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John Dupee (Pilot), BMC
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Coontz, Robert Edward, ADM USN(Ret).
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Last Address Hannibal
Date of Passing Jan 26, 1935
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Robert Edward Coontz was an admiral in the United States Navy, who sailed with the Great White Fleet and served as the second Chief of Naval Operations.
From October 1925 until his retirement in June 1928, Coontz served as Commandant of the Fifth Naval District, reverting to the rank of Rear Admiral. He remained active after retirement until suffering a series of heart attacks in 1934, dying shortly after.
Other Comments:
USS Coontz (DLG-9, later DDG-40) and USS Admiral R. E. Coontz (AP-122) were named in his honor.
Born in Hannibal, Missouri, Coontz graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1885 and served in the Navy Department and on several ships over the next decade, among them vessels stationed in Alaskan waters and the Great Lakes.
He returned to the Navy Department late in 1894 to work on updating officer records, then was assigned to the cruiser Philadelphia, the Coast Survey and the cruiser Charleston. His time in the latter included Spanish-American War service in the Pacific. Following further duty afloat and ashore, Coontz, then a Lieutenant Commander, was Executive Officer of the battleship Nebraska during the 1907-1909 world cruise of the "Great White Fleet".
After promotion to Commander in 1909, Coontz was Commandant of Midshipmen at the U.S. Naval Academy. From 1912-14, he was Governor of Guam. Captain Coontz then served as Commanding Officer of the battleship Georgia, followed by duty as Commandant of the Puget Sound Navy Yard and the 13th Naval District. He held those positions until late in 1918.
Following a brief period as acting Chief of Naval Operations, Rear Admiral Coontz assumed command of a battleship division in the Atlantic. Coontz had just been assigned to the Pacific Fleet in September 1919 when he was selected to become Chief of Naval Operations, succeeding Admiral William S. Benson.
Reportedly, his term as CNO was marked by unceasing pressure for economy, Congressional unhappiness over base closings, diplomatic efforts to achieve naval limitations, internal Navy Department conflicts over organization and the best ways to manage new technologies, plus the naval fallout of the Teapot Dome scandal.
While dealing with these problems, Admiral Coontz established a unified United States Fleet and strengthened the CNO's position within the Navy Department. Relieved as CNO in mid-1923 by Admiral Edward W. Eberle, Coontz was able to return to sea as Commander in Chief of the U.S. Fleet.
In 1925, he led the fleet on a trans-Pacific visit to New Zealand and Australia, the first massed deployment of American battleships since the "Great White Fleet" cruise nearly two decades earlier and a valuable demonstration of their strategic reach.
Virginia Class Battleship: Displacement 14,948 Tons, Dimensions, 441' 3" (oa) x 76' 3" x 26' (Max). Armament 4 x 12"/40 8 x 8"/40, 12 x 6"/50 12 x 3"/50, 4 21" tt. Armor, 11" Belt, 12" Turrets, 3" Decks, 9" Conning Tower. Machinery, 19,000 IHP; 2 vertical, inverted, triple expansion engines, 2 screws. Speed, 19 Knots, Crew 812.
The following analysis is by historian Chuck Haberlein, formerly of the Naval Historical Center:
According to "Register of Ships of the U.S. Navy, 1775-1990" (by Stephen S. Roberts & K. Jack Bauer), three of the BB-13 class had their names changed on 7 March 1901 (before any of them were laid down).Battleship # 13 was originally named New Jersey. Battleship # 14 was originally to be Pennsylvania, and Battleship # 16 was to be Virginia. After the renamings, Virginia and New Jersey had swapped places, Nebraska (originally intended for Armored Cruiser # 4) swapped ships with Pennsylvania. Again, according to that book: "The construction of the first two ships (ie BBs 13 & 14) was delayed because of Congressional limitations on the price that could be paid for armor plate and because of lengthy debates within the navy on the arrangement of the guns" (presumably the superposed 8"/12" turrets). (my comments are in parentheses). Same book's Armored Cruiser # 4 class entry states: "The refusal of manufacturers to sell armor within the price limits set by Congress delayed the ships' construction." Both classes (BB-13 & ACR-4) were originally authorized in Fiscal Year 1900, but the first of them were not laid down until 7 August 1901 (Pennsylvania, as Armored Cruiser # 4) and 31 August 1901 (Georgia, as Battleship # 15). It looks to me like there may have been some political log rolling involved in the renamings. PERHAPS (this is purely a guess) some Pennsylvania politicos wanted "their" name on a ship ASAP, so it was given to the first available keel. Then again, maybe builder location had something to do with it. Cramp built Armored Cruiser # 4, while none of the Virginia class battleships were built in Pennsylvania.
Operational and Building Data: Laid down by Bath Iron Works, Bath Maine, August 31 1901. Launched October 11 1904. Commissioned September 24 1906. Decommissioned July 15 1920. Stricken July 12 1922.
Fate: Sold November 1 1923 and broken up for scrap.