US Navy Admiral, Inventor. He began his career as a cadet on the sloop of war ship USS Constellation in 1877 and was commissioned a US Navy Ensign in 1881. Rising through the ranks, he was promoted Rear Admiral in 1915. During World War I, he was appointed the first commander of U.S. naval forces stationed at the U.S. Naval Base at Ponta Delgada, Azores. There he distinguished himself by sinking a German U-boat and providing help to the civil population when the great flu pandemic of 1918, killed 2,000 people on the island. As an inventor, he designed and patented the Dunn Anchor in 1889. This new anchor had many distinct advantages over old style maritime stock anchors used at that time. It had great holding power due to it's moveable shanks and could be applied in applications of 200 to 20,000 pounds. Accepted by the American Bureau of Shipping, the Dunn Anchor thus became the standard for ships world wide to date. He also held the patents for several other marine appliances. In 1921, he retired from active service with the rank of Upper-Rear Admiral.
