William Wirt Kimball
Rear Admiral William Wirt Kimball (9 January, 1848 – 26 January, 1930) served in the United States Navy.
Life & Career
Acknowledged as an expert in torpedo boats, and as one of the earliest advocates for the use of Submarines by the United States Navy, Kimball was born in Maine. He was appointed to the Naval Academy as the son of an officer (his father rose to the rank of Brevet Brigadier General of Volunteers in the American Civil War) and graduated with the Class of 1869.[1][2]
Kimball was promoted to the rank of Ensign on 12 July, 1870,[3] to the rank of Lieutenant on 18 December, 1874,[4], and to the rank of Lieutenant Commander on 6 December, 1896.[5]
In 1897 he was appointed to command the Atlantic Torpedo Flotilla, the Navy's first such unit, and remained in command during the Spanish-American War, seeing action multiple times in Cuban waters.[6]
Kimball was promoted to the rank of Commander on 8 December, 1899.[7] He was appointed to command gunboat Concord in late 1901,[8] and by 1903 was commanding officer of gunboat Alert, then in service as a training ship.[9][10]
Kimball was promoted to the rank of Captain on 12 January, 1905 and was appointed the first commanding officer of battleship New Jersey in 1906.[11]
He was promoted to the rank of Rear Admiral on 17 December, 1908. Kimball had only one opportunity to fly his flag at sea, being appointed to command a squadron of ships sent to Nicaragua in December 1909 as tensions rose in that nation. Though he was placed on the Retired List for age the following month, he remained in command for several more months until the situation in Nicaragua eased.[12][13]
Kimball was recalled to active duty in World War I, serving in the Office of Naval Intelligence.[14] Returning to inactive duty, he died in Washington, DC just after his 82nd Birthday.[15]
See Also
Bibliography
Service Records
| Naval Appointments | ||
| Preceded by ? |
In Command, Atlantic Torpedo Flotilla 21 Sep, 1897[16] – Dec, 1898[17] |
Succeeded by ? |
| Preceded by Seth M. Ackley |
Captain of U.S.S. Concord 21 Dec, 1901[18] |
Succeeded by Charles P. Perkins |
| Preceded by Gottfried Blocklinger |
Captain of U.S.S. Alert before 1 Jan, 1903[19] – 10 Dec, 1903[20] |
Succeeded by Charles E. Smith |
| Preceded by New Command |
Captain of U.S.S. New Jersey 12 May, 1906[21] – 4 Nov, 1907[Inference] |
Succeeded by William H. H. Southerland |
Footnotes
- ↑ Hamersly. Living Officers 1898. p. 144.
- ↑ Register of Officers, 1912. pp. 142-143.
- ↑ Register of Officers, 1871. pp.38039.
- ↑ Register of Officers, 1878. pp. 34-35.
- ↑ Register of Officers, 1898. pp. 12-13.
- ↑ Register of Officers, 1899. p. 12.
- ↑ Register of Officers, 1901. pp. 14-15.
- ↑ Register of Officers, 1902. p. 14.
- ↑ Register of Officers, 1903. p. 12.
- ↑ Register of Officers, 1904. p. 12.
- ↑ Register of Officers, 1907. pp. 8-9.
- ↑ Register of Officers, 1912. pp. 142-143.
- ↑ Chicago Tribune"" 27 January, 1930 p. 32.
- ↑ Navy Directory 1 April, 1919 p. 208.
- ↑ Register of Officers, 1931. p. 444.
- ↑ Register of Officers, 1898. p. 12.
- ↑ Register of Officers, 1899. p. 12.
- ↑ Register of Officers, 1902. p. 12.
- ↑ Register of Officers, 1903. p. 12.
- ↑ Register of Officers, 1904. p. 12.
- ↑ Register of Officers, 1907. p. 8.
