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Contact Info
Home Town Born in Oconto, raised in Green Bay, Wisconsin
Last Address District Of Columbia
Date of Passing Apr 03, 1971
Location of Interment Arlington National Cemetery (VLM) - Arlington, Virginia
Rear Admiral Kenneth Mortimer Hoeffel, USN (Ret.) Naval Aide, Liasion to the White House for Presidents Coolidge and Hoover
Navy Cross 1941, Army Distinguished Service Medal 1942
Prisoner of Japan (POW) 1942-1945
The Philippine Sea Frontier (PHILSEAFRON) was a United States Navy Sea Frontier active in 1941, and reformed in 1944.
(Naval Coastal Frontier until 6 February 1942) Inactive from 6 May 1942 to 13 November 1944)
Rear Admiral Francis W. Rockwell: 7 December 1941--18 March 1942.
Captain Kenneth M. Hoeffel: 18 March 1942--6 May 1942. Captured by the Japanese at Corrigador. Held as a POW from 1942 to 1945.
Other Comments:
UNITED STATES NAVY FLEET Headquarters of the Commander in Chief
Navy Department, Washington, D.C.
May 6, 1942
COMMUNIQUE No. 76
The Navy Department today issued the following communique, based on reports received up to 3 p. m.
X Far East X 1 X Several messages from the Navy personnel at Corregidor were received in the Navy Department this morning X Just before the fall of this small island fortress which these men have helped to defend so gallantly, the commander of the naval forces at Corregidor, Capt. Kenneth M. Hoeffel, U. S. N., joined his officers and men in sending a last message of loyalty, devotion, and good cheer to their country, their families and their friends X 2 X Captain Hoeffel reported that the mine sweeper Tanager, and the river gunboat Oahu had been sunk by enemy gunfire from Bataan and that the mine sweeper Pigeon had been sunk by bombers X The river gunboat, Luzon, and the mine sweeper, Quail, were severely damaged by gunfire and were sunk by U. S. forces when capture appeared imminent X All local small craft in the vicinity were demolished by our forces X 3 X When Corregidor fell, there were approximately 175 officers and 2,100 men of the Navy, and 70 officers and 1,500 men of the Marine Corps in the defending forces X Col. Samuel L. Howard is the senior officer of the Marine Corps personnel on the island X It is assumed that all of these officers and men have been captured and will be held as prisoners of war X 4 X So far as is known no casualties resulted from any of the above sinkings X 5 X There is nothing to report from other areas XX MESSAGE REPEATS XX
Mr. Hoeffel was medically retired, due to a physical disability, after thirty years of active duty in 1947 with the rank of Rear Admiral, and with a full retirement in 1953. In 1949 the Admiral applied for service with the CIA in Washington.
