in his name to Peace Trees Vietnam. www.peacetreesvietnam.org.