Former Vice-Chief of Naval Staff passes away at 96
Former Vice-Chief of Naval Staff Vice-Admiral Melville Raymond Schunker, known by his nickname Dick Schunker, passed away at Manipal Hospital in Goa on Monday morning. He was 96 and had been battling age-related ailments for a year.
Vice-Admiral Schunker served the navy and the coast guard since 1943. He served as the sixth Vice-Chief of Naval Staff from 1980 to 1982. Vice-Admiral Schunker was the third Director General of the Indian Coast Guard from 1982 to 1984.
Recipient of the Param Vashist Seva Medal and the Ati Vashisht Seva Medal, he also served as the Flag Officer Commanding-in- Chief of the Eastern Naval Command in 1978. He was also the commissioning commanding officer of the Indian Navy’s only submarine tender ship, INS Amba (A54).
Vice-Admiral Shunker’s son, Colin Schunker, said in a message: “He was an amazing man who dedicated his life to the service of his country. He was steadfast and resolute in his beliefs and lived his life to the highest principles.”
The former serviceman joined the Royal Indian Naval Volunteer Reserve (RINVR) as a midshipman in November 1943. After the World War II, he was selected for a permanent commission in the Royal Indian Navy. He began his career in March 1947.
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