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Contact Info
Home Town Washington, D.C.
Last Address BURIED AT: SECTION E SITE LOT-1152 ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY
Date of Passing Mar 24, 1931
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Charles Peshall Plunkett
Rear Admiral, United States Navy
Army and Navy Distinguished Service Medals
Spanish-American War and First World War Battle Streamers
Charles Peshall Plunkett, born in Washington, D.C., 15 February 1864, was appointed to the United States Naval Academy in 1879. He graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy at Annapolis, Class of 1884.
Admiral Plunkett was a veteran of the Spanish-American War where he served in Admiral Dewey's Squadron at the Battle of Manila Bay. He also commanded both USS North Dakota and USS South Dakota and had served as Director, Target Practice and Engineering Competitions for the Navy Department before the United States entered World War I.
In July, 1918, he assumed command of the 5 Naval Railway Batteries in France. under his direction those mobile units of 14" battleship guns supported French and American armies from 6 September until the Armistice. Awarded the Distinguished Service Medal for his service during the war, he later commanded Destroyers, U.S. Atlantic Fleet, and served as Chief of Staff, Naval War College; President, Board of Inspection and Survey; and as Commandant, New York Navy Yard and the 3d Naval District.
Retiring in 1928, Rear Admiral Plunkett died in Washington, D.C., 24 March 1931.
The Admiral's father and mother, William Henry Plunkett, Major, United States Army, Letitia G. Plunkett, are also buried in Arlington National Cemetery, as are his son, Charles Tuck Plunkett (1899-1970) and his wife, Martha Macleod Plunkett (1890-1961)
ADMIRAL PLUNKETT BURIED
Military Honors Are Paid Him In Arlington Cemetery
WASHNGTON, March 26, 1931 - The Navy said farewell today to Rear ADmiral charles Perhall Plunkett, retired, who died Tuesday night in the Washington Naval Hospital.
With full military honors he was borne by his former companions to Arlington Cemetery and buried beside his wife. He grave is just below the old Robert E. Lee home, overlooking the Potomac River.
After brief ceremonies at the Fort Myer Chapel, conducted by the Rev. Sidney Key Evans, Chief of Naval Chaplains, the flag-draped coffin, escorted by squads of Marines, was placed on a gun caisson by six bluejackets and taken to Arlington. There were three volleys of rifle fire by the Marines and Taps by a Naval Bugler at the grave.
.oOo.
Charles P. Plunkett graduated from the United States Naval Academy in 1884. By June 1, 1904 he was a Lieutenant Commander. On April 7, 1919 he was permanently promoted to Rear Admiral.
During World War I he served in various capacities from commanding Naval batteries with the French and American armies to commanding the United States Fleet destroyer force. After the War he commanded the Atlantic Fleet destroyer squadrons. He was appointed Chief of Staff, Naval War College in December 1920. He became President of the Board of Inspection and Survey in August 1921. He commanded the 3rd Naval District and the New York Navy Yard from 1922 to 1928.
He was awarded the United States Navy Distinguished Service Medal and the United States Army Distinguished Service Medal. He was a Commander of the French Legion of Honor and was awarded the Portuguese Decoration, Tower and Sword.
Other Comments:
Army Distinguished Service Medal Awarded for actions during World War I
The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting the Army Distinguished Service Medal to Rear Admiral Charles Peshall Plunkett, United States Navy, for exceptionally meritorious and distinguished services to the Government of the United States, in a duty of great responsibility during World War I, as Director of Gunnery Exercises. Rear Admiral Plunkett supervised the production, transportation to Europe, and the placing in action on the Western Front of the United States Naval Gun Battalion of five 14-inch guns on railway mounts, the most powerful artillery weapons brought into action against Germany and her allies during the war. In this stupendous undertaking, the successful accomplishment of which had an important bearing on the outcome of the war, Rear Admiral Plunkett displayed technical knowledge of a high order, combined with practical knowledge of the needs of the service and the difficulties to be encountered. He worked with unceasing zeal and devotion, rendering a service of rare distinction to the American Expeditionary Force during World War I.
General Orders: War Department, General Orders No. 59 (1919) Action Date: World War I Service: Navy Rank: Rear Admiral Company: Director Division: Gunnery Exercises
Navy Distinguished Service Medal Awarded for actions during World War I
The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Navy Distinguished Service Medal to Rear Admiral Charles Peshall Plunkett, United States Navy, for exceptionally meritorious service in a duty of great responsibility as Director of Gunnery Exercises in connection with the training of Naval Personnel in gunnery in preparation for war, and also in connection with the development, organization and operation of a naval field battery for duty in land operations on the European battle front during World War I.
General Orders: Authority: Navy Book of Distinguished Service (Stringer) Action Date: World War I Service: Navy Rank: Rear Admiral Company: Director Division: Gunnery Exercises
Note:During WWI, the Distinguished Service Medal was the highest Navy Award, out ranking the Navy Cross.
Spanish-American War
From Month/Year
April / 1898
To Month/Year
August / 1898
Description The Spanish–American War (Spanish: Guerra hispano-estadounidense or Guerra hispano-americana; Filipino: Digmaang Espanyol-Amerikano) was a conflict fought between Spain and the United States in 1898. Hostilities began in the aftermath of the internal explosion of the USS Maine in Havana harbor in Cuba leading to United States intervention in the Cuban War of Independence. American acquisition of Spain's Pacific possessions led to its involvement in the Philippine Revolution and ultimately in the Philippine–American War.
Revolts had been occurring for some years in Cuba against Spanish rule. The U.S. later backed these revolts upon entering the Spanish–American War. There had been war scares before, as in the Virginius Affair in 1873. In the late 1890s, US public opinion was agitated by anti-Spanish propaganda led by newspaper publishers such as Joseph Pulitzer and William Randolph Hearst which used yellow journalism to call for war. The business community across the United States had just recovered from a deep depression, and feared that a war would reverse the gains. They lobbied vigorously against going to war.
The US Navy battleship Maine was mysteriously sunk in Havana harbor; political pressures from the Democratic Party pushed the administration of Republican President William McKinley into a war that he had wished to avoid.[9] Spain promised time and time again that it would reform, but never delivered. The United States sent an ultimatum to Spain demanding that it surrender control of Cuba. First Madrid declared war, and Washington then followed suit.
The main issue was Cuban independence; the ten-week war was fought in both the Caribbean and the Pacific. US naval power proved decisive, allowing expeditionary forces to disembark in Cuba against a Spanish garrison already facing nationwide Cuban insurgent attacks and further wasted by yellow fever. Numerically superior Cuban, Philippine, and US forces obtained the surrender of Santiago de Cuba and Manila despite the good performance of some Spanish infantry units and fierce fighting for positions such as San Juan Hill. Madrid sued for peace with two obsolete Spanish squadrons sunk in Santiago de Cuba and Manila Bay and a third, more modern fleet recalled home to protect the Spanish coasts.
The result was the 1898 Treaty of Paris, negotiated on terms favorable to the US which allowed it temporary control of Cuba and ceded ownership of Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Philippine islands. The cession of the Philippines involved payment of $20 million ($575,760,000 today) to Spain by the US to cover infrastructure owned by Spain.
The defeat and collapse of the Spanish Empire was a profound shock to Spain's national psyche, and provoked a thorough philosophical and artistic revaluation of Spanish society known as the Generation of '98.[ The United States gained several island possessions spanning the globe and a rancorous new debate over the wisdom of expansionism. It was one of only five US wars (against a total of eleven sovereign states) to have been formally declared by Congress.
My Participation in This Battle or Operation
From Month/Year
April / 1898
To Month/Year
August / 1898
Last Updated: Mar 16, 2020
Personal Memories
Memories Admiral Plunkett was a veteran of the Spanish-American War, he also commanded both USS North Dakota and USS South Dakota and had served as Director, Target Practice and Engineering Competitions for the Navy Department before the United States entered World War I.
