William Christian Asserson
Captain William Christian Asserson, (21 August, 1875 – 8 July, 1939) served in the United States Navy. He was the son of Rear Admiral Peter Christian Asserson.
Life & Career
Asserson was born in Virginia, where his father, who had commanded gunboats during the Civil War as an Acting Ensign, served as a commissioned Civil Engineer with the Navy. Asserson was appointed to the Naval Academy from New York, following his father's transfer to the New York Navy Yard, and graduated with the Class of 1897.[1]
After seeing action aboard battleship Iowa at the Battle of Santiago de Cuba in 1898, Asserson had a normal rotation of sea and shore duty early in his career and received the usual early promotions. He was commissioned Ensign on 1 July, 1899, and was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant (Junior Grade) on 1 July, 1902, to the rank of Lieutenant on 1 January, 1904, and to the rank of Lieutenant Commander on 9 January, 1910.[2][3][4][5]
Asserson served as Executive Officer of light cruiser Birmingham in 1911 and in the same role on armoured cruiser Montana in 1916. He was promoted to the rank of Commander on 29 August, 1916,and in early 1917 was appointed to command gunboat Castine, retaining this command until mid-1918 and being awarded the Navy Cross for his wartime service.[6][7][8]
Asserson was promoted to the temporary rank of Captain on 1 July, 1918. By the end of the war, he was Chief of Staff of the Navy's Gibraltar-based patrol craft.[9]
Asserson was promoted to the permanent rank of Captain on 3 June, 1921. In 1922, he commanded protected cruiser Olympia,[10][11] and in 1923 he was appointed the first commanding officer of light cruiser Milwaukee.[12]
He commanded battleship Idaho from 1927 to 1929 but, having been passed over for further promotion, finished his career ashore before being placed on the Retired List on 30 June, 1932.[13][14][15]
Asserson died in Augusta, GA in 1939.[16] His son of the same name enjoyed a long career in Naval Aviation and also retired as a Captain.
See Also
Bibliography
| Naval Appointments | ||
| Preceded by Fred F. Rogers |
Captain of U.S.S. Castine Feb, 1917 – after 1 Mar, 1918[17] |
Succeeded by Randolph Ridgely, Jr. |
| Preceded by Henry L. Wyman |
Captain of U.S.S. Olympia Jan, 1922[18] – Dec, 1922[19] |
Succeeded by ? |
| Preceded by New Command |
Captain of U.S.S. Milwaukee 20 Jun, 1923[20] – 6 Jun, 1924[21][22][Inference] |
Succeeded by Frank L. Pinney |
| Preceded by Walter S. Crosley |
Captain of U.S.S. Idaho 23 May, 1927[23] – Jun, 1929[24] |
Succeeded by Henry L. Wyman |
Footnotes
- ↑ Wikipedia
- ↑ Register of Officers, 1900. pp. 38-39.
- ↑ Register of Officers, 1903. pp. 34-35.
- ↑ Register of Officers, 1905. pp. 34-35.
- ↑ Register of Officers, 1911. pp. 24-25.
- ↑ Register of Officers, 1911. p. 231.
- ↑ Register of Officers, 1917. pp. 18-19.
- ↑ Navy Directory 1 March 1918 p. 7.
- ↑ Register of Officers, 1919. pp. 18-19.
- ↑ Register of Officers, 1922. pp. 14-15.
- ↑ Evening Star (Washington, DC) 10 December, 1922 p. 19.
- ↑ Register of Officers, 1924. pp. 16-17.
- ↑ Register of Officers, 1928. p. 12.
- ↑ Register of Officers, 1930. pp. 12-13.
- ↑ Register of Officers, 1933. pp. 392, 481.
- ↑ Atlanta Constitution 9 July, 1939 p. 15.
- ↑ Navy Directory 1 March, 1918 p. 7.
- ↑ Register of Officers, 1922. pp. 14-15.
- ↑ Evening Star (Washington, DC) 10 December, 1922 p. 19.
- ↑ Register of Officers, 1924. pp. 14-15.
- ↑ Register of Officers, 1924. pp. 14-15.
- ↑ Register of Officers, 1925. pp. 14-15.
- ↑ Register of Officers, 1928. pp. 12-13.
- ↑ Register of Officers, 1930. pp. 12-13.
