SPANISH-AMERICAN WAR VERA CRUZ WWII VICE ADMIRAL USS MISSISSIPPI DOCUMENT SIGNED

Description

Here’s an official US Navy Document Signed by eight (8) Officers, including several Admirals:
EDWARD HALE CAMPBELL
(1872 – 1946)
VICE ADMIRAL, UNITED STATES NAVY,
WWI CAPTAIN and CHIEF OF STAFF TO THE COMMANDER BATTLESHIP FORCE IN THE PACIFIC FLEET
&
SPANISH AMERICAN WAR OFFICER.
-
AND
-
JAMES L. KAUFFMAN
(1887 – 1963)
VICE ADMIRAL, UNITED STATES NAVY
WWII FLAG OFFICER IN THE EUROPEAN and PACIFIC THEATERS
&
WWI CAPTAIN and COMMANDER OF THE DESTROYER USS JENKINS (DD-42)
-
AND
-
ELLSWORTH DAVIS
(1892 – 1946)
WORLD WAR I ERA AMERICAN NAVY COMMANDER WITH THE MARINE CORPS,
LED A COMPANY OF MARINES IN THE STORMING and OCCUPATION OF VERA CRUZ MEXICO IN 1914 DURING THE MEXICAN REVOLUTION
&
GREAT-GRANDSON of OLIVER ELLSWORTH, A FRAMER OF THE US CONSTITUTION and APPPOINTED BY PRESIDENT GEORGE WASHINGTON CHIEF JUSTICE OF THE UNITED STATES SUPREME COURT!
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ONE OTHER SIGNATORY INCLUDES:
WILLIAM D. BROTHERTON
– NAVAL COMMANDER WWI CAPTAIN OF THE GUNBOAT “
USS HELENA
,” POST-WAR COMMANDING OFFICER OF THE
"USS MISSISSIPPI
" (1920s), and SPANISH-AMERICAN WAR NAVY LIEUTENANT.
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HERE’S
NAVY DEPARTMENT ORDERS FOR LIEUT. COMMANDER ELLSWORTH DAVIS, 7 APRIL, 1925, BOTH SIDES WITH SIGNATURES.  SIGNED BY JOHN IRWIN JR., E.H. CAMPBELL, AND ON OTHER SIDE SIGNED BY J.L. KAUFFMAN, W.D. BROTHERTON, JAMES P. AITKEN, E. H. BARBER, AND A. B. CANHAM. CONCERNS ELLSWORTH DAVIS' DETACHMENT FROM DUTY ABOARD THE U.S.S. MISSISSIPPI, AS THE SECRETARY OF THE NAVY HAS DETERMINED THAT HIS SERVICE ON SHORE DUTY IS REQUIRED BY THE PUBLIC INTERESTS.
The document measures 8” x 10½” and is in VERY FINE CONDITION.
A RARE ADDITION TO YOUR AMERICAN NAVAL HISTORY AUTOGRAPH,
MANUSCRIPT & EPHEMERA COLLECTION!
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BIOGRAPHY OF VADM CAMPBELL
Edward Hale Campbell
(October 4, 1872 – December 11, 1946) was a
vice admiral
in the
United States Navy
. He served in the Spanish–American War and World War I.
Early life and education
Edward Campbell was born in
South Bend, Indiana
on October 4, 1872 to Myron and Abbie Campbell.
Career
Campbell graduated from the
United States Naval Academy
in 1893 and would later be assigned to the
USS
Baltimore
(C-3)
.
During the
Spanish–American War
, he served off the coast of
Central America
. Following the war, he served aboard the
USS
Iowa
(BB-4)
and the
USS
Indiana
(BB-1)
before being assigned to assist in the
fitting-out
of the
USS
Milwaukee
(C-21)
. In 1907, he was named
Judge Advocate General of the Navy
. He served in this position until 1909, when he left to assist in the fitting-out of the
USS
North Dakota
(BB-29)
.
During
World War I
, Campbell commanded the
USS
Charleston
(C-22)
. Following this assignment, he would take command of the
Naval Training Station, Newport
.
He returned to his former position of Judge Advocate General for the years 1925–1929. In 1929, he would take command of the
Special Service Squadron
. From 1934 to 1935, he served as commander of the
Scouting Force
. Later, he took command of the
12th Naval District
. He retired on November 1, 1936.
Awards
He received the
Navy Cross
for actions during World War I.
Personal life
He married Lilian Strong. Together, they had 2 children: Georgiana Campbell and Edward S. Campbell.
Death and legacy
Campbell died in December 11, 1946 in
Medina, Washington
. He is buried at
Arlington National Cemetery
with Lilian and their daughter, Georgiana
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Campbell was Awarded the Navy Cross by President Wilson for actions during World War I:
“
The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Navy Cross to Captain Edward Hale Campbell, United States Navy, for distinguished service in the line of his profession as Commanding Officer of the U.S.S. CHARLESTON, engaged in the important, exacting and hazardous duty of transporting and escorting troops and supplies to European ports through waters infested with enemy submarines and mines during World War I.
”
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BIOGRAPHY OF VADM KAUFFMAN
James Laurence Kauffman
(18 April 1887 – 21 October 1963) was a highly decorated officer in the
United States Navy
with the rank of
Vice Admiral
. He distinguished himself as Commanding officer of destroyer
USS
Jenkins
(DD-42)
during
World War I
and received the
Navy Cross
, the United States second-highest
decoration
awarded for
valor
in combat.
Kauffman rose to the
flag rank
during
World War II
and held several important assignments in both, European and Pacific theaters. He retired as Commandant
Fourth Naval District
with headquarters in
Philadelphia
in 1949. His son,
Draper Kauffman
, also served in the Navy and retired as Rear Admiral in 1970s. The were both the namesakes of
USS
Kauffman
(FFG-59)
.
Early career
James L. Kauffman was born in Ohio on 18 April 1887 in
Miamisburg, Ohio
, the son of John A. Kauffman and Laura Hunt. He attended public school in Miamisburg and graduated from the Steele High School in
Dayton, Ohio
. Kauffman then attended
Pennsylvania Military College
in
Chester, Pennsylvania
for one year, before received an appointment to the
United States Naval Academy
at
Annapolis, Maryland
on 29 June 1904. While at the Academy, he reached the rank of Cadet Ensign and was nicknamed "Reggie" by his classmates.
Among his classmates were several future admirals including:
Harry A. Badt
,
Paul H. Bastedo
,
John R. Beardall
,
Abel T. Bidwell
,
Joseph J. Broshek
,
Arthur S. Carpender
,
Jules James
,
Walter K. Kilpatrick
,
Thomas C. Kinkaid
,
Willis A. Lee Jr.
,
William R. Munroe
,
William R. Purnell
,
Francis W. Rockwell
,
John F. Shafroth Jr.
and
Richmond K. Turner
.
He graduated with
Bachelor of Science
degree on 15 June 1908 and served successively as
Passed Midshipman
aboard the protected cruiser
USS
Milwaukee
and armored cruiser
USS
Tennessee
with the
Pacific Fleet
. While aboard
Tennessee
Kauffman visited the
Philippines
,
China
, and
Japan
and returned to the United States in March 1910.
Kauffman was assigned to the destroyer
USS
Hopkins
under Lieutenant
Harold G. Bowen
, stationed at
Mare Island Navy Yard
following a
Boiler
explosion. He was commissioned
Ensign
on 6 June 1910, after completing two years of service at sea then required by law. After a period of
Hopkins
repairs and service with the Reserve Fleet, he was appointed commanding officer of the
Hopkins
in November 1912. Kauffman was promoted to
Lieutenant (junior grade)
on 6 June 1913 and commanded his ship until January 1914, when he was relieved by new commanding officer more senior in rank and transferred to the capacity of ship's executive officer. He participated with the
Hopkins
in the naval operations in Mexican waters during
Veracruz Expedition
in summer 1914 and was detached in November that year.
He was subsequently ordered to the Engineering Experiment Station at the
Naval Academy
, where he assumed duty as Assistant Manager. Kauffman participated in the testing of gasoline motors and other experimental work in the development of aviation and was promoted to
Lieutenant
on 29 August 1916. He was transferred to the battleship
USS
Texas
at
New York Navy Yard
in November 1916 and served aboard that ship until March the following year, when he was transferred to the
receiving ship
at
Norfolk Navy Yard
.
World War I
Following the
United States' entry into World War I
, Kauffman was assigned to the transport ship
USS
Tenadores
and served as ship's executive officer during her first wartime voyage with the troops and supplies to
Europe
. He was detached one month later and returned to the United States for service as Commanding officer of
USS
Rainier
in July 1917 at
Mare Island Navy Yard
,
California
. The
Rainer
was originally a civilian
schooner
and Kauffman commanded that vessel just for one month, before returned to Mare Island for duty in connection with the fitting out of newly commissioned destroyer
USS
Caldwell
under lieutenant commander
Byron McCandless
.
Kauffman served as executive officer under McCandless and sailed again to the European waters, where he took part in the anti-submarine patrols off the coast of
Queenstown, Ireland
. He was promoted to the temporary rank of
Lieutenant commander
on 1 January 1918 and assumed command of destroyer
USS
Jenkins
in June that year. Kauffman engaged in the exacting and hazardous duty of patrolling the waters infested with enemy submarines and mines, and escorting and protecting convoys of troops and supplies.
For his service with destroyer
Jenkins
, Kauffman was decorated with the
Navy Cross
, the United States second-highest
decoration
awarded for
valor
in combat. He was also appointed
Officer of the Order of Leopold II
by the King of
Belgium
,
Albert I
.
Interwar period
Upon the Armistice, Kauffman returned to the United States in March 1919 and assumed command of newly commissioned destroyer
USS
Barney
at
Philadelphia Navy Yard
. He commanded his ship during the voyage with the
Atlantic Fleet
to
Istanbul
,
Turkey
, where he witnessed the collapse of the
Ottoman Empire
. Kauffman then conducted patrol cruises along the Atlantic coast of the United States and later in the
Caribbean
, before he was ordered to
Washington, D.C.
for duty at the
Bureau of Engineering
in January 1921.
Kauffman served in the Engineering's Radio Division until June 1923, when he assumed duty as
Aide
and Flag Secretary on the staff of Admiral
Samuel S. Robison
, Commander-in-Chief,
Battle Fleet
. While in this capacity, he was promoted to
Commander
on 4 June 1925. Kauffman was transferred to the
Office of Naval Intelligence
in February 1927 and joined the U.S. Naval Mission to
Brazil
, where he had duty in connection with that navy's destroyers until the end of January 1931.
Following his tour of duty in South America, Kauffman was assigned to his World War I battleship
USS
Texas
, and assumed duty as Navigator under Captain
Julius C. Townsend
. He took part in the visit of the
Panama Canal
and was promoted to capacity of ship's executive officer in April 1931. Kauffman then took part in the patrol cruises with the
Pacific Fleet
and was ordered to the
Naval War College
at
Newport, Rhode Island
in June 1933.
Upon the graduation in May 1934, Kauffman assumed duty as Executive officer of the
Naval Station Newport
under Captain Herbert C. Cocke until 30 June 1936, when he was promoted to
Captain
and assumed command of light cruiser
USS
Memphis
. He commanded his ship during the
Good will cruise
to the Caribbean and later took part in the operations with the Pacific Fleet.
In January 1938, Kauffman was appointed Commandant of the
Mare Island Navy Yard
,
California
, where he oversaw constructions and repairs of many ships and submarines including
USS
Fulton
,
USS
Tuna
and
USS
Gudgeon
. He remained at Mare Island until January 1940, when he was appointed commander of Destroyer Squadron 36 located at
San Diego
,
California
. Kauffman was transferred to command of
Destroyer Squadron 7
in December 1940.
World War II
Service in Atlantic
With the outbreak of the World War II, Kauffman assumed additional duty as Commander Destroyers, Support Force,
Atlantic Fleet
and participated in convoying troops and ships to
Newfoundland
and
Iceland
during intensive
U-Boot
activity from March to September 1941. For his service in this capacity, he received a letter of commendation from Secretary of the Navy
Frank Knox
.
Kauffman was promoted to
Rear admiral
on 1 November 1941 and appointed a member of the
General Board of the Navy
in Washington. He was detached from this post on 7 December, only one day after Japanese
attack on Pearl Harbor
and ordered to
Iceland
, where he was tasked with the establishing of Naval Operating Base Iceland at
Hvalfjörður
in order to prevent
Nazi Germany
seized that country.
He arrived to Iceland few days later aboard battleship
USS
Arkansas
and became the Commandant of that base. There were no quarters ashore for him nor his staff and Kauffman transferred his flag to gunboat
USS Williamsburg
to make more space for
receiving ship
and provided quarters for Army's
Port authority
. He moved his staff ashore, when the naval facility known as Camp Knox was completed in May 1942. For his service in this capacity, Kauffman was later decorated with
Order of the Falcon
by the Government of Iceland.
In June 1942, Kauffman was transferred to
Key West, Florida
, where he assumed duty as Commandant of the
Seventh Naval District
and Commander
Gulf Sea Frontier
. he was responsible for the Allied effort to fight German
U-boats
in the area stretching from
Jacksonville, Florida
, to the Mexican coast, including the entire
Gulf of Mexico
and its strategic entrances. He served in this capacity until February 1943 and received
Legion of Merit
for his service against German submarines. Kauffman also received Cuban Order of Military Merit, and
Order of the Southern Cross
and Navy War Service Medal by the Government of
Brazil
.
Kauffman was subsequently ordered to
Washington, D.C.
and joined the headquarters of
United States Fleet
under Admiral
Ernest J. King
as the senior member of the Allied Antisubmarine Board. While in this capacity, he took part in the inspections of the Allied antisubmarine air and ship stations on both sides of the Atlantic and was stationed as an observer in
London
,
England
for brief period.
Service in Pacific
While still serving on the Antisubmarine Board, Kauffman was ordered to the Pacific theater in October 1943 and served as Board observer attached to Aircraft Squadrons, Pacific, during the attacks on
Tarawa
and later
Kwajalein
. He assumed command of cruiser-destroyer forces of
Pacific Fleet
(
COMDESPAC
) with headquarters on
Hawaii
in January 1944 and was responsible for the maintenance of the ships under his command at a state of training, readiness, discipline and morale. Kauffman's command provided ships, personnel and material for
U.S. Seventh Fleet
and he was decorated with his second
Legion of Merit
at the end of his tenure in October 1944.
Kauffman the reported to General
Douglas MacArthur
, Supreme Commander
Southwest Pacific Area
, and Admiral
Thomas C. Kinkaid
, Commander Allied Naval Forces, Southwest Pacific Area, and Seventh Fleet, at their headquarters in
Hollandia, New Guinea
and assumed duty as Commander of newly established
Philippine Sea Frontier
. He helped organized this command and was tasked with the mission of safeguarding and protecting shipping in the area under his cognizance. During the early days of
Battle of Leyte Gulf
in October 1944, Kauffman served as Senior Officer Present Afloat.
He established his headquarters initially at
Leyte Gulf
until August 1945, and then shifting to
Manila
. During the early days of the fighting at Leyte Gulf he also acted as Senior Officer Present Afloat. Kauffman remained in the
Philippines
until July 1945, when he was ordered back to the United States. For his service in that capacity, he was decorated with
Navy Distinguished Service Medal
and also received
Distinguished Service Star
by the Government of Philippines. Kauffman was meanwhile promoted to the temporary rank of
Vice admiral
on 3 April 1945.
Postwar service
Following his return stateside, Kauffman was appointed Commandant,
Fourth Naval District
with headquarters at
Philadelphia Navy Yard
. He also reverted to his peacetime rank of
Rear admiral
for his assignment in Philadelphia. Kauffman retired from the Navy on 1 May 1949 after 41 years on active service and was advanced again to the rank of Vice admiral on the retired list.
One day after he retired from the Navy, Kauffman became the President of
Jefferson Medical College
and Jefferson Medical Center. He also held additional duty as chairman of the board of the Eastern Pennsylvania Psychiatric Institute and remained in both positions until the end of June 1959. He then became chairman of the board of directors for the Central Philadelphia Branch of the
American Red Cross
. Kauffman was decorated with Grand Cross of the National Order of Merit "Carlos J. Finlay" by the Government of Cuba during his tenure at Jefferson Medical College.
As a religious man, Kauffman helped establish the mission structure of the
Church of the Holy Trinity
in South Philadelphia and commenced and continued the Sunday radio broadcasts of the church's worship services, largely as an outreach for people hospitalized or otherwise unable to attend the services. He later moved to
Washington, D.C.
, but died of a heart attack at
Bethesda Naval Hospital
,
Maryland
on 21 October 1963, aged 76. Kauffman was buried with full military honors at the
United States Naval Academy Cemetery
at
Annapolis, Maryland
.
His wife, Elizabeth Draper Kauffman (1886–1966) is buried beside him. They had two children: a son,
Draper
, who graduated from the Naval Academy and distinguished himself as Commander of first
Underwater Demolition Teams
. He was decorated with two
Navy Crosses
and several other decorations and retired as Rear admiral in 1973; and a daughter, Elizabeth Louise, who married Prescott Sheldon Bush, Jr., the brother of future President of the United States,
George H. W. Bush
.
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BIOGRAPHY OF ELLSWORTH DAVIS
Ellsworth Davis
served on the U.S.S. Florida as a signal officer, official uniform inspector, and flag lieutenant. During the U.S. occupation of Vera Cruz, Mexico on April 1914, Davis led a company onshore and overtook the town's postal service building. In addition to his service on the U.S.S. Florida, Davis served in the Mediterranean and off of the U.S. Atlantic Coast on the Brooklyn and the Fairfax. He was commanding officer of the USS Fairfax from 1934 to 1936. The Fairfax was a Wickes-class destroyer in the
United States Navy during the World War I, later transferred to the Royal Navy as HMS Richmond (G88), as a Town class destroyer. The Fairfax took part in the Presidential Review taken by Franklin D. Roosevelt in San Diego in March 1933, and then sailed for the East coast, where she continued her reserve training duty. She also patrolled in Cuban waters, and in the summers of 1935, 1937, 1938, 1939, and 1940 sailed out of Annapolis training midshipmen of the Naval Academy. Between October 1935 and March 1937, she served with the Special Service Squadron out of Coco Solo and Balboa, Canal Zone, operating primarily on the Atlantic side of the Canal Zone.
Ellsworth Davis was the great-grandson of Oliver Ellsworth (1745-1807) of Windsor, Connecticut, who was one of the framers of the United States Constitution, as well as a member of the Connecticut delegation to the Continental Congress from 1777 to 1783 and a Connecticut delegate to the Constitutional Convention of 1787. In 1789, he was elected the first Senator of Connecticut. In 1796, President Washington appointed him to the position of Chief Justice of the Supreme Court.
BIOGRAPHICAL CHRONOLOGY OF ELLSWORTH DAVIS
1892
·
On March 11, is born in Hartford, Connecticut, named “Frederick Ellsworth Davis” but went by “Ellsworth Davis.”
1909
·
On July 1, is appointed to the United States Naval Academy from Connecticut.
1913
·
On June 6, graduates from the United States Naval Academy and is subsequently commissioned Ensign.
·
On July 12, reports to U.S.S.
Florida
(Battleship: BB-30).
1915
·
On May 28, reports to U.S.S.
Brooklyn
(Cruiser: CA-3).
1916
·
On September 9, is commissioned Lieutenant (junior grade), effective from June 7.
·
On October 2, reports to U.S.S.
Wilmington
(Gunboat: PG-8).
1917
·
On September 5, is ordered home to await orders.
·
On October 5, is temporarily appointed Lieutenant, effective from August 31.
·
On November 7, reports to Quincy, Massachusetts, for duty in connection with the fitting out of U.S.S.
Stringham
(Destroyer: DD-83).
1918
·
On July 2, assumes duty as Engineer Officer aboard U.S.S.
Stringham
upon her commissioning.
·
On December 10, is temporarily appointed Lieutenant Commander, effective from November 14.
1919
·
On April 30, reports to the Third Naval District for temporary duty aboard the Receiving Ship at New York.
·
On May 14, reports to the Mare Island Navy Yard for duty in connection with the fitting out of U.S.S.
Claxton
(Destroyer: DD-140).
·
On May 19, reports to Union Iron Works in San Francisco for duty in connection with the fitting out of U.S.S.
Burns
(Destroyer: DD-171).
·
On December 26, reports to U.S.S.
McDermut
(Destroyer: DD-262) as Executive Officer.
1920
·
On September 28, reports to U.S. Naval Academy as an instructor in the department of Marine Engineering and Naval Construction.
1921
·
On May 31, is commissioned Lieutenant, effective from June 7, 1919.
1922
·
On July 1, reports to U.S.S.
New York
(Battleship: BB-34) as Assistant Engineer Officer.
1924
·
On March 13, reports to U.S.S.
Mississippi
(Battleship: BB-41) as Assistant Engineer Officer.
1925
·
On February 20, is commissioned Lieutenant Commander, effective from June 5, 1924.
·
On July 27, reports to U.S. Naval Academy for duty in the Department of Engineering and Aeronautics.
1927
·
On July 9, reports to U.S.S.
Marblehead
(Light cruiser: CL-12) as Engineer Officer.
1930
·
On August 19, reports to the Boston Navy Yard.
1932
·
On May 27, reports to U.S.S.
Yarnall
(Destroyer: DD-143) as Commanding Officer.
1933
·
On July 16, reports to U.S.S.
Fairfax
(Destroyer: DD-93) as Commanding Officer.
1934
·
On March 2, is transferred to the Retired List, effective June 30, having become ineligible for promotion by reason of length of service.
1942
·
On March 30, is recalled to active duty and ordered to Seventh Naval District, Key West, Florida.
·
On December 18, is appointed Commander for temporary service, effective from December 15.
1945
·
On February 20, reports to Seventh Naval District, Miami, Florida as Director of Distribution.
·
On May 5, reports for Permanent General Court Martial duty.
·
On May 31, detached from duty, effective August 1, and relieved of all active duty.
1946
·
On January 18, dies in Hartford, Connecticut.
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