Harry Jefferson Abbett

From The Dreadnought Project
Jump to: navigation, search

Captain Harry Jefferson Abbett (29 August, 1884 – 9 June 1972) served in the United States Navy.

Life & Career

Abbett was born in Kentucky and appointed to the United States Naval Academy from the same state.[1]

Upon graduation in 1907 he first served on battleship Georgia. [2]

Abbett was promoted to the rank of Ensign on 12 February, 1909[3] and to the rank of Lieutenant (j.g.) on 12 February 1912.[4].

He was Officer-in-Charge of the Navy Recruiting Station in Cincinnati from 15 January, 1914.[5]

Abbett was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant on 26 November, 1915 assumed his first command, destroyer Whipple, in 1916[6]

Great War

While commanding Whipple, Abbett was awarded the Navy Distinguished Service Medal.

He was promoted to the temporary rank of Lieutenant Commander on 15 October, 191[7] and the temporary rank of Commander on 21 September, 1918.[8]

Abbett briefly commanded destroyer Gamble from November 1918 to January 1919.

Interwar Period

Abbett was permanently promoted to the rank of Lieutenant Commander on 1 July, 1919.[9]

He briefly commanded several destroyers, including Kidder and Marcus in 1921.

Abbett was permanently promoted to the rank of Commander on 19 December, 1922 while in Charge of the Navy Recruiting Station in Los Angeles.[10] He then was in Charge of the Recruiters Training School in San Diego from 19 July, 1924[11] before assuming command of destroyer Sinclair from 13 March, 1925.[12]

Abbett was promoted to the rank of Captain on 1 November 1933.[13] He served as commanding officer of the cruiser Chester from 12 June, 1935[14] to before 1 April, 1937.

World War II

After service in the Bureau of Navigation Abbett served as the Chief of Staff to Commander Destroyers Battle Force from 17 February 1940[15] to December 1940.[16]

He served as Commanding Officer of the Receiving Ship in San Francisco from early 1941[17] through 1943[18] before assuming command of the Schools and Training Command at the US Naval Repair Base in San Diego in 1944,[19], serving through 1945.[20]

Later Life

Abbett died in Coronado, California on 9 June, 1972.

See Also

Bibliography

Service Records

Naval Appointments
Preceded by
Francis D. Pryor
Captain of U.S.S. Whipple
1916[21][22] – after 17 Apr, 1918
Succeeded by
Robert M. Doyle, Jr.
Preceded by
New Command
Captain of U.S.S. Gamble
29 Nov, 1918 – Jan, 1919[23]
Succeeded by
Lewis W. Comstock
Preceded by
New Command
Captain of U.S.S. Kidder
7 Feb, 1921 – 24 Jun, 1921
Succeeded by
Wilfred E. Clarke
Preceded by
Charles E. Rosendahl
Captain of U.S.S. Marcus
after 24 Jun, 1921[24] – 9 Sep, 1921
Succeeded by
Robert M. Griffin
Preceded by
Earl R. Shipp
Captain of U.S.S. Sinclair
13 Mar, 1925[25]
Succeeded by
?

Footnotes

  1. Register of Officers, 1940. p. 23.
  2. Register of Officers, 1908. p.52.
  3. Register of Officers, 1911. p.45.
  4. Register of Officers, 1913. p.41.
  5. Register of Officers, 1915. p.40.
  6. Register of Officers, 1917. p.37.
  7. Register of Officers, 1918. p.38.
  8. Register of Officers, 1919. p.32.
  9. Register of Officers, 1920. p.26.
  10. Register of Officers, 1923. p.27.
  11. Register of Officers, 1925. p.28.
  12. Register of Officers, 1926. p.28.
  13. Register of Officers, 1934. p.26.
  14. Register of Officers, 1935. pp.24-25.
  15. Register of Officers, 1940. p.23.
  16. Register of Officers, 1941. p.18.
  17. News-Pilot (San Pedro, CA) 18 January, 1941 p.8
  18. Commander Western Sea Frontier War Diary 24 February, 1943
  19. National City Star News (National City, CA) 31 March, 1944 p.5)
  20. The Union Banner (Clanton, AL) 5 April, 1945 p.7)
  21. Register of Officers, 1917. p. 36.
  22. Register of Officers, 1916. p. 38.
  23. Register of Officers, 1920. pp. 26-27.
  24. Register of Officers, 1922. pp. 28-29.
  25. Register of Officers, 1926. p. 28.