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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.
George Albert Converse
Date
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Last Updated: Sep 16, 2014
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George Albert Converse was born 13 May 1844 at Norwich, Vermont and was appointed midshipman 29 November 1861.
He was one of the first officers involved in the introduction of electricity aboard men-of-war and pioneered in experimentation with and introduction of smokeless powder in the Navy. In 1876, he was also instrumental in obtaining Lightning (Steam Launch No. 6), a spar torpedo boat designed by Nathaniel G. Herreshoff.
During the Spanish American War, Converse commanded cruiser Montgomery operating with Admiral William T. Sampson's squadron off Cuba.
Promoted Rear Admiral on 21 October 1903, he was appointed Chief of the Bureaus of Equipment, Ordnance, and Navigation in turn.
Rear Admiral Converse was considered one of the ablest officers in the Navy and was well known as an expert on ordnance, especially regarding to torpedoes. In 1904, when only the first sixteen "torpedo boat destroyers" were in commission, President Theodore Roosevelt ordered the Navy to convene a board under his leadership to "consider the types and qualities of torpedo vessels and their machinery." The board developed a functional description for future destroyers, which was first applied in the design of the Smith- and Paulding-class "flivvers" of fiscal years 1907-11.
Rear Admiral Converse died 29 March 1909 at Washington, DC.
