Thomas Gunning Kelley (born May 13, 1939) is an American veteran and retired captain in the United States Navy who received the Medal of Honor for his actions during the Vietnam War.

[2] In June 1960, Kelley joined the United States Navy through the Officer Candidate School program in Newport, Rhode Island.

On June 15, 1969, Kelley led eight river assault craft boats on a mission to extract a United States Army infantry company from the bank of the Ong Muong Canal in Kien Hoa Province, South Vietnam.

A rocket-propelled grenade struck nearby, severely injuring Kelley, but he continued to protect his men until they could get to safety, then ordered medical assistance for himself.

Despite the loss of one eye during this action and the Navy's decision that he was no longer fit for service, Kelley persevered in his requests to remain on active duty.

Later he completed the Armed Forces Staff College course in Norfolk, Virginia, and served in the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations in manpower and planning.

After 9/11, as veterans began returning to Massachusetts, Kelley created programs to serve their unique needs, especially those involving the unseen wounds of war, such as traumatic brain injury and suicide prevention.

He is on the board of the Homebase Program, a collaboration of the Boston Red Sox Foundation and Massachusetts General Hospital that helps veterans and their families recover from the invisible wounds of war.

In January 2023, Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro announced that the future Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer USS Thomas G. Kelley (DDG-140) will be named in his honor.

Kelley's official Medal of Honor citation reads: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty in the afternoon while serving as commander of River Assault Division 152 during combat operations against enemy aggressor forces.

After issuing orders for the crippled troop carrier to raise its ramp manually, and for the remaining boats to form a protective cordon around the disabled craft, Lt. Comdr.

Kelley's brilliant leadership, bold initiative, and resolute determination served to inspire his men and provide the impetus needed to carry out the mission after he was medically evacuated by helicopter.