Royal R. Ingersoll
Encyclopedia
Rear Admiral
Royal Rodney Ingersoll (4 December 1847 – 21 April 1931) was a United States Navy
officer whose career extended from the late 1860s through World War I
.
on 4 December 1847 and graduated from the United States Naval Academy
in 1868. He served in various ships of the fleet on the European and Asiatic Squadron
s until 1876 when he was assigned to the Naval Academy.
He taught and wrote about ordnance subjects during several tours at the Academy, and in the early years of the 20th century commanded such ships as Bennington
(PG-4), New Orleans
(CL-22), and Maryland
(ACR-8). He graduated from the Naval War College
as a captain in 1903 and as a rear admrial in 1908.
Ingersoll was Chief of Staff of the Atlantic Fleet
during the first part of the Great White Fleet
's famous cruise around the world, and served in 1908 as a member of the General Board.
Rear Admiral Ingersoll retired in 1909, but was called back to duty during World War I
as President of the Naval Ordnance Board. In 1919 he returned to his home in La Porte, Indiana, where he was active in public affairs until his death on 21 April 1931 at age 83.
His son, Admiral
Royal Eason Ingersoll (1883–1976), commanded the US Atlantic Fleet during World War II.
USS Ingersoll
(DD-652) was named in honor of R.Adm. Ingersoll and his grandson, Lieutenant Royal R. Ingersoll II
(1913–1942), who had died in the Battle of Midway
.
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"...
Royal Rodney Ingersoll (4 December 1847 – 21 April 1931) was a United States Navy
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...
officer whose career extended from the late 1860s through World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
.
Biography
Ingersoll was born in Niles, MichiganNiles, Michigan
Niles is a city in Berrien and Cass counties in the U.S. state of Michigan, near South Bend, Indiana. The population was 11,600 at the 2010 census. It is the greater populated of two principal cities of and included in the Niles-Benton Harbor, Michigan Metropolitan Statistical Area, which has a...
on 4 December 1847 and 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. He served in various ships of the fleet on the European and Asiatic Squadron
Asiatic Squadron
The Asiatic Squadron was a squadron of United States Navy warships stationed in East Asia during the latter half of the 19th century, it was created in 1868 when the East India Squadron was disbanded...
s until 1876 when he was assigned to the Naval Academy.
He taught and wrote about ordnance subjects during several tours at the Academy, and in the early years of the 20th century commanded such ships as Bennington
USS Bennington (PG-4)
USS Bennington was a member of the of steel-hulled, twin-screw gunboats in the United States Navy in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. She was the first U.S. Navy ship named in honor of the town of Bennington, Vermont, site of the Battle of Bennington in the American Revolutionary War.The...
(PG-4), New Orleans
USS New Orleans (CL-22)
USS New Orleans was a United States Navy protected cruiser.She was laid down in 1895 as Amazonas for the Brazilian Navy by Armstrong, Mitchell and Company, Newcastle-on-Tyne, England, launched on 4 December 1896, purchased by the Navy while building on 16 March 1898; and commissioned 18 March 1898...
(CL-22), and Maryland
USS Maryland (ACR-8)
The second USS Maryland , also referred to as "Armored Cruiser 8", and later renamed Frederick, was a United States Navy Pennsylvania-class armored cruiser....
(ACR-8). He graduated from the Naval War College
Naval War College
The Naval War College is an education and research institution of the United States Navy that specializes in developing ideas for naval warfare and passing them along to officers of the Navy. The college is located on the grounds of Naval Station Newport in Newport, Rhode Island...
as a captain in 1903 and as a rear admrial in 1908.
Ingersoll was Chief of Staff of the Atlantic Fleet
U.S. Atlantic Fleet
The United States Fleet Forces Command is an Atlantic Ocean theater-level component command of the United States Navy that provides naval resources that are under the operational control of the United States Northern Command...
during the first part of the Great White Fleet
Great White Fleet
The Great White Fleet was the popular nickname for the United States Navy battle fleet that completed a circumnavigation of the globe from 16 December 1907 to 22 February 1909 by order of U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt. It consisted of 16 battleships divided into two squadrons, along with...
's famous cruise around the world, and served in 1908 as a member of the General Board.
Rear Admiral Ingersoll retired in 1909, but was called back to duty during World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
as President of the Naval Ordnance Board. In 1919 he returned to his home in La Porte, Indiana, where he was active in public affairs until his death on 21 April 1931 at age 83.
His son, Admiral
Admiral (United States)
In the United States Navy, the United States Coast Guard and the United States Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, admiral is a four-star flag officer rank, with the pay grade of O-10. Admiral ranks above vice admiral and below Fleet Admiral in the Navy; the Coast Guard and the Public Health...
Royal Eason Ingersoll (1883–1976), commanded the US Atlantic Fleet during World War II.
Namesake
In 1943, the destroyerDestroyer
In naval terminology, a destroyer is a fast and maneuverable yet long-endurance warship intended to escort larger vessels in a fleet, convoy or battle group and defend them against smaller, powerful, short-range attackers. Destroyers, originally called torpedo-boat destroyers in 1892, evolved from...
USS Ingersoll
USS Ingersoll (DD-652)
USS Ingersoll was a Fletcher class destroyer in the United States Navy, serving from 28 June 1942 through 19 May 1974. The Ingersoll was named for Admiral Royal Ingersoll, former Chief of Staff of the Atlantic Fleet in the early 20th century and his son Lieutenant Royal R. Ingersoll II who was...
(DD-652) was named in honor of R.Adm. Ingersoll and his grandson, Lieutenant Royal R. Ingersoll II
Royal R. Ingersoll II
Royal Rodney Ingersoll, II was an American junior naval officer, a graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy , who was killed in battle early during the War in the Pacific....
(1913–1942), who had died in the Battle of Midway
Battle of Midway
The Battle of Midway is widely regarded as the most important naval battle of the Pacific Campaign of World War II. Between 4 and 7 June 1942, approximately one month after the Battle of the Coral Sea and six months after Japan's attack on Pearl Harbor, the United States Navy decisively defeated...
.