David French Boyd, Jr.
Captain David French Boyd, Jr. (18 September, 1876 – 30 Mar, 1954) served in the United States Navy.
Life & Career
Boyd was born in Louisiana, the son and namesake of a Confederate army veteran and educator who helped found what became Louisiana State University. Appointed to the Naval Academy from Alabama (where his father was then teaching) he graduated with the Class of 1897.
His first assignment after graduation was to battleship Maine, and he was aboard when the ship was destroyed in Havana harbor in February, 1898.[1][2]
Surviving the disaster, Boyd was reassigned to torpedo boat Cushing for the remainder of the Spanish-American War. From late August into October he commanded the torpedo boat.[3][4][5]
Boyd then held a routine series of sea and shore assignments, being commissioned Ensign on 1 July, 1899[6] and being promoted to the rank of Lieutenant (Junior Grade) on 1 July, 1902,[7] and to the rank of Lieutenant on 11 October, 1903.[8]
Boyd was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant Commander on 1 July, 1909 and later that year was appointed commanding officer of destroyer Smith.[9][10] In early 1910 he was transferred to command destroyer Preston, remaining aboard until the end of 1911.[11][12]
Boyd was promoted to the rank of Commander on 29 August, 1916. At the time he was in command of submarine tender Bushnell, and he later commanded a Submarine Division.[13][14]
During World War II, Boyd was promoted to the temporary rank of Captain on 1 July, 1918.[15] In early 1919 he was appointed to command protected cruiser Olympia but was detached by the end of the year. This was followed by assignment as Naval Attache to Buenos Aires, as well a permanent promotion to the rank of Captain as of 3 June, 1921.[16]
Boyd was appointed the first commanding officer of light cruiser Richmond in 1923, and from 1925 to 1928 he commanded battleship Florida. Passed over for promotion, he concluded his career as Captain of the Yard at Portsmouth Navy Yard until being placed on the Retired List on 3 June, 1932.[17][18][19][20][21][22]
See Also
Bibliography
Service Records
| Naval Appointments | ||
| Preceded by Albert Gleaves |
Captain of U.S.S. Cushing Aug, 1898[23] – Nov, 1898[24] |
Succeeded by ? |
| Preceded by New Command |
Captain of U.S.S. Smith 26 Nov, 1909 – Jan, 1910 |
Succeeded by George C. Day |
| Preceded by George C. Day |
Captain of U.S.S. Preston Feb, 1910[25] – Dec, 1911[26] |
Succeeded by Herbert F. Leary |
| Preceded by Bion B. Bierer |
Captain of U.S.S. Olympia Jan, 1919[27] – Dec, 1919[28] |
Succeeded by Henry L. Wyman |
| Preceded by New Command |
Captain of U.S.S. Richmond 2 Jul, 1923 – 5 Mar, 1924[29][Inference] |
Succeeded by Lyman A. Cotten |
| Preceded by Bion B. Bierer |
Captain of U.S.S. Florida 8 Sep, 1925[30] – Apr, 1928 |
Succeeded by William R. Sayles |
| Preceded by Ernest Friedrick |
Captain, Navy Yard, Portsmouth 15 Jul, 1929[31] – before 3 Jun, 1932 |
Succeeded by William F. Amsden |
Footnotes
- ↑ Brooklyn Citizen 16 February, 1898 p. 11.
- ↑ Register of Officers, 1898. p. 31.
- ↑ List and Station, July 1898. p. 18.
- ↑ Record-Journal (Meridian, CT) 26 August, 1898 p. 8.
- ↑ Baltimore Sun 1 November, 1898 p. 6.
- ↑ List and Station, July 1899. p. 20.
- ↑ List and Station, July 1903. p. 17.
- ↑ Register of Officers, 1904. pp. 34-35.
- ↑ Register of Officers, 1911. pp. 22-23.
- ↑ The State (Columbia, SC) 8 January, 1910 p. 8.
- ↑ Pensacola News Journal 20 February, 1910 p. 6.
- ↑ Register of Officers, 1912. p. 24.
- ↑ Register of Officers, 1917. pp. 16-17.
- ↑ Register of Officers, 1916. pp. 18, 287.
- ↑ Register of Officers, 1919. p. 18.
- ↑ Register of Officers, 1922. pp. 14-15.
- ↑ Register of Officers, 1924. pp. 14-15.
- ↑ Register of Officers, 1926. p. 14.
- ↑ Register of Officers, 1928. p. 12.
- ↑ Register of Officers, 1930. p. 12.
- ↑ Montgomery Advertiser 25 August, 1929 p. 35.
- ↑ Register of Officers, 1933. pp. 392, 481.
- ↑ Record-Journal (Meridian, CT) 26 August, 1898 p. 8.
- ↑ Baltimore Sun 1 November, 1898 p. 6.
- ↑ Pensacola News Journal 20 February, 1910 p. 6.
- ↑ Register of Officers, 1912. p. 24.
- ↑ Naval History and Heritage Command.
- ↑ Naval History and Heritage Command.
- ↑ Register of Officers, 1925. pp. 14-15.
- ↑ Register of Officers, 1928. pp. 12-13.
- ↑ Register of Officers, 1930. p. 12.
