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Contact Info
Home Town Maunabo, Puerto Rico
Last Address Brevard County, FL
Date of Passing Sep 14, 1969
Location of Interment U.S. Naval Academy Cemetery and Columbarium (VLM) - Annapolis, Maryland
Rear Admiral Frederick Lois Riefkohl (February 27, 1889-September 1969), a native of Maunabo, Puerto Rico, was an officer in the United States Navy and the first Puerto Rican to graduate from the United States Naval Academy and to be awarded the Navy Cross. The Navy Cross is the second highest medal, after the Medal of Honor, that can be awarded by the U.S. Navy for heroism or distinguished service. He was a World War I Navy Cross recipient who served as Captain of the USS Vincennes during World War II.
Frederick Louis Riefkohl was born in Maunabo, Puerto Rico and his full name was Luis Federico Riefkohl Jaimison (when he changed it is unknown but was before entering the Naval Academy), on 27 February 1889, son of Luis Riefkohl y Sandoz and Julia Jamieson Riefkohl. He attended schools in Arroyo, Puerto Rico; Christainsted, St. Croix, Virgin Islands; and Concord, Massachusetts; and had a year at Phillips-Andover Academy before entering the US Naval Academy, Annapolis, Maryland, on appointment from Puerto Rico, on 5 July 1907, the first Midshipman appointed from Puerto Rico. As a Midshipman he was a member of the Track Team and played Class football. He graduated on 2 June 1911, and as Passed Midshipman served at sea for a year , as required by law (changed in 1912), prior to becoming commissioned on 2 March 1912. Through subsequent promotions he attained the rank of Captain, to date from 4 June 1939. He was transferred to the Retired List of the Navy on 1 January 1947, and advanced to the rank of Rear Admiral on the basis of combat citations.
Other Comments:
Navy Cross
Awarded for Actions During World War I
Service: Navy
Division: U.S.S. Philadelphia
Citation: The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Navy Cross to Lieutenant Frederick Louis Riefkohl, United States Navy, for distinguished service in the line of his profession as Commander of the Armed Guard of the U.S.S. PHILADELPHIA, and in an engagement with an enemy submarine. On 2 August 1917, a periscope was sighted, and then a torpedo passed under the stern of the ship. A shot was fired, which struck close to the submarine, which then disappeared.
The New Orleans-class cruisers were the last U.S. cruisers built to the specifications and standards of the Washington Naval Treaty of 1922. Such ships, with a limit of 10,000 tons standard displacement and 8-inch caliber main guns may be referred to as "treaty cruisers." Originally classified a light cruiser when she was authorized, because of her thin armor, she was reclassified a heavy cruiser, because of her 8-inch guns. The term "heavy cruiser" was not defined until the London Naval Treaty in 1930. This ship and Quincy were a slightly improved version of the New Orleans-class design.
Doolittle Raid
The USS Vincennes waspart of TF 18, built around Hornet, departed San Francisco on 2 April. The carrier bore a strange deck cargo, 16 Army B-25 Mitchellmedium bombersslated to strike at Japan's heart. This when the US desparately needed a moral boost. She also was involved in the Midway battle
Battle of Midway
Vincennes' task force returned to Pearl Harbor on 26 May but got underway again on the 29th, bound for waters off Midway Island, which, according to American intelligence reports, a Japanese invasion force was approaching. By 4 June, the heavy cruiser had joined TF16 and was steaming north of Midway.[4]
After American air attacks had crippled three of the four Japanese carriers the Vincennes, together with the cruiser Pensacola and destroyers Benham and Balch was sent over to TF17 to reinforce the carrier Yorktown after it had suffered damage in a dive bombing attack.
Guadalcanal Campaign
Vincennes bombarding Guadalcanal on the morning of 7 August 1942.
Screening for transport squadron "X-ray", slated to participate in the Guadalcanal landings, Vincennes, in company with San Juan andQuincy, joined TF 62 on 26 July. On the 27th, the cruiser conducted approach exercises for landing practice and simulated bombardment drills off Koro Island in the Fiji group. As flagship for Task Group 62.3 (TG 62.3).
On Shortly after 1320, Japanese planes launched a counterstrike. To sunward of the transports, Vincennes found herself in a favorable position to combat the attack and tracked the opposing planes, being among the first ships to open fire on the attackers. Forced to jettison their deadly loads prematurely, the Japanese retired without doing any damage, but not before Vincennes had bagged two of them. After sunset, Vincennes, Quincy, and Astoria, in company with Helm and Jarvis, retired to conduct screening patrols.
Loss at the Battle of Savo Island
At about midnight on 8 August, Riefkohl retired to his sea cabin, adjacent to the pilothouse, after having been on the bridge continuously since 0445 that morning. Turning in at 0050 on 9 August, he left his ship in the hands of the executive officer, CommanderW. E. A. Mullan.
Nearly an hour later, at about 0145, lookouts spotted flares and star shells to the southward, accompanied by the low rumble of gunfire. The sound of the general quarters alarm soon rang throughout the ship and stirred her to action. Vincennes' lookouts were seeing the elimination of the southern escort group, based aroun the HMAS Canberra and Chicago. Unbeknownst to the men manning the ships to the northward, a powerful enemy force was heading in their direction. Six cruisers and one destroyer under the command of Vice AdmiralGunichi Mikawa had turned north and were steaming directly towards Vincennes and her two sisters.
The first Japanese cruiser searchlight beams illuminated Vincennes�??'�??s shortly after 0155, and the American cruiser opened fire with her main battery at the troublesome lights. Within a minute, however, Japanese shells bracketed the ship and Vincennes shuddered under the impact of Japanese eight-inch armor-piercing shells. The bridge, carpenter shop, "battle II," and radio antenna trunks all were hit by the first salvo.[4]
Altering course to port, Riefkohl, who had come to the bridge at the alarm, rang down for increased speed. With the ship and internal communications disrupted, it is doubtful that the order was received. Still moving at 19.5 kn (22.4 mph; 36.1 km/h), the heavy cruiser reeled under the impact of another group of direct hits
Some of the shells in this group set fire to the volatile aircraft in Vincennes' hangar space, and the resultant flames became uncontrollable. A direct hit knocked the aft antiaircraft director overboard. At 0200, Vincennes heeled to starboard in an attempt to evade enemy gunfire, only to be hit by Japanese torpedoes. One or two "Long Lance" torpedoes ripped into the ship's number 4 fireroom and put it out of action In moments the report came "Both engine rooms are black and dead."
Having lost power and all steering control five minutes later, Vincennes was dead in the water within minutes. The glare of burning fires attracted additional incoming shells which quickly put the ship's own guns out of action. Vincennes shuddered to a halt. Hit at least 85 times by 8 in (200 mm) and 5 in (130 mm) shells, the ship gradually began to list.
At 0210, the Japanese retired, leaving Savo Island and the burning hulks of three American cruisers in their wakes. As Vincennes�??'�?? list increased to port, Riefkohl issued the order to abandon ship at 0230. Serviceable life jackets and rafts were broken out, and the crew began abandoning ship. At 0240, the captain went down to the main deck and jumped into the tepid waters of what would come to be known as Ironbottom Sound. 332 crewmen did not survive and are officially recorded as killed in action in the loss of theVincennes.
Displacement 9,950 Tons, Dimensions, 588' 0" (oa) x 61' 9" x 22' 6" (Max)
Armament 9 x 8"/55, 8 x 5"/25, 8 x 0.5" 4 Aircraft. Armor, 5" Belt, 8" Turrets, 2 1/4" Deck, 5" Conning Tower. Machinery, 107,000 SHP; Geared Turbines, 4 screws Speed, 32.0 Knots, Crew 800. Operational and Building Data Keel laid on 02 JAN 1934 by the Bethlehem Shipbuilding Company's Fore River plant, Quincy, MA Launched 21 MAY 1936 Commissioned 24 FEB 1937 Fate: Sunk by Japanese gunfire 09 AUG 1942 during the Battle of Savo Island.
