Aluf (Rear Admiral) Shmuel "Shmulik" Tankus (Hebrew: שמואל טנקוס‎; 14 November 1914 – 4 March 2012) was the fifth commander of the Israeli Navy, serving from 30 June 1954 until 1960.

[2] Tankus was born in 1914 in the Neve Shalom district of Jaffa under Ottoman-controlled Palestine.

[3] He studied at The Herzliya Hebrew Gymnasium in Tel Aviv He joined the Palmach, and served in Palyam.

He reported to Yohai Ben-Nun, who was Commander of the Port Brigade (Hebrew: מפקדי פלוגת הנמל) and is considered the father of the Israeli Naval Academy.

They had a daughter, Ruth, who volunteered for service in the Navy.