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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.
Guadalcanal Campaign (1942-43)/Battle of Savo Island
From Month/Year
August / 1942
To Month/Year
August / 1942
Description On 7 Aug 1942, the United States committed to its first land based counterattack. The Marines landed at both Tulagi and Guadalcanal, on both sides of Savo Sound. The installation at Guadalcanal was mostly construction workers and was an easy landing. The more established base at Tulagi involved heavy fighting, but was captured in two days. The Japanese responded immediately with air attacks from their bomber bases in New Britain (Rabaul) from the north and fighter strips in the northern Solomons (Bougainville). US carrier planes operating near the invasion fleet in Savo Sound defended. Thirty-three enemy were shot down for a loss of 12 US planes, one destroyer crippled, and a transport, George F. Elliot (AP-13), set afire and lost. The IJN also sent the Eighth Fleet from Rabaul to attack the US beachhead. This fleet (VAdm Mikawa) consisted of five heavy cruisers, two light cruisers and a destroyer.
The western approaches to Savo Sound were guarded by a screening force of six heavy cruisers and six destroyers (the battle fleet had been destroyed at Pearl Harbor) in two groups covering both passages. Radar pickets were the destroyers Blue (DD-387) and Ralph Talbot (DD-390) deployed west of Savo Island. The south passage was defended by HMAS Australia (flagship of RAdm Crutchley, RN), HMAS Canberra, USS Chicago (CA-29), Bagley (DD-386) and Patterson (DD-392). The northern group was made up of Vincennes (CA-44), Quincy (CA-39), Astoria (CA-34) and destroyers Helm (DD-391) and Wilson (DD-408). The eastern approaches also had a screening force, made up of light cruisers San Juan (CL-54 flag), HMAS Hobart, and destroyers Monssen (DD-436) and Buchanan (DD-484).
The IJN 8th fleet of fast cruisers arrived the second night and meet the US screening force for the Battle of Savo Island. At the same time, the three US carriers and their escorts, including North Carolina (BB-55), six cruisers, and 16 destroyers, were withdrawing to get out of sight of land-based bombers from Rabaul.
The enemy force of fast cruisers sent out scout floatplanes that reported the American forces. Both radar picket ships (radar range about 10 miles) were at the extreme ends of their patrols sailing away from the Japanese fleet which passed undetected about 500 yards from Blue. The enemy was lost in the visual and radar shadow of nearby Savo Island. Allied ships were faintly silhouetted by a freighter burning far over the horizon. The enemy discovered the southern force and fired torpedoes before they were detected. Simultaneously with the explosions, the scout plane dropped flares illuminating the allied fleet. Canberra was stuck by two torpedoes and heavy shelling. The US ships fired star shells and opened fire. Chicago of the southern force was torpedoed. The Jap force turned north in two columns. The northern defense force had not gotten the word, there was a rain squall in the area, and they assumed the southern force was shooting at aircraft. The two Jap columns passed on each side of the US force and opened fire on Astoria, Quincy, and Vincennes. The American captains ordered "cease fire" assuming they were Americans firing on their own ships. Vincennes caught a torpedo. Robert Talbot came charging south and was attacked first by friendly fire and then raked by the enemy escaping to the north. Quincy and Vincennes went down. During rescue operations for Canberra, Patterson was fired on by Chicago. Canberra was sunk the next morning to prevent capture as the US fleet left the waters that was hereafter called Iron Bottom Sound. Astoria sank about noon while under tow. Chicago had to undergo repair until Jan'43.
In just 32 minutes the enemy had inflicted massive damage. Four heavy cruisers were sunk and a heavy cruiser and destroyer badly damaged. 1,270 men were killed and 708 injured. The enemy had comparative scratches on three cruisers.