Thomas Slidell Rodgers

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Rear Admiral Thomas Slidell Rodgers (18 Aug, 1858 – 28 February, 1931) served in the United States Navy. he was the son of Rear Admiral Christopher Raymond Perry Rodgers and the brother of Rear Admiral Raymond Perry Rodgers.

Life & Career

Rodgers was born in New Jersey and received an at-large appointment to the Naval Academy, graduating with the Class of 1878. He served in a mundane series of sea and shore assignments in the early part of his career, and achieved the usual early-career promotions. He was promoted to the rank of Ensign on 1 December, 1881,[1] to the rank of Lieutenant (Junior Grade) on 23 March, 1889,[2] and to the rank of Lieutenant on 1 October, 1893.[3]

In 1897, Rodgers served as Flag Lieutenant to Rear Admiral Joseph Nelson Miller on a "Special Mission" to England - representing the Navy at the Diamond Jubilee celebrations for Queen Victoria.[4][5] He remained on Miller's staff into 1898 when Miller assumed command of the Pacific Station. During the Spanish-American War and its immediate aftermath, Rodgers served aboard monitor Monterey and gunboat Wheeling.[6][7]

Rodgers was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant Commander on 22 November, 1900. From late 1902 to mid 1905 he served as Executive Officer of battleship Maine and was then promoted to the rank of Commander on 1 July, 1905.[8][9] He was appointed to his first command, gunboat Dubuque, in December, 1906, remaining with the ship until July, 1908.[10]

Rodgers was promoted to the rank of Captain on 15 September, 1909. He was then appointed as commanding officer of battleship New Hampshire until late 1911.[11] After a brief time as Supervisor of New York Harbor, Rodgers was appointed Director of Naval Intelligence in early 1912. In December, 1913 he was announced as the first commanding officer of battleship New York and assumed command upon the ship's commissioning on 15 April, 1914.[12][13][14][15]

Rodgers was promoted to the rank of Rear Admiral on 13 June, 1916. He soon assumed command of Division 7 of the Atlantic Fleet.[16] During World War I, he led a battleship division to European waters to guard against a breakout of the High Seas Fleet.[17][18]

Following the war, Rodgers briefly served in Washington DC before being placed on the Retired List at his own request on 19 July, 1919.[19] He died in New York City on 28 February, 1931.[20]

See Also

Bibliography

Service Records

Naval Appointments
Preceded by
Augustus F. Fechteler
Captain of U.S.S. Dubuque
22 Dec, 1906[21] – 3 Jul, 1908[22][23]
Succeeded by
John E. Craven
Preceded by
Moses L. Wood
as Equipment Officer, Navy Yard, League Island
Equipment Officer, Navy Yard, Philadelphia
15 Jul, 1908[24]
Succeeded by
?
Preceded by
Cameron M. Winslow
Captain of U.S.S. New Hampshire
4 Nov, 1909[25] – 16 Nov, 1911[26][27][Inference]
Succeeded by
James H. Oliver
Preceded by
Templin M. Potts
as Chief Intelligence Officer
Director of the Office of Naval Intelligence
19 Jan, 1912[28] – Dec, 1913[29][Inference]
Succeeded by
Henry F. Bryan
Preceded by
New Command
Captain of U.S.S. New York
15 Apr, 1914[30] – 18 Oct, 1915[31][32][Inference]
Succeeded by
Hugh Rodman

Footnotes

  1. Register of Officers, 1882. pp. 40-41.
  2. Register of Officers, 1890. pp. 24-25.
  3. Register of Officers, 1894. pp. 22-23.
  4. List and Station, July 1897. p. 49.
  5. The Standard Union (Brooklyn, NY) 3 June, 1897 p. 1.
  6. Register of Officers, 1899. pp. 8, 20.
  7. List and Station, July 1899. p. 5.
  8. Register of Officers, 1903. pp. 18-19.
  9. Register of Officers, 1906. pp. 16-17.
  10. Register of Officers, 1907. p. 14.
  11. Register of Officers, 1911. pp. 10-11.
  12. Washington Post 11 January, 1912 p. 3.
  13. Register of Officers, 1914. p. 10.
  14. Brooklyn Daily Eagle 6 December, 1913 p. 18.
  15. Register of Officers, 1916. p. 10.
  16. Register of Officers, 1917. pp. 8-9.
  17. Navy Directory 1 March, 1918 p. 142.
  18. Register of Officers, 1919. pp. 10-11.
  19. Register of Officers, 1920. pp. 276-277, 462.
  20. Register of Officers, 1928. p. 467.
  21. Register of Officers, 1907. p. 14.
  22. Register of Officers, 1909. p. 12.
  23. Register of Officers, 1908. p. 14.
  24. Register of Officers, 1909. p. 12.
  25. Register of Officers, 1911. p. 10.
  26. Register of Officers, 1911. p. 10.
  27. Register of Officers, 1912. p. 10.
  28. Register of Officers, 1913. p. 10.
  29. Register of Officers, 1913. p. 10.
  30. Register of Officers, 1915. p. 10.
  31. Register of Officers, 1915. p. 10.
  32. Register of Officers, 1916. p. 10.