William P. Cronan
Encyclopedia
William Pigott Cronan was a United States Navy Captain who served as the 19th Naval Governor of Guam. During his tenure in the Navy, he became decorated, commanded a number of ships, and came to be known as "the most popular man in the Navy". He participated in the Battle of Santiago de Cuba
during the Spanish–American War. In 1903, he gained some attention for his participation in the rescue of a Venezuela
n fisherman off the coast of La Guaira
under bad conditions. Both the Venezuelan government and navy command praised him for the way he carried out the operation. He became a national news story in 1907 while serving aboard the USS Connecticut
during a training operation. When a gun nearly exploded because of leaking powder; he shoved his hand into the gun's breechblock
, preventing the explosion and losing two of his fingers in the process.
He served as the first commanding officer of the USS Monaghan
in 1911. He would later command the Atlantic Fleet
Torpedo Flotilla Fifth Fleet from the flagship USS Jouett
. During World War I
, he first commanded the USS Supply
and captured German Corvette Captain
Adalbert Zuckschwerdt
off the coast of Guam
. He also commanded the U.S.S. Komingin der Nederlanden during the war, for which he received the Navy Cross
. The house he owned with wife Nellie Grant Cronan, granddaughter of President Ulysses S. Grant
, is now an historical site in San Diego. He is buried at Arlington National Cemetery
.
, Connecticut. His uncle, James P. Pigott
, served in the United States House of Representatives
from Connecticut
. Cronan was an officer in the New York Yacht Club
. He married Nellie Grant, daughter of Jesse Root Grant
and grand-daughter of President
Ulysses S. Grant
, in 1913. They had two daughters: Nellie Grant Cronan and Elizabeth Grant Cronan. Nellie was born in Tokyo and married United States Army
Captain Franklin Gibney Rothwell in 1942. From 1923 until his death in 1929 Cronan lived in San Diego, California, in the William and Nell Cronan House, now considered an historical resource by the city. During his time in the Navy, he was known as "the most popular man in the Navy". He is buried at Arlington National Cemetery
.
in 1898. While still a naval cadet he served aboard the USS Marblehead
. Upon graduation, he participated in the Battle of Santiago de Cuba
of the Spanish–American War aboard the USS Brooklyn
. He also served aboard the USS Iowa
as an ensign. He subsequently served aboard the USS Don Juan de Austria, leaving the ship in 1901. In 1903, while serving aboard the USS Marietta
, Cronan and eight enlisted men rescued a Venezuela
n fisherman off the coast of La Guaira
under dangerous conditions, for which he received praise from the Venezuelan government and his superior officers. He also served with the Judge Advocate General's Corps, U.S. Navy
.
In 1907, he gained some fame for an incident aboard the USS Connecticut
during a target practice
exercise. Believing an explosion imminent within the breechblock
of one of the ship's guns, Cronan shoved his hand within the block to prevent its closing. He prevented any explosion and lost two fingers of his right hand in the process.
In 1911, Cronan became the first commanding officer
of the USS Monaghan
as a lieutenant commander
. During his time in command, the ship struck a naval pier at full speed and took several hours to get loose. In 1913 he became the commander of the newly formed Atlantic Fleet
Torpedo Flotilla Fifth Fleet and also commanded his flagship USS Jouett
. Cronan served in World War I
as the commanding officer
of the U.S.S. Komingin der Nederlanden, a transport ship, for which he received the Navy Cross
. He retired as a Captain on October 4, 1923.
pending the arrival of appointee Roy Campbell Smith
. Cronan remained in Guam
after his tenure as governor as commander of the USS Supply
. He captured German Corvette Captain
Adalbert Zuckschwerdt
after he exploded the SMS Cormoran rather than allow her to be captured in Apra Harbor
during World War I
. He reportedly greeted Zuckschwerdt with the accolade "Sir, you are a brave man."
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:...
during the Spanish–American War. In 1903, he gained some attention for his participation in the rescue of a Venezuela
Venezuela
Venezuela , officially called the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela , is a tropical country on the northern coast of South America. It borders Colombia to the west, Guyana to the east, and Brazil to the south...
n fisherman off the coast of La Guaira
La Guaira
La Guaira is the capital city of the Venezuelan state of Vargas and the country's chief port. It was founded in 1577 as an outlet for Caracas, to the southeast. The town and the port were badly damaged during the December 1999 floods and mudslides that affected much of the region...
under bad conditions. Both the Venezuelan government and navy command praised him for the way he carried out the operation. He became a national news story in 1907 while serving aboard the USS Connecticut
USS Connecticut (BB-18)
USS Connecticut , the fourth United States Navy ship to be named after the state of Connecticut, was the lead ship of her class of six. Her keel was laid on 10 March 1903; launched on 29 September 1904, Connecticut was commissioned on 29 September 1906 as the most advanced ship in the U.S...
during a training operation. When a gun nearly exploded because of leaking powder; he shoved his hand into the gun's breechblock
Breechblock
A breechblock is the part of the firearm action that closes the breech of a weapon at the moment of firing....
, preventing the explosion and losing two of his fingers in the process.
He served as the first commanding officer of the USS Monaghan
USS Monaghan (DD-32)
The first USS Monaghan was a modified in the United States Navy during World War I and later in the United States Coast Guard, designated '. She was named for Ensign John R. Monaghan....
in 1911. He would later command the Atlantic Fleet
United States Fleet Forces Command
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...
Torpedo Flotilla Fifth Fleet from the flagship USS Jouett
USS Jouett (DD-41)
The first USS Jouett was a modified in the United States Navy during World War I and later in the United States Coast Guard, designated as CG-13...
. 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...
, he first commanded the USS Supply
USS Supply (1873)
USS Supply, ex-Illinois, was a schooner-rigged iron steamer built in 1873 by William Cramp and Sons of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Illinois was purchased by the Navy Department from the International Navigation Company on 30 April 1898 for $325,000.00 and commissioned as Supply, Lt. Comdr. R. R...
and captured German Corvette Captain
Corvette Captain
Corvette captain is a rank in many navies which theoretically corresponds to command of a corvette . The equivalent rank in the United Kingdom, Commonwealth and USA is lieutenant commander...
Adalbert Zuckschwerdt
Adalbert Zuckschwerdt
Adalbert Zuckschwerdt was captain of the German raider, the SMS Cormoran, that sailed from the German colony of Tsingtao , China, until she was stranded and finally interned at Guam by the Americans...
off the coast of Guam
Guam
Guam is an organized, unincorporated territory of the United States located in the western Pacific Ocean. It is one of five U.S. territories with an established civilian government. Guam is listed as one of 16 Non-Self-Governing Territories by the Special Committee on Decolonization of the United...
. He also commanded the U.S.S. Komingin der Nederlanden during the war, for which he received the Navy Cross
Navy Cross
The Navy Cross is the highest decoration that may be bestowed by the Department of the Navy and the second highest decoration given for valor. It is normally only awarded to members of the United States Navy, United States Marine Corps and United States Coast Guard, but can be awarded to all...
. The house he owned with wife Nellie Grant Cronan, granddaughter of President Ulysses S. Grant
Ulysses S. Grant
Ulysses S. Grant was the 18th President of the United States as well as military commander during the Civil War and post-war Reconstruction periods. Under Grant's command, the Union Army defeated the Confederate military and ended the Confederate States of America...
, is now an historical site in San Diego. He is buried at 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...
.
Life
Cronan was born on March 6, 1879 to Patrick J. Cronan in New HavenNew Haven, Connecticut
New Haven is the second-largest city in Connecticut and the sixth-largest in New England. According to the 2010 Census, New Haven's population increased by 5.0% between 2000 and 2010, a rate higher than that of the State of Connecticut, and higher than that of the state's five largest cities, and...
, Connecticut. His uncle, James P. Pigott
James P. Pigott
James Protus Pigott was a U.S. Representative from Connecticut.Born in New Haven, Connecticut, Pigott attended the common schools and graduated from Yale College in 1878 and from Yale Law School in 1880....
, served in the United States House of Representatives
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
from Connecticut
Connecticut
Connecticut is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south .Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately...
. Cronan was an officer in the New York Yacht Club
New York Yacht Club
The New York Yacht Club is a private social club and yacht club based in New York City and Newport, Rhode Island. It was founded in 1844 by nine prominent sportsmen. The members have contributed to the sport of yachting and yacht design. The organization has over 3,000 members as of 2011. ...
. He married Nellie Grant, daughter of Jesse Root Grant
Jesse Root Grant
Jesse Root Grant was the youngest son of President Ulysses S. Grant. He joined the Democratic Party and sought the party nomination for president, running against William Jennings Bryan in 1908.In 1925, he wrote a biography of his father.-Biography:Jesse Root Grant was born near St. Louis,...
and grand-daughter of President
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
Ulysses S. Grant
Ulysses S. Grant
Ulysses S. Grant was the 18th President of the United States as well as military commander during the Civil War and post-war Reconstruction periods. Under Grant's command, the Union Army defeated the Confederate military and ended the Confederate States of America...
, in 1913. They had two daughters: Nellie Grant Cronan and Elizabeth Grant Cronan. Nellie was born in Tokyo and married United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
Captain Franklin Gibney Rothwell in 1942. From 1923 until his death in 1929 Cronan lived in San Diego, California, in the William and Nell Cronan House, now considered an historical resource by the city. During his time in the Navy, he was known as "the most popular man in the Navy". He is buried at 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...
.
Naval career
Cronan graduated from the United States Naval AcademyUnited States Naval Academy
The United States Naval Academy is a four-year coeducational federal service academy located in Annapolis, Maryland, United States...
in 1898. While still a naval cadet he served aboard the USS Marblehead
USS Marblehead (C-11)
The second USS Marblehead was an unarmored cruiser in the United States Navy which served in the Spanish-American War and World War I....
. Upon graduation, he participated 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:...
of the Spanish–American War aboard the 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...
. He also served aboard the 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...
as an ensign. He subsequently served aboard the USS Don Juan de Austria, leaving the ship in 1901. In 1903, while serving aboard the USS Marietta
USS Marietta (PG-15)
USS Marietta was a schooner-rigged gunboat. She was laid down by Union Iron Works, San Francisco, California on 13 April 1896 and launched on 18 March 1897, sponsored by Mrs. C. L. More, daughter of Brigadier General T. C. H. Smith and commissioned on September 1897, with Commander F. W...
, Cronan and eight enlisted men rescued a Venezuela
Venezuela
Venezuela , officially called the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela , is a tropical country on the northern coast of South America. It borders Colombia to the west, Guyana to the east, and Brazil to the south...
n fisherman off the coast of La Guaira
La Guaira
La Guaira is the capital city of the Venezuelan state of Vargas and the country's chief port. It was founded in 1577 as an outlet for Caracas, to the southeast. The town and the port were badly damaged during the December 1999 floods and mudslides that affected much of the region...
under dangerous conditions, for which he received praise from the Venezuelan government and his superior officers. He also served with the Judge Advocate General's Corps, U.S. Navy
Judge Advocate General's Corps, U.S. Navy
The Judge Advocate General's Corps also known as the "JAG Corps" or "JAG" is the legal arm of the United States Navy. Today, the corps consists of a worldwide organization of more than 730 Judge Advocates, 30 limited duty officers , 500 enlisted members and nearly 275 civilian personnel, serving...
.
In 1907, he gained some fame for an incident aboard the USS Connecticut
USS Connecticut (BB-18)
USS Connecticut , the fourth United States Navy ship to be named after the state of Connecticut, was the lead ship of her class of six. Her keel was laid on 10 March 1903; launched on 29 September 1904, Connecticut was commissioned on 29 September 1906 as the most advanced ship in the U.S...
during a target practice
Target practice
Target practice refers to any exercise in which projectiles are fired at a specified target, usually to improve the aim of the person or persons firing the weapon....
exercise. Believing an explosion imminent within the breechblock
Breechblock
A breechblock is the part of the firearm action that closes the breech of a weapon at the moment of firing....
of one of the ship's guns, Cronan shoved his hand within the block to prevent its closing. He prevented any explosion and lost two fingers of his right hand in the process.
In 1911, Cronan became the first commanding officer
Commanding officer
The commanding officer is the officer in command of a military unit. Typically, the commanding officer has ultimate authority over the unit, and is usually given wide latitude to run the unit as he sees fit, within the bounds of military law...
of the USS Monaghan
USS Monaghan (DD-32)
The first USS Monaghan was a modified in the United States Navy during World War I and later in the United States Coast Guard, designated '. She was named for Ensign John R. Monaghan....
as a lieutenant commander
Lieutenant commander (United States)
Lieutenant commander is a mid-ranking officer rank in the United States Navy, the United States Coast Guard, the United States Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Commissioned Corps, with the pay grade of O-4 and NATO rank code OF-3...
. During his time in command, the ship struck a naval pier at full speed and took several hours to get loose. In 1913 he became the commander of the newly formed Atlantic Fleet
United States Fleet Forces Command
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...
Torpedo Flotilla Fifth Fleet and also commanded his flagship USS Jouett
USS Jouett (DD-41)
The first USS Jouett was a modified in the United States Navy during World War I and later in the United States Coast Guard, designated as CG-13...
. Cronan served 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...
as the commanding officer
Commanding officer
The commanding officer is the officer in command of a military unit. Typically, the commanding officer has ultimate authority over the unit, and is usually given wide latitude to run the unit as he sees fit, within the bounds of military law...
of the U.S.S. Komingin der Nederlanden, a transport ship, for which he received the Navy Cross
Navy Cross
The Navy Cross is the highest decoration that may be bestowed by the Department of the Navy and the second highest decoration given for valor. It is normally only awarded to members of the United States Navy, United States Marine Corps and United States Coast Guard, but can be awarded to all...
. He retired as a Captain on October 4, 1923.
Governorship
Cronan served as acting Naval Governor of Guam from April 29, 1916 to May 8, 1916. As the ranking officer present, he took command from outgoing governor William John MaxwellWilliam John Maxwell
William John Maxwell was a United States Navy officer who served as the 18th Naval Governor of Guam. He entered the United States Naval Academy in 1874, but was not commissioned as an ensign until 1883. He served aboard many ships before becoming one of the inaugural members of the General Board of...
pending the arrival of appointee Roy Campbell Smith
Roy Campbell Smith
Roy Campbell Smith was the Governor of Guam from 1916 to 1918.-Biography:He was the commanding officer of the USS Arkansas from 17 September 1912 to 13 October 1914. He died on April 11, 1940 in Somerville, South Carolina....
. Cronan remained in Guam
Guam
Guam is an organized, unincorporated territory of the United States located in the western Pacific Ocean. It is one of five U.S. territories with an established civilian government. Guam is listed as one of 16 Non-Self-Governing Territories by the Special Committee on Decolonization of the United...
after his tenure as governor as commander of the USS Supply
USS Supply (1873)
USS Supply, ex-Illinois, was a schooner-rigged iron steamer built in 1873 by William Cramp and Sons of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Illinois was purchased by the Navy Department from the International Navigation Company on 30 April 1898 for $325,000.00 and commissioned as Supply, Lt. Comdr. R. R...
. He captured German Corvette Captain
Corvette Captain
Corvette captain is a rank in many navies which theoretically corresponds to command of a corvette . The equivalent rank in the United Kingdom, Commonwealth and USA is lieutenant commander...
Adalbert Zuckschwerdt
Adalbert Zuckschwerdt
Adalbert Zuckschwerdt was captain of the German raider, the SMS Cormoran, that sailed from the German colony of Tsingtao , China, until she was stranded and finally interned at Guam by the Americans...
after he exploded the SMS Cormoran rather than allow her to be captured in Apra Harbor
Apra Harbor
Apra Harbor is a deep-water port on the western side of Guam in the Mariana Islands. The harbor is formed by Orote Peninsula in the south and Cabras Island in the north. To the south, the harbor narrows and then widens again to form an inner harbor. The southern end of the harbor is the location...
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...
. He reportedly greeted Zuckschwerdt with the accolade "Sir, you are a brave man."