Thomas Benton Howard
Admiral Thomas Benton Howard (10 August, 1854 – 10 November, 1920) served in the United States Navy. He was the father of Captain Douglas Legate Howard
Life & Career
Howard was born in Galena, Illinois. Ulysses Grant was a friend of his family, and after Howard's died during the Civil War, Grant helped look after the family. To that end, Howard received a Presidential at-large appointment to the Naval Academy in 1869. Over the next four years, he received frequent invitations to the White House, and often was appointed Grant's aide when the President visited the Academy.[1] He graduated with the Class of 1873 and was commissioned Ensign on 16 July, 1874.[2]
Howard experienced a normal early career series of sea and shore duty, though his career did include numerous tours at the Naval Academy. He was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant (Junior Grade) on 3 March, 1883, and to the rank of Lieutenant on 7 November, 1885.[3][4] In 1892-1893 he was in charge of Pinta, a replica caravel of Christopher Columbus' ship.[5]
During the Spanish-American War, Howard served aboard gunboat Concord and saw action at the Battle of Manila Bay in 1898. He was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant Commander on 3 March, 1899.[6] In 1901, while assigned to the Naval Academy, he commanded sailing ship Chesapeake on the summer Midshipman Training Cruise.
Howard was promoted to the rank of Commander on 8 June, 1902. He assumed his first "modern" command, monitor Nevada (later renamed Tonopah) in 1903.[7][8] Back at the Naval Academy in 1907, he commanded protected cruiser Olympia for the summer Midshipman Training Cruise.[9]
Howard was promoted to the rank of Captain on 24 February, 1907. Later that year, he was appointed to command armoured cruiser Tennessee, and in 1908 transferred to command battleship Ohio for part of the around-the-world-voyage of the Great White Fleet.[10][11][12]
Howard achieved flag rank when he was promoted to the rank of Rear Admiral on 14 November, 1910.[13] He reached the height of his career when he was appointed to command the Pacific Fleet in early 1914. In 1915, when Congress passed legislation granting the temporary rank of Admiral to fleet commanders, Howard donned four stars from 28 February, 1915 until his relief on 13 September 1915, when he reverted in rank to Rear Admiral.[14][15][16]
Placed on the Retired List due to age on 10 August, 1916, Howard was recalled to active duty in World War I as the Superintendent of the Naval Observatory.[17][18][19]
Returned to inactive duty in 1919, Howard died of heart failure in Annapolis, Maryland in late 1920.[20][21]
See Also
Bibliography
Service Records
| Naval Appointments | ||
| Preceded by New Command |
Captain of U.S.S. Nevada 5 Mar, 1903[22] – 10 May, 1905[Inference] |
Succeeded by Alfred Reynolds |
| Preceded by James D. Adams |
Captain of U.S.S. Olympia before 24 Jun, 1907[23] – after 25 Aug, 1907[24] |
Succeeded by Archibald H. Scales |
| Preceded by Albert G. Berry |
Captain of U.S.S. Tennessee 7 Oct, 1907[25] – 9 Jul, 1908[Inference] |
Succeeded by Bradley A. Fiske |
| Preceded by Charles W. Bartlett |
Captain of U.S.S. Ohio after 26 Jun, 1908[26][27] – May, 1909[28] |
Succeeded by Wilson W. Buchanan |
| Preceded by Walter C. Cowles |
Commander-in-Chief, Pacific Fleet Jan, 1914 – 13 Sep, 1915 |
Succeeded by Cameron M. Winslow |
Footnotes
- ↑ St. Louis Globe-Democrat 4 May, 1898 p. 2.
- ↑ Register of Officers, 1876. pp. 38-39.
- ↑ Register of Officers, 1884. pp. 32-33.
- ↑ Register of Officers, 1899. pp. 20-21.
- ↑ The Hawaiian Star 27 April, 1893 p. 3.
- ↑ Register of Officers, 1900. pp. 18-19.
- ↑ Register of Officers, 1903. pp. 14-15.
- ↑ Register of Officers, 1904. p. 14.
- ↑ Brooklyn Citizen 25 August, 1907 p. 7.
- ↑ Register of Officers, 1908. pp. 10-11.
- ↑ Register of Officers, 1909. p. 8..
- ↑ San Francisco Call 26 June, 1908 p. 3.
- ↑ Register of Officers, 1911. pp. 6-7.
- ↑ Register of Officers, 1915. p. 8.
- ↑ Register of Officers, 1916. p. 8.
- ↑ News-Pilot (San Pedro, CA) 13 September, 1915 p. 4.
- ↑ Register of Officers, 1917. pp. 184-185, 257.
- ↑ Salt Lake Tribune 20 May,1 917 p. 18.
- ↑ Navy Directory 1 March, 1918 p. 80.
- ↑ Register of Officers, 1921. p. 364.
- ↑ Boston Globe 11 November, 1920 p. 12.
- ↑ Register of Officers, 1904. p. 14.
- ↑ Dispatch-Republican (Kansas) 24 June, 1907 p. 4
- ↑ Brooklyn Citizen 25 August, 1907 p. 7.
- ↑ Register of Officers, 1908. p. 10.
- ↑ San Francisco Call 26 June, 1908 p. 3
- ↑ Register of Officers, 1909. p. 8.
- ↑ Iowa County Democrat 27 May, 1909 p. 4.
