Vicente Almeida d'Eça

Vice-Admiral Vicente Manuel de Moura Coutinho de Almeida d'Eça (born July 31, 1918) was the last Governor, then High Commissioner of Portuguese Cape Verde from 1974 to its 1975 independence from Portugal.

d'Eça 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.

Personal data

 * Parents – Paulo de Moura Coutinho de 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 dos Reis Neto de Almeida d'Eça
 * Children – Paulo Manuel Neto de Almeida d'Eça; Fernando Neto de Almeida d'Eça; and Maria Teresa Neto de Almeida d'Eça
 * Reserve – July 31, 1977
 * Retirement – July 31, 1988

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

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

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

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 Aviz
 * Degree of officer of the Military Order of Aviz
 * 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).

Commands

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

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
 * After the 25 April 1974 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.
 * January 1975 High-Commissioner in Cape Verde
 * March 1976 Assistant of the General Chief-of-Staff of the Armed Forces

Rescues
At least twice in his career Almeida d'Eça saved drowning victims. In 1938 while still a cadet he saved a woman who was trying to commit suicide in the Tagus River. In 1944 he rescued a Seaman from drowning in Ponta Delgada/The Azores.