Vicente Almeida d'Eça

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Vice-Admiral Vicente Manuel de Moura Coutinho Almeida d’Eça (b. July 31, 1918) joined the Portuguese Navy in 1936 as a Cadet and graduated from the Naval Academy 3 years later as an Ensign. His course's patron was Henry the Navigator and this was the first course to attend classes at the new Naval Academy in Alfeite. He was one of the last aviators of the Portuguese Navy and throughout his career he served the Navy in many important and distinguished assignments.

1 Personal data
2 Service record
3 Trivia
4 External links

[edit] Personal data

Parents – Paulo de Moura Coutinho Almeida d'Eça and Maria Clotilde Ferreira Pinto Basto Couceiro da Costa de Moura Coutinho
Birthdate – July 31, 1918
Birthplace – Cape Verde
Joined the Portuguese Navy – November 2, 1936 as a Cadet
Marriage – 1943 to Maria Emília Reis Neto Almeida d'Eça
Children – Paulo Manuel Neto Almeida d'Eça; Fernando Neto Almeida d'Eça; and Maria Teresa Neto Almeida d'Eça
Reserve – July 31, 1977
Retirement – July 31, 1988

[edit] Service record

Navy Cadet – November 2, 1936
Ensign – October 1, 1939
Lieutenant Jr. Grade – March 1, 1940
Lieutenant – April 8, 1948
Lieutenant Commander – March 1, 1954
Commander – August 14, 1961
Captain – January 9, 1970
Commodore – September 12, 1974
Rear Admiral – December 15, 1975
Vice Admiral – June 2, 1977

[edit] Courses

1936/1939 – Naval Academy course
1942 – Aviator Course at the Naval Aviation School “Admiral Gago Coutinho” with a final score of 14,26
1946 – Upgrade Course in Radiotelegraphy and Communications
1950 – Radar Course in England, with a score of 79%
1957 – International Naval Staff and International Short Tactical course in England
1959 – Atomic War course
1961 – College de Defense de l’OTAN (excellent score)
1972/1973 – Superior Naval War Course with a score of 16,2
1973 – The 2 National Defense Course

[edit] Written commendations

1937 – Given by the Navy’s Superintendent
1950 – Given by the Navy’s Superintendent
1950 – Given by the Superior Commandant of the Navy’s Air Forces
1951 – Given by the Navy’s Superintendent
1953 – Given by the Captain of the Ship S. Brás
1953 – Given by the Electricity and Communications Department’s Director
1955 – Given by the Admiral Chief-of-Naval Staff
1956 – Given by the Admiral Chief-of-Naval Staff
1957 – Given by the Chief Commandant of the Counter-Torpedo Independent Group
1959 – Given by the Admiral Sub-Chief-of-Naval Staff
1967 – Given by the Guinea’s Maritime Defense Commandant
1969 – Given by the Mozambique’s Naval Commandant
1973 – Given by the Navy’s Material Superintendent
1977 – Given by the General Chief-of-Staff of the Armed Forces
1984 – Given by the General Chief-of-Staff of the Armed Forces
1988 – Given by the General Chief-of-Staff of the Armed Forces

[edit] Medals and decorations

Gold Medal for Distinguished Services
Silver Medal for Distinguished Services with Palm
Silver Medal for Distinguished Services (two)
Military Merit Medal (2nd Class)
Degree of commander of the Military Order of Avis
Degree of officer of the Military Order of Avis
Gold Military Medal for Exemplar Conduct
Armed Forces Campaigns Commemorative Medal – Guinea (1974)
Armed Forces Campaigns Commemorative Medal – Mozambique (1967/1969)
Armed Forces Campaigns Commemorative Medal – Cape Verde (1975)
Commemorative Naval Medal for the V Centenarian on the Death of Infante D. Henrique (Silver)
Silver Medal for Courage, Abnegation and Humanity (two)
Degree of Commander of the Naval Merit Order (Brazil)
Degree of Officer of the U.S. Legion of Merit
Grand Cross of Naval Merit (Span).

[edit] Commands

N.T. Ana Mafalda (27 October 1966 - 5 November 1966)
Captain of the Portuguese Ship Pacheco Pereira ( 27 July 1967 - 15 January 1970)
Captain of the School Number One of the Navy (26 September 1973 - 29 May 1974)
Substitute Captain of Guinea’s Maritime Defence (4 June 1974 to 28 October 1974)

[edit] Assignments

November 3, 1940 – January 21, 1941 XO of the Portuguese Ship Mandovi
1947–1949 Radiotelegraphy Instructor of the Naval Aviation School “Admiral Gago Coutinho” from
December 1953 – January 1954 Chief of the NATO Communication Section of the Naval Staff
May 1957 – July 1957 Chief of the Independent Group of Counter-torpedoes
September 5, 1961 – December 16, 1965 Naval Attaché at the Portuguese Embassy in Washington D.C. and Naval Representative at the Portuguese Embassy in Ottawa
February 13, 1970 – September 1973 Director of the de Electricity and Communications Division
January 1975 High-Commissioner in Cape Verde
March 1976 Assistant of the General Chief-of-Staff of the Armed Forces

[edit] Trivia

In 1938 Almeida d'Eça, still a cadet, saved a woman, who was trying to commit suicide, from drowning in the Tagus River.
In 1944 the Lieutenant Jr. Grade Almeida d'Eça rescued a Seaman from drowning in Ponta Delgada/The Azores.
After the 25 April (Carnation Revolution), and for a period of 10 years, Adm. Almeida d’Eça was in charge of a very important military mission. This high-ranking officer was the one who led the negotiation process and agreements of the military bases of Flores, Beja and Lages.