Frederick L. Conklin
Encyclopedia
Frederick L. Conklin was an American football
player and coach, medical doctor and naval officer. He played football for Fielding H. Yost's University of Michigan
teams from 1909 to 1911 and was selected as an All-Western player in 1911. He spent 32 years as an officer in the U.S. Navy, reaching the rank of rear admiral after serving in World War I
and World War II
. He received the Legion of Honor for establishing a mobile hospital in New Caledonia
in 1942 and later presented John F. Kennedy
with a medal
for heroism in rescuing members of the crew of the PT 109.
, Conklin attended Ann Arbor High School before enrolling at University of Michigan
. He played at the left end and right guard
and left tackle
positions for Fielding H. Yost's Michigan football teams from 1909 to 1911. He was also elected captain of the 1911 Michigan team
. At the end of 1911 season, Conklin was selected as an All-Western player and named to Outing
magazine's "Honor List" as one of the four best players at the left end position in the country. After completing his undergraduate education at Michigan, Conklin enrolled in medical school at Michigan and served as an assistant football coach under head coach Yost in the 1912 season. He graduated from the University of Michigan Medical School in 1914.
to qualify as a Navy surgeon. He was promoted to the rank of lieutenant upon the U.S. entry into World War I
in April 1918. During World War I, Conklin served aboard the cruisers USS Milwaukee
and USS Brooklyn
and in the Far East at naval hospitals in Cacaco and Cavite
in the Philippines
and at the naval hospital in Yokohama, Japan. Conklin later recalled the advances made in battlefield medical care during World War I:
After the end of World War I, Conklin continued to serve in the Navy at various naval hospitals and aboard naval vessels. He was promoted to the rank of lieutenant commander in July 1921, commander in October 1931, and captain in 1939.
At the time of the U.S. entry into World War II
, Conklin served as the medical officer in command of the Chelsea Naval Hospital
in Chelsea, Massachusetts
. He was assigned to overseas duty and set up a mobile hospital in New Caledonia
one month after embarking from San Diego. He received the Legion of Merit
for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services and achievements in establishing the mobile hospital. He also served on the staff of Gen. Douglas MacArthur
in July 1945 as liaison officer of the Fifth Marine Division assigned to the Sixth Army for the planned invasion of Japan.
On June 12, 1944, Conklin presented Lt. John F. Kennedy
with the Navy and Marine Corps Medal
for heroism in rescuing members of the crew of the PT 109.
At the end of World War II, Conklin was placed in command of the U.S Navy special hospital in Palm Beach, Florida
. In January 1946, Conklin was commissioned as a rear admiral and became the medical officer of the Ninth Naval district headquartered at the Great Lakes Naval Training Station in Great Lakes, Illinois.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
player and coach, medical doctor and naval officer. He played football for Fielding H. Yost's University of Michigan
University of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
teams from 1909 to 1911 and was selected as an All-Western player in 1911. He spent 32 years as an officer in the U.S. Navy, reaching the rank of rear admiral after serving in 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...
and World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. He received the Legion of Honor for establishing a mobile hospital in New Caledonia
New Caledonia
New Caledonia is a special collectivity of France located in the southwest Pacific Ocean, east of Australia and about from Metropolitan France. The archipelago, part of the Melanesia subregion, includes the main island of Grande Terre, the Loyalty Islands, the Belep archipelago, the Isle of...
in 1942 and later presented John F. Kennedy
John F. Kennedy
John Fitzgerald "Jack" Kennedy , often referred to by his initials JFK, was the 35th President of the United States, serving from 1961 until his assassination in 1963....
with a medal
Navy and Marine Corps Medal
The Navy and Marine Corps Medal is the second highest non-combatant medal awarded by the United States Department of the Navy to members of the United States Navy and the United States Marine Corps...
for heroism in rescuing members of the crew of the PT 109.
Michigan
A native of Manchester, MichiganManchester, Michigan
Manchester is a village in Washtenaw County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 2,160 at the 2000 census. The village is located within Manchester Township.-Chicago Road:...
, Conklin attended Ann Arbor High School before enrolling at University of Michigan
University of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
. He played at the left end and right guard
Guard (American football)
In American and Canadian football, a guard is a player that lines up between the center and the tackles on the offensive line of a football team....
and left tackle
Tackle (American football)
Tackle is a playing position in American and Canadian football. Historically, in the one-platoon system a tackle played on both offense and defense. In the modern system of specialized units, offensive tackle and defensive tackle are separate positions....
positions for Fielding H. Yost's Michigan football teams from 1909 to 1911. He was also elected captain of the 1911 Michigan team
1911 Michigan Wolverines football team
The 1911 Michigan Wolverines football team represented the University of Michigan in the 1911 college football season. The team's head coach was Fielding H. Yost. The Wolverines played their home games at Ferry Field.-Schedule:-Starters:...
. At the end of 1911 season, Conklin was selected as an All-Western player and named to Outing
Outing (magazine)
Outing was a late-nineteenth- and early twentieth-century American magazine covering a variety of sporting activities. It began publication in 1882 as the Wheelman and had four title changes before ceasing publication in 1923....
magazine's "Honor List" as one of the four best players at the left end position in the country. After completing his undergraduate education at Michigan, Conklin enrolled in medical school at Michigan and served as an assistant football coach under head coach Yost in the 1912 season. He graduated from the University of Michigan Medical School in 1914.
Naval career
In September 1914, Conklin enlisted in the U.S. Navy and was commissioned as a lieutenant junior grade. He attended a six-week Naval training school 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....
to qualify as a Navy surgeon. He was promoted to the rank of lieutenant upon the U.S. entry into 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...
in April 1918. During World War I, Conklin served aboard the cruisers USS Milwaukee
USS Milwaukee (C-21)
The second USS Milwaukee was a St. Louis-class protected cruiser in the United States Navy. Milwaukee was laid down 30 July 1902 by Union Iron Works, San Francisco, California; launched 10 September 1904; sponsored by Miss Janet Mitchell, daughter of U.S. Senator John L...
and USS Brooklyn
USS Brooklyn (CA-3)
The second USS Brooklyn was a United States Navy armored cruiser.She was launched on 2 October 1895 by William Cramp and Sons Ship and Engine Building Company of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; sponsored by Miss Ida May Schieren; and commissioned on 1 December 1896, Captain Francis Augustus Cook in...
and in the Far East at naval hospitals in Cacaco and Cavite
Cavite
Cavite is a province of the Philippines located on the southern shores of Manila Bay in the CALABARZON region in Luzon, just 30 kilometers south of Manila. Cavite is surrounded by Laguna to the east, Metro Manila to the northeast, and Batangas to the south...
in the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
and at the naval hospital in Yokohama, Japan. Conklin later recalled the advances made in battlefield medical care during World War I:
"In all wars prior to the World War, four times as many sailors and soldiers died from diseases as were killed by the enemy. Had this ratio been maintained, the World War would have been terminated in two years because of the lack of man power. The Germans lost more than 1,000,000 soldiers killed in combat during the first thirty months, while their loss by disease was 60,000 instead of the expected disease loss of 4,00,000. Therefore, the military value of application of the principles of modern medicine cannot too highly be evaluated."
After the end of World War I, Conklin continued to serve in the Navy at various naval hospitals and aboard naval vessels. He was promoted to the rank of lieutenant commander in July 1921, commander in October 1931, and captain in 1939.
At the time of the U.S. entry into World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, Conklin served as the medical officer in command of the Chelsea Naval Hospital
Chelsea Naval Hospital
Chelsea Naval Hospital was a hospital in Chelsea, Massachusetts. With the closure of the nearby Boston Navy Yard, the hospital closed in 1974.-History:...
in Chelsea, Massachusetts
Chelsea, Massachusetts
Chelsea is a city in Suffolk County, Massachusetts, United States directly across the Mystic River from the city of Boston. It is the smallest city in Massachusetts in land area, and the 26th most densely populated incorporated place in the country.-History:...
. He was assigned to overseas duty and set up a mobile hospital in New Caledonia
New Caledonia
New Caledonia is a special collectivity of France located in the southwest Pacific Ocean, east of Australia and about from Metropolitan France. The archipelago, part of the Melanesia subregion, includes the main island of Grande Terre, the Loyalty Islands, the Belep archipelago, the Isle of...
one month after embarking from San Diego. He received the Legion of Merit
Legion of Merit
The Legion of Merit is a military decoration of the United States armed forces that is awarded for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services and achievements...
for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services and achievements in establishing the mobile hospital. He also served on the staff of Gen. Douglas MacArthur
Douglas MacArthur
General of the Army Douglas MacArthur was an American general and field marshal of the Philippine Army. He was a Chief of Staff of the United States Army during the 1930s and played a prominent role in the Pacific theater during World War II. He received the Medal of Honor for his service in the...
in July 1945 as liaison officer of the Fifth Marine Division assigned to the Sixth Army for the planned invasion of Japan.
On June 12, 1944, Conklin presented Lt. John F. Kennedy
John F. Kennedy
John Fitzgerald "Jack" Kennedy , often referred to by his initials JFK, was the 35th President of the United States, serving from 1961 until his assassination in 1963....
with the Navy and Marine Corps Medal
Navy and Marine Corps Medal
The Navy and Marine Corps Medal is the second highest non-combatant medal awarded by the United States Department of the Navy to members of the United States Navy and the United States Marine Corps...
for heroism in rescuing members of the crew of the PT 109.
At the end of World War II, Conklin was placed in command of the U.S Navy special hospital in Palm Beach, Florida
Palm Beach, Florida
The Town of Palm Beach is an incorporated town in Palm Beach County, Florida, United States. The Intracoastal Waterway separates it from the neighboring cities of West Palm Beach and Lake Worth...
. In January 1946, Conklin was commissioned as a rear admiral and became the medical officer of the Ninth Naval district headquartered at the Great Lakes Naval Training Station in Great Lakes, Illinois.