The State - News from Oct. 17, 1986

In what they call “an unprecedented action,” all 19 members of the Senate Armed Services Committee have asked President Reagan to clear the name of Thomas J. Cassidy Jr., the retired Navy rear admiral who was fired 16 months ago and then later reinstated over his role in the purchase of $659 aircraft ashtrays. Sen. Edward M. Kennedy (D-Mass.) charged that the Navy has still not fully explained why Cassidy was “fingered” by Secretary John F. Lehman Jr. Cassidy, who retired a year ago as commander of the Pacific Fleet’s Airborne Early Warning Wing, was ousted from his command May 30, 1985, along with two other officers who were removed from their jobs at Miramar Naval Air Station in San Diego for buying two ashtrays for the E-2C Hawkeye from Grumman Corp. at such expensive prices. The Navy launched an investigation into the firings after Rep. Bill Lowery (R-San Diego) and others claimed that the officers were not responsible for the purchases.