Raymond P. Rodgers
Encyclopedia
Rear Admiral Raymond Perry Rodgers (December 20, 1849 - December 28, 1925) was an officer in the United States Navy
. He succeeded Lt. Theodorus B.M. Mason as the second head of the Office of Naval Intelligence
.
Born in Washington, D.C.
, his parents were Rear Adm. C.R.P. Rodgers
and the former Julia Slidell; he was the brother of another rear admiral
, Thomas S. Rodgers
. He was also the grandnephew to two renowned commodores
of the Navy, Matthew C. Perry and Oliver Hazard Perry
.
Like his predecessor in the ONI, Rodgers also graduated from the United States Naval Academy
in 1868 and was promoted through the grades, ultimately reaching the rank of rear admiral on July 4, 1908.
Then-Lt. Perry succeeded Lt. Theodorus Mason in April 1885 as Chief Intelligence Officer of the ONI, and he fostered closer ties between the agency and the State Department, as they shared a mutual interest in Panama
, Samoa
and Hawaii
.
His tenure was also marked by the agency's first forays in cryptography
, and further encouraged research into new advances into naval technology through naval attachés, as well as keeping close watch over Europe
an colonial interests in South America
. It was also at this time that the ONI was transferred from the Bureau of Navigation to the office of the Secretary of the Navy: this increased the demand on the ONI for more information, and a weakness in the gathering of intelligence
would be revealed by the Spanish-American War
.
During that war Rodgers served as executive officer
of the battleship
USS Iowa
. For his "imminent and conspicuous conduct" in the Battle of Santiago de Cuba
which destroyed Admiral Pascual Cervera's squadron, he advanced five numbers in grade.
Rodgers, who held the rank of captain by April 1906, was reappointed Chief Intelligence Officer, succeeding Cmdr. Seaton Schroeder
. He was in turn succeeded by Capt. Charles E. Vreeland
in May 1909. He retired shortly thereafter.
In October 1909, he became President of the Naval War College and Commandant of the Naval Station at Narragansett Bay, Rhode Island. He retired from the presidency in 1911.
He was married to the former Gertrude Stuyvesant and had one daughter, Julia.
He died on December 28, 1925, and is buried in Arlington National Cemetery
.
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
. He succeeded Lt. Theodorus B.M. Mason as the second head of the Office of Naval Intelligence
Office of Naval Intelligence
The Office of Naval Intelligence was established in the United States Navy in 1882. ONI was established to "seek out and report" on the advancements in other nations' navies. Its headquarters are at the National Maritime Intelligence Center in Suitland, Maryland...
.
Born in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
, his parents were Rear Adm. C.R.P. Rodgers
Christopher Raymond Perry Rodgers
Christopher Raymond Perry Rodgers was an officer in the United States Navy. He served in the Mexican-American War, the American Civil War, as Superintendent of the Naval Academy, and Commander-in-Chief of the Pacific Squadron.-Early career:Rodgers was born in Brooklyn, New York, into a naval family...
and the former Julia Slidell; he was the brother of another rear admiral
Rear Admiral
Rear admiral is a naval commissioned officer rank above that of a commodore and captain, and below that of a vice admiral. It is generally regarded as the lowest of the "admiral" ranks, which are also sometimes referred to as "flag officers" or "flag ranks"...
, Thomas S. Rodgers
Thomas S. Rodgers
Rear Admiral Thomas Slidell Rodgers was an officer in the United States Navy who served during the Spanish-American War and World War I.-Biography:...
. He was also the grandnephew to two renowned commodores
Commodores
The Commodores are an American funk/soul band of the 1970s and 1980s. The members of the group met as mostly freshmen at Tuskegee Institute in 1968, and signed with Motown in November 1972, having first caught the public eye opening for The Jackson 5 while on tour...
of the Navy, Matthew C. Perry and Oliver Hazard Perry
Oliver Hazard Perry
United States Navy Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry was born in South Kingstown, Rhode Island , the son of USN Captain Christopher Raymond Perry and Sarah Wallace Alexander, a direct descendant of William Wallace...
.
Like his predecessor in the ONI, Rodgers also graduated from the United States Naval Academy
United States Naval Academy
The United States Naval Academy is a four-year coeducational federal service academy located in Annapolis, Maryland, United States...
in 1868 and was promoted through the grades, ultimately reaching the rank of rear admiral on July 4, 1908.
Then-Lt. Perry succeeded Lt. Theodorus Mason in April 1885 as Chief Intelligence Officer of the ONI, and he fostered closer ties between the agency and the State Department, as they shared a mutual interest in Panama
Panama
Panama , officially the Republic of Panama , is the southernmost country of Central America. Situated on the isthmus connecting North and South America, it is bordered by Costa Rica to the northwest, Colombia to the southeast, the Caribbean Sea to the north and the Pacific Ocean to the south. The...
, Samoa
Samoa
Samoa , officially the Independent State of Samoa, formerly known as Western Samoa is a country encompassing the western part of the Samoan Islands in the South Pacific Ocean. It became independent from New Zealand in 1962. The two main islands of Samoa are Upolu and one of the biggest islands in...
and Hawaii
Hawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
.
His tenure was also marked by the agency's first forays in cryptography
Cryptography
Cryptography is the practice and study of techniques for secure communication in the presence of third parties...
, and further encouraged research into new advances into naval technology through naval attachés, as well as keeping close watch over Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
an colonial interests in South America
South America
South America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...
. It was also at this time that the ONI was transferred from the Bureau of Navigation to the office of the Secretary of the Navy: this increased the demand on the ONI for more information, and a weakness in the gathering of intelligence
Intelligence (information gathering)
Intelligence assessment is the development of forecasts of behaviour or recommended courses of action to the leadership of an organization, based on a wide range of available information sources both overt and covert. Assessments are developed in response to requirements declared by the leadership...
would be revealed by the Spanish-American War
Spanish-American War
The Spanish–American War was a conflict in 1898 between Spain and the United States, effectively the result of American intervention in the ongoing Cuban War of Independence...
.
During that war Rodgers served as executive officer
Executive officer
An executive officer is generally a person responsible for running an organization, although the exact nature of the role varies depending on the organization.-Administrative law:...
of the battleship
Battleship
A battleship is a large armored warship with a main battery consisting of heavy caliber guns. Battleships were larger, better armed and armored than cruisers and destroyers. As the largest armed ships in a fleet, battleships were used to attain command of the sea and represented the apex of a...
USS Iowa
USS Iowa (BB-4)
| The second half of the 19th century saw radical changes in shipbuilding design. Wood-built sailing ships with cannons were replaced by steam-powered warships armored with steel...
. For his "imminent and conspicuous conduct" in the Battle of Santiago de Cuba
Battle of Santiago de Cuba
The Battle of Santiago de Cuba, fought between Spain and the United States on 3 July 1898, was the largest naval engagement of the Spanish-American War and resulted in the destruction of the Spanish Navy's Caribbean Squadron.-Spanish Fleet:...
which destroyed Admiral Pascual Cervera's squadron, he advanced five numbers in grade.
Rodgers, who held the rank of captain by April 1906, was reappointed Chief Intelligence Officer, succeeding Cmdr. Seaton Schroeder
Seaton Schroeder
Seaton Schroeder was an admiral of the United States Navy.-Biography:Schroeder was born in Washington, D.C., on 17 August 1849 the son of Frances Schroeder, who was the United States Ambassador to Sweden...
. He was in turn succeeded by Capt. Charles E. Vreeland
Charles E. Vreeland
Charles E. Vreeland was an officer of the United States Navy who reached the rank of rear admiral.-Early life:...
in May 1909. He retired shortly thereafter.
In October 1909, he became President of the Naval War College and Commandant of the Naval Station at Narragansett Bay, Rhode Island. He retired from the presidency in 1911.
He was married to the former Gertrude Stuyvesant and had one daughter, Julia.
He died on December 28, 1925, and is buried in Arlington National Cemetery
Arlington National Cemetery
Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington County, Virginia, is a military cemetery in the United States of America, established during the American Civil War on the grounds of Arlington House, formerly the estate of the family of Confederate general Robert E. Lee's wife Mary Anna Lee, a great...
.