Personalities

Rear Admiral, Born 1901, Died 1964 Having previously studied at St. Johns College and Johns Hopkins University, Stephen G. Barchet entered the United States Naval Academy in the fall of 1919, graduating with the Class of 1924. Commissioned as an ensign upon his graduation, Barchet spent the next ten years in a variety of assignments. … Read more

Vice Admiral, born 1896, died 1967 Born in Flushing, NY in 1896, Charles “Swede” Momsen was graduated from the United States Naval Academy in 1919, and from the Submarine School in 1922. (Despite his nickname, Momsen was of German-Danish extraction, and not Swedish.) His interest in submarine rescue was piqued by the sinking of the … Read more

Captain, born 1901, died 1943 Born in Henry, Illinois on 11 September 1901, John Cromwell was graduated from the United States Naval Academy with the Class of 1924. He saw service in Maryland, as well as in several submarines, before achieving command of U.S.S. S-20. By the beginning of World War II he was serving … Read more

Vice Admiral, born 1890, died 1967 Charles Lockwood was born Midland, VA, 6 May 1890, and was graduated from the United States Naval Academy at Annapolis with the Class of 1912. He received his first submarine command, the U.S.S. A-2 (SS-3) in 1914. During 1919 he commanded the former German submarine UC-97, while it being … Read more

Fleet Admiral, born 1885, died 1966. Chester W. Nimitz was born in Fredericksburg, TX on 24 February 1885. Grandson of a sea captain, Nimitz intended to pursue an Army career, but no West Point appointment was available. Instead, he took a competitive examination for Annapolis, and was selected as a midshipman. (In a bit of … Read more