George Bamford Ashe

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Rear Admiral (retired) George Bamford Ashe (19 January, 1891 – 11 April, 1971) served in the United States Navy.

Life & Career

Ashe was born in North Carolina and was appointed to the Naval Academy from the same state, graduating with the Class of 1911. He was promoted to the rank of Ensign on 7 March, 1912 and to the rank of Lieutenant (Junior Grade) on 7 March, 1915.[1][2]

During World War I, Ashe served in destroyers, first in Burrows, then as Executive Officer of Palmer, and finally, in 1919, as the first Commanding Officer of McCalla.[3][4] During this time, he was promoted to the temporary rank of Lieutenant on 1 July, 1917, to the permanent rank of Lieutenant on 7 March, 1918, and to the temporary rank of Lieutenant Commander on 1 July, 1918.[5][6]

Ashe continued his destroyer service throughout the 1920's. From 1921 to 1922 he commanded Hunt. Shortly after this he was appointed to command Reuben James for about three months, and from 1926 to 1929 he commanded William B. Preston in Asiatic waters. He was promoted to the permanent rank of Lieutenant Commander on 31 December, 1921.[7][8]

Ashe was promoted to the rank of Commander on 4 June, 1931.[9] In the 1930's, he served in Washington, DC and as an NROTC instructor at Georgia Tech, while also commanding a destroyer division.[10][11]

Ashe was promoted to the rank of Captain on 23 September, 1939.[12] From 1940 to 1941 he commanded transport Barnett.[13][14] Following the US entry into World War II, he commanded a series of Transport Divisions, being decorated for his service in the Solomon Islands in 1942 and 1943.[15] His final service came as Chief of Staff in the Sixth Naval District from 1944 to 1946.[16]

He was placed on the Retired List on 1 January, 1947, being promoted to Rear Admiral on the basis of his combat award.[17] In retirement he lived in Virginia, and died in Bethesda, Maryland, in 1971.[18]


See Also

Bibliography

Service Records

Naval Appointments
Preceded by
New Command
Captain of U.S.S. McCalla
19 May, 1919 – Sep, 1919
Succeeded by
Theodore G. Ellyson
Preceded by
Roswell H. Blair
Captain of U.S.S. Hunt
12 Sep, 1921[19] – 11 Aug, 1922
Succeeded by
Thomas Taylor
as Captain of H.M.S. Broadway
Preceded by
Rufus F. Zogbaum, Jr.
Captain of U.S.S. Reuben James
Oct, 1922[20] – Jan, 1923[21]
Succeeded by
James C. Byrnes, Jr.
Preceded by
Charles S. Keller
Captain of U.S.S. William B. Preston
16 Jun, 1926[22] – Feb, 1929
Succeeded by
?

Footnotes

  1. Register of Officers, 1913. pp. 68-69.
  2. Register of Officers, 1916. pp. 52-53.
  3. Register of Officers, 1917. p. 52.
  4. Register of Officers, 1919. pp. 50-51.
  5. Register of Officers, 1918. p. 50.
  6. Register of Officers, 1919. p. 50.
  7. Register of Officers, 1922. p. 38-39.
  8. Navy Directory
  9. Register of Officers, 1928. p. 38.
  10. Navy Directory 1 April, 1929 p. 3.
  11. Navy Directory 1 January, 1938 p. 3.
  12. Register of Officers, 1940. p. 30.
  13. Los Angeles Times 24 November 1940 p. 14.
  14. Navy Directory 1 April, 1941 pp. 7, 280.
  15. Hall of Valor
  16. News-Pilot (San Pedro, CA) 24 June, 1946 p. 3.
  17. Register of Officers, 1947. p. 433.
  18. News and Observer (Raleigh, NC) 13 April, 1971 p. 7.
  19. Register of Officers, 1922. pp. 38-39.
  20. Evening Star (Washington, DC) 5 October, 1922 p. 42.
  21. Evening Star (Washington, DC) 4 January, 1923 p. 12.
  22. Register of Officers, 1927. p. 40.