Julián Irízar
Encyclopedia
Admiral
Julián Irízar (born in Capilla del Señor
, Buenos Aires
, January 7, 1869 - March 17, 1935) was an officer of the Argentine Navy
. He became a key figure in the modernization of the navy's fleet, the commander of the First Division of the Navy and later Naval Center President, but his most memorable action was as commander of the corvette Uruguay
in the 1903 rescue of the Swedish Antarctic Expedition
led by Otto Nordenskjöld, whose ship, the Antarctic
was destroyed by ice. At the time of the rescue he held the rank Capitán de Corbeta (Lieutenant Commander). (See ARA Uruguay
for more information.)
Irízar entered the Naval Academy on March 11, 1884.
In 1898 he was part of the commission to monitor construction of the frigate ARA Presidente Sarmiento
in England. When in 1899 that ship embarked on its first voyage of circumnavigation, he was an officer of the staff of the ship. Becoming a specialist in explosives, he then took postings as naval attaché at the diplomatic missions in Britain and Germany, and as purchasing agent for the Navy for ammunition and artillery materials.
He retired on January 8 of 1932, and died four years later.
Admiral
Admiral is the rank, or part of the name of the ranks, of the highest naval officers. It is usually considered a full admiral and above vice admiral and below admiral of the fleet . It is usually abbreviated to "Adm" or "ADM"...
Julián Irízar (born in Capilla del Señor
Capilla del Señor
Capilla del Señor , is a small city located to the north of Buenos Aires, Argentina. It is the capital of Exaltación de la Cruz Partido. It has been designated by the former president Carlos Saúl Menem as the "First National Historical Town" in Argentina.- External links :*...
, Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires is the capital and largest city of Argentina, and the second-largest metropolitan area in South America, after São Paulo. It is located on the western shore of the estuary of the Río de la Plata, on the southeastern coast of the South American continent...
, January 7, 1869 - March 17, 1935) was an officer of the Argentine Navy
Argentine Navy
The Navy of the Argentine Republic or Armada of the Argentine Republic is the navy of Argentina. It is one of the three branches of the Armed Forces of the Argentine Republic, together with the Army and the Air Force....
. He became a key figure in the modernization of the navy's fleet, the commander of the First Division of the Navy and later Naval Center President, but his most memorable action was as commander of the corvette Uruguay
ARA Uruguay
The corbeta ARA Uruguay, built in England, is the largest ship afloat of its age in the Armada de la República Argentina , with more than 135 years passed since its official incorporation in September 1874...
in the 1903 rescue of the Swedish Antarctic Expedition
Swedish Antarctic Expedition
The Swedish Antarctic Expedition was led by Otto Nordenskjöld and Carl Anton Larsen.-Background:Otto Nordenskjöld, a Swedish geologist and geographer, organized and lead a scientific expedition of the Antarctic Peninsula...
led by Otto Nordenskjöld, whose ship, the Antarctic
Antarctic (ship)
The Antarctic was a Swedish steamship built in Drammen, Norway in 1871. She was used on several research expeditions to the Arctic region and to Antarctica through 1898-1903. In 1895 the first confirmed landing on the mainland of Antarctica was made from this ship.-The ship:Antarctic was a barque...
was destroyed by ice. At the time of the rescue he held the rank Capitán de Corbeta (Lieutenant Commander). (See ARA Uruguay
ARA Uruguay
The corbeta ARA Uruguay, built in England, is the largest ship afloat of its age in the Armada de la República Argentina , with more than 135 years passed since its official incorporation in September 1874...
for more information.)
Irízar entered the Naval Academy on March 11, 1884.
In 1898 he was part of the commission to monitor construction of the frigate ARA Presidente Sarmiento
ARA Presidente Sarmiento
ARA Presidente Sarmiento is a museum ship, originally built as a training ship for the Argentine Navy. She is considered to be the last intact cruising training ship from the 1890s....
in England. When in 1899 that ship embarked on its first voyage of circumnavigation, he was an officer of the staff of the ship. Becoming a specialist in explosives, he then took postings as naval attaché at the diplomatic missions in Britain and Germany, and as purchasing agent for the Navy for ammunition and artillery materials.
Later career
Irizar was promoted to Capitán de Fragata (Commander) following the rescue of the Swedish Expedition.- He led the Argentinian delegation the Naval Commission in Europe after World War I. Upon returning was promoted to admiral (U.S.A equivalent Commodore) and appointed to head Naval Division I.
- In 1923 he was posted to the supervision of the modernization of battleships Mariano Moreno and Bernardino Rivadavia in the United States.
- In 1926 he was promoted to vice admiral and in 1932 appointed the National Maritime Prefect.
- Since April 16 of 1931 and for two years he chaired the Naval Center.
He retired on January 8 of 1932, and died four years later.
Tributes
- The current icebreaker of the Argentina Navy was named ARA Almirante Irizar in his honor.
- Jean-Baptiste Charcot dubbed "Islands Argentinas" one archipelago next to Graham LandGraham LandGraham Land is that portion of the Antarctic Peninsula which lies north of a line joining Cape Jeremy and Cape Agassiz. This description of Graham Land is consistent with the 1964 agreement between the British Antarctic Place-names Committee and the US Advisory Committee on Antarctic Names, in...
, near the Palmer ArchipelagoPalmer ArchipelagoPalmer Archipelago, also known as Antarctic Archipelago, Archipiélago Palmer, Antarktiske Arkipel or Palmer Inseln, is a group of islands off the northwestern coast of the Antarctic Peninsula....
, one of which is called Irízar IslandIrizar IslandIrizar Island is an island 0.5 miles long, lying 0.5 miles northeast of Uruguay Island in the northeast part of the Argentine Islands, in the Wilhelm Archipelago. Discovered by the French Antarctic Expedition, 1903-05, under Charcot, and named by him for Captain Julian Irizar, Argentine Navy...
and another Uruguay Island, after the ship.