This Military Service Page was created/owned by
Michael D. Withers (Mike), OSCS
to remember
Sherman, Frederick Carl (NAVY CROSS 3X), ADM USN(Ret).
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Contact Info
Home Town Port Huron
Last Address San Diego
Date of Passing Jul 27, 1957
Official Badges
Unofficial Badges
Additional Information
Other Comments:
Tombstone admirals
The Act of Congress of March 4, 1925 allowed officers in the Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard to be promoted one grade upon retirement if they had been specially commended for performance of duty in actual combat. Combat citation promotions were colloquially known as "tombstone promotions" because they conferred the prestige of the higher rank but not the additional retirement pay, so their only practical benefit was to allow recipients to engrave a loftier title on their business cards and tombstones. The Act of Congress of February 23, 1942 enabled tombstone promotions to three- and four-star grades. Tombstone promotions were subsequently restricted to citations issued before January 1, 1947, and finally eliminated altogether effective November 1, 1959.
Any admiral who actually served in a grade while on active duty receives precedence on the retired list over any tombstone admiral holding the same retired grade. Tombstone admirals rank among each other according to the dates of their highest active duty grade. Admiral Sherman is ranked 10th of 40.
Maine Class Battleship: Displacement 12,500 Tons, Dimensions, 393' 10" (oa) x 72' 3" x 26' 8" (Max). Armament 4 x 12"/40 16 x 6"/50, 6 x 3"/50 2 x 18" tt. Armor, 11" Belt, 12" Turrets, 4" Decks, 10" Conning Tower. Machinery, 16,000 IHP; 2 vertical, Inverted, triple expansion engines, 2 screws. Speed, 18 Knots, Crew 561.
Operational and Building Data: Laid down by Union Iron Works, San Francisco, Calif., April 22 1899. Launched May 18 1901. Commissioned October 4 1904. Decommissioned December 20 1909, Commissioned June 1 1911, Decommissioned May 31 1922, Stricken August 14 1922.
Fate: Sold March 24 1923 and broken up for scrap.
