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Contact Info
Home Town Norwich, VT
Last Address Washington D.C.
Date of Passing Mar 29, 1909
Location of Interment Arlington National Cemetery (VLM) - Arlington, Virginia
George Albert Converse was noted for his contributions to naval engineering. He saw service in the Spanish-American War.
He was a pioneer in the use of electricity on board men-of-war, in experimentation with and introduction of smokeless powder in the Navy, and in the development of torpedo boats.
USS Converse (DD-291), a Clemson-class destroyer commissioned in 1920 and decommissioned in 1930.
USS Converse (DD-509), a Fletcher-class destroyer commissioned in 1942 and decommissioned in 1946; later transferred to Spain as Almirante Valdés (D23); scrapped in 1988.
Born 13 May 1844 in Norwich, Vermont, where he also attended Norwich University and was a member of Theta Chi Fraternity. Converse was appointed Midshipman on 29 November 1861.
In command of Montgomery (C-9) from 1897 to 1899, he took an active part in operations off the coast of Cuba with Admiral William T. Sampson's squadron during the Spanish-American War. Commanding officer of USS Illinois (BB-7) from her commissioning in 1901 to 1903. From 1903 to 1906, he served successively as Chief of the Bureaus of Equipment, Ordnance, Construction and Navigation, continuing as Chief of the latter Bureau for a year after his retirement in 1906. He died in Washington, D.C., on 29 March 1909.
Other Memories In 1865-1869 Converse was posted to the European squadron and served on two steam sloops, the Canandaigua and Frolic, before serving a brief period with the Bureau of Navigation in 1869. He was then posted to torpedo duty until 1872, when he was assigned to the staff of Rear Admiral Thorton A. Jenkins, commander of the Asiatic Fleet. From 1875 to 1878, Converse instructed at the Naval Torpedo Station, Newport, R.I., and until 1879 was an executive officer of the USS Marion. In 1883-1884 he served aboard the USS Lancaster under Rear Adm. Charles H. Baldwin. Converse then transferred to the Naval Bureau of Ordnance, returning as an instructor to the Naval Torpedo Station in 1885.
