Robert Coontz
Encyclopedia
Robert Edward Coontz was an admiral
in the United States Navy
, who sailed with the Great White Fleet
and served as the second Chief of Naval Operations
.
, Coontz graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy
in 1885 and served at the Navy Department
and in several ships over the next decade, among them vessels stationed in Alaska
n waters and the Great Lakes
. He returned to the Navy Department late in 1894 to work on updating officer records, then was assigned to the cruiser
Philadelphia
, the Coast Survey and the cruiser Charleston
. His time in the latter included Spanish-American War
service in the Pacific
. Following further duty afloat and ashore, Coontz, then a Lieutenant Commander
, was Executive Officer of the battleship
Nebraska
during the 1907-1909 world cruise of the "Great White Fleet
".
After promotion to Commander
in 1909, Coontz was Commandant of Midshipmen at the U.S. Naval Academy
. In 1912-13, he was Governor of Guam. Captain Coontz then served as Commanding Officer of the battleship Georgia
, followed by duty as Commandant of the Puget Sound Navy Yard and the 13th Naval District. He held those positions until late in 1918. Following a brief period as acting Chief of Naval Operations, Rear Admiral
Coontz assumed command of a battleship division in the Atlantic
.
Coontz had just been assigned to the Pacific Fleet in September 1919 when he was selected to become Chief of Naval Operations, succeeding Admiral
William S. Benson
. Reportedly, his term as CNO was marked by unceasing pressure for economy, Congressional
unhappiness over base closings, diplomatic efforts to achieve naval limitations, internal Navy Department conflicts over organization and the best ways to manage new technologies, plus the naval fallout of the Teapot Dome scandal. While dealing with these problems, Admiral Coontz established a unified United States Fleet
and strengthened the CNO's position within the Navy Department.
Relieved as CNO in mid-1923 by Admiral Edward W. Eberle, Coontz was able to return to sea as Commander in Chief of the U.S. Fleet. In 1925, he led the fleet on a trans-Pacific visit to New Zealand
and Australia
, the first massed deployment of American battleships since the "Great White Fleet
" cruise nearly two decades earlier and a valuable demonstration of their strategic reach. From October 1925 until his retirement in June 1928, Coontz served as Commandant of the Fifth Naval District, reverting to the rank of Rear Admiral. After retiring, he wrote a memoir chronicling his Navy career, titled From the Mississippi to the Sea. Admiral Robert E. Coontz died on 26 January 1935.
were named in his honor.
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"...
in the 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...
, who sailed with 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...
and served as the second Chief of Naval Operations
Chief of Naval Operations
The Chief of Naval Operations is a statutory office held by a four-star admiral in the United States Navy, and is the most senior uniformed officer assigned to serve in the Department of the Navy. The office is a military adviser and deputy to the Secretary of the Navy...
.
Background
Born in Hannibal, MissouriHannibal, Missouri
Hannibal is a city in Marion and Ralls counties in the U.S. state of Missouri. Hannibal is located at the intersection of Interstate 72 and U.S. Routes 24, 36 and 61, approximately northwest of St. Louis. According to the 2010 U.S. Census the population was 17,606...
, Coontz graduated from the U.S. 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 1885 and served at the Navy Department
United States Department of the Navy
The Department of the Navy of the United States of America was established by an Act of Congress on 30 April 1798, to provide a government organizational structure to the United States Navy and, from 1834 onwards, for the United States Marine Corps, and when directed by the President, of the...
and in several ships over the next decade, among them vessels stationed in Alaska
Alaska
Alaska is the largest state in the United States by area. It is situated in the northwest extremity of the North American continent, with Canada to the east, the Arctic Ocean to the north, and the Pacific Ocean to the west and south, with Russia further west across the Bering Strait...
n waters and the Great Lakes
Great Lakes
The Great Lakes are a collection of freshwater lakes located in northeastern North America, on the Canada – United States border. Consisting of Lakes Superior, Michigan, Huron, Erie, and Ontario, they form the largest group of freshwater lakes on Earth by total surface, coming in second by volume...
. He returned to the Navy Department late in 1894 to work on updating officer records, then was assigned to the cruiser
Cruiser
A cruiser is a type of warship. The term has been in use for several hundreds of years, and has had different meanings throughout this period...
Philadelphia
USS Philadelphia (C-4)
The fourth USS Philadelphia , also known as "Cruiser No. 4", was a cruiser of the United States Navy.She was laid down 22 March 1888 by William Cramp and Sons, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, launched 7 September 1889, sponsored by Miss Minnie Wanamaker, daughter of merchant and philanthropist John...
, the Coast Survey and the cruiser Charleston
USS Charleston (C-2)
The second USS Charleston was a United States Navy protected cruiser — the first US protected cruiser to be built. Lacking experience in building steel cruisers, the design was commissioned from the British company W. Armstrong, Mitchell and Co...
. His time in the latter included 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...
service in the Pacific
Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic in the north to the Southern Ocean in the south, bounded by Asia and Australia in the west, and the Americas in the east.At 165.2 million square kilometres in area, this largest division of the World...
. Following further duty afloat and ashore, Coontz, then a Lieutenant Commander
Lieutenant Commander
Lieutenant Commander is a commissioned officer rank in many navies. The rank is superior to a lieutenant and subordinate to a commander...
, was Executive Officer 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...
Nebraska
USS Nebraska (BB-14)
USS Nebraska was a Virginia-class pre-dreadnought battleship of the United States Navy. She was the first ship to carry her name.- History :...
during the 1907-1909 world cruise 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...
".
After promotion to Commander
Commander
Commander is a naval rank which is also sometimes used as a military title depending on the individual customs of a given military service. Commander is also used as a rank or title in some organizations outside of the armed forces, particularly in police and law enforcement.-Commander as a naval...
in 1909, Coontz was Commandant of Midshipmen at the U.S. 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 1912-13, he was Governor of Guam. Captain Coontz then served as Commanding Officer of the battleship Georgia
USS Georgia (BB-15)
USS Georgia was a United States Navy . She was the first ship to carry her name.Georgia was launched by the Bath Iron Works of Bath, Maine on 11 October 1904, sponsored by Miss Stella Tate, sister of Georgia Congressman Farish Carter Tate and commissioned at Boston Navy Yard on 24 September 1906,...
, followed by duty as Commandant of the Puget Sound Navy Yard and the 13th Naval District. He held those positions until late in 1918. Following a brief period as acting Chief of Naval Operations, 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"...
Coontz assumed command of a battleship division in the Atlantic
Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions. With a total area of about , it covers approximately 20% of the Earth's surface and about 26% of its water surface area...
.
Coontz had just been assigned to the Pacific Fleet in September 1919 when he was selected to become Chief of Naval Operations, succeeding Admiral
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"...
William S. Benson
William S. Benson
William Shepherd Benson was an Admiral in the United States Navy and the first Chief of Naval Operations , holding the post throughout World War I.-Biography:...
. Reportedly, his term as CNO was marked by unceasing pressure for economy, Congressional
United States Congress
The United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Congress meets in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C....
unhappiness over base closings, diplomatic efforts to achieve naval limitations, internal Navy Department conflicts over organization and the best ways to manage new technologies, plus the naval fallout of the Teapot Dome scandal. While dealing with these problems, Admiral Coontz established a unified United States Fleet
United States Fleet
The United States Fleet was an organization in the United States Navy from 1922 until after World War II. The abbreviation CINCUS, pronounced "sink us", was used for Commander-in-Chief, United States Fleet. This title was disposed of and officially replaced by COMINCH in December 1941 . This...
and strengthened the CNO's position within the Navy Department.
Relieved as CNO in mid-1923 by Admiral Edward W. Eberle, Coontz was able to return to sea as Commander in Chief of the U.S. Fleet. In 1925, he led the fleet on a trans-Pacific visit to New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
and Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, the first massed deployment of American battleships since 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...
" cruise nearly two decades earlier and a valuable demonstration of their strategic reach. From October 1925 until his retirement in June 1928, Coontz served as Commandant of the Fifth Naval District, reverting to the rank of Rear Admiral. After retiring, he wrote a memoir chronicling his Navy career, titled From the Mississippi to the Sea. Admiral Robert E. Coontz died on 26 January 1935.
Namesake
USS Coontz (DLG-9, later DDG-40) and USS Admiral R. E. Coontz (AP-122)USS Admiral R. E. Coontz (AP-122)
USS Admiral R. E. Coontz was laid down under a Maritime Commission contract on 15 January 1943 at Alameda, California, by the Bethlehem Steel Corp.; launched on 22 April 1944; sponsored by Mrs. Edwin Kokko, daughter of Admiral Coontz; and commissioned on 21 November 1944, Capt. Montford R...
were named in his honor.