Stuart H. Ingersoll Explained

Stuart Howe Ingersoll
Birth Date:June 3, 1898
Birth Place:Springfield, Massachusetts
Death Place:Newport, Rhode Island
Allegiance:United States of America
Branch: United States Navy
Serviceyears:1920–1960
Rank: Vice Admiral
Commands:
Battles:
Awards:

Stuart Howe Ingersoll (June 3, 1898  - January 29, 1983)[1] was a vice admiral of the United States Navy. He was a naval aviator whose career included service as an aircraft carrier commander during World War II and tours as commander-in-chief of the United States Seventh Fleet, President of the Naval War College, and Commandant of Midshipmen at the United States Naval Academy.

Early life

Ingersoll was born on 3 June 1898 in Springfield, Massachusetts.[1] Appointed from Maine to the United States Naval Academy at Annapolis, Maryland, he was admitted to the school on 19 July 1917.[2] The United States had entered World War I on 6 April 1917, and he arrived at the academy as a member of the Class of 1921 at a time when the school's student body and staff were growing rapidly to meet the need for naval officers in the expanding wartime navy.[3] On 4 March 1917, the United States Congress had authorized the academy to shorten its four-year program to three years, with the school year starting earlier than usual, the second class (i.e., junior year) deleted, and instruction normally held that year taught in the plebe (i.e., freshman) or first class (i.e., senior year) instead.[3] The top 286 members of the Class of 1921[3] — Ingersoll among them[4] — graduated after only three years, on 3 June 1920,[3] and were commissioned as ensigns on 5 June 1920,[4] while the other 280 members of the class graduated in 1921 as the academy returned to its four-year curriculum.[3] Ingersoll's Naval Academy years included a cruise on the battleship .[5]

Naval career

Pre-World War II

Ingersoll reported aboard the battleship on 8 July 1920 to begin his first tour of duty as a naval officer.[4] In 1921, he transferred to the destroyer .[5] [6] After Cassin was decommissioned in 1922, he transferred to the destroyer,[7] which operated from Constantinople in the waters of the Ottoman Empire during his tour.[8] Promoted to lieutenant (junior grade) on 5 June 1923, he was serving aboard the destroyer in the United States Asiatic Fleet by the beginning of 1924.[9] During his tour, Sicard supported the first aerial circumnavigation of the world by four United States Army Air Service Douglas World Cruiser aircraft in 1924.[10] He transferred to the destroyer in 1925.[5]

Detaching from Borie in July 1925,[5] [11] Ingersoll reported to Naval Air Station Pensacola in Pensacola, Florida, on 1 August 1925 for aviation training.[11] He qualified as a naval aviator, was promoted to lieutenant on 1 July 1926, and on 1 September 1926[12] reported for duty as a pilot with Bombing Squadron 1 (VB-1). Before the end of 1926 he began duty aboard the seaplane tender, and in 1927 he left Wright[5] to become a pilot in Torpedo Squadron 1 (VT-1), remaining with the squadron until 1928.[5] By the beginning of 1929 he was a pilot in Bombing Squadron One (VB-1B) in the Battle Fleet.[13] He left the squadron that year to serve aboard the battleship,[5] detaching from her in June 1929.[5] [14]

Ingersoll reported for duty at Naval Support Activity Hampton Roads at Naval Air Station Norfolk in Norfolk, Virginia, on 28 July 1929.[14] On 1 July 1931, he returned to sea, beginning a tour aboard the aircraft carrier .[15] Detaching from Langley in June 1933, he returned to Naval Air Station Norfolk on 29 June 1933 for another tour there.[16] He returned to the fleet on 26 July 1935, beginning a tour with Bombing Squadron 5B (VB-5B).[17] He was promoted to lieutenant commander on 1 July 1936,[17] by which time he had completed the Naval War College correspondence course in naval strategy and naval tactics.[17]

Leaving VB-5B in December 1936, Ingersoll reported on 31 December 1936 for duty in connection with the new aircraft carrier,[18] then fitting out at Newport News Shipbuilding and Drydock Company in Newport News, Virginia.[19] He detached from Yorktown prior to her commissioning, and on 30 September 1937 he assumed command of Patrol Squadron 18 (VP-18),[20] a new squadron established at Naval Air Station Seattle in Seattle, Washington on 1 September 1937. Under his command, the squadron took delivery of its first aircraft, 15 Consolidated P2Y-3 flying boats, on 15 January 1938,[21] was redesignated Patrol Squadron 13 (VP-13) on 1 July 1939,[21] [22] and was redesignated Patrol Squadron 26 (VP-26) on 11 December 1939.[21] [23]

Ingersoll left the squadron in July 1940[24] and began a tour with the Bureau of Aeronautics in Washington, D.C.[5] Promoted to commander on 1 April 1941.[24] he became the assistant naval attache in London 16 April 1941.[5] [24]

World War II

The United States entered World War II on 7 December 1941. Early in 1942,[5] Ingersoll was the air operations officer on the staff of Rear Admiral Arthur L. Bristol Jr., who was commander of the U.S. Navy Support Force at Argentia in the Dominion of Newfoundland, the force responsible for U.S. Navy convoy escort of Allied and neutral shipping in the North Atlantic Ocean west of Iceland. During this period, U.S. Navy PBO Hudson patrol aircraft from Argentia sank the first two German submarines (U-boats) sunk by the United States Armed Forces during World War II.[25] Advanced to the temporary rank of captain on 20 June 1942,[26] Ingersoll had shore duty at Naval Air Station Anacostia in Washington, D.C., from 1942 to 1943,[5] when he transferred to the escort aircraft carrier,[5] which operated as flagship of Task Group 21.14, a hunter-killer group operating against German submarines in the North Atlantic. In October 1943, he received the Legion of Merit for his tour aboard Card, the citation reading in part:

...During a period of intense anti-submarine activities in the North Atlantic, Captain Ingersoll was responsible for detailed supervision of convoy escort operations. Through superior knowledge and seamanship, he contributed materially to the steady decline in shipping losses.[27]

On 10 April 1944[28] Ingersoll became the commanding officer of the light aircraft carrier, which operated in the Pacific Ocean in the United States Third and Fifth Fleets. He commanded Monterey during the Battle of the Philippine Sea in June 1944[5] [29] the Battle of Guam in July–August 1944,[5] air strikes by the Fast Carrier Task Force against Formosa in mid-October 1944,[5] and the Leyte campaign and Battle of Leyte Gulf later in October 1944.[5] He received the Navy Cross for his actions during the Formosa raids and the Battle of Leyte Gulf, the citation reading in part:

...for extraordinary heroism and distinguished service in the line of his profession as Commanding Officer of the Light Aircraft Carrier U.S.S. MONTEREY (CVL-26), in the face of tremendous enemy opposition during action against enemy Japanese forces off Formosa during the period 29 August 1944 through 30 October 1944. When the MONTEREY came under heavy Japanese aerial attack while boldly penetrating the hazardous waters off Formosa on 13–14 October [1944], Captain Ingersoll fearlessly held his courage and, hurling the full fighting strength of his planes, despite terrific odds succeeded in blasting a number of hostile aircraft from the sky with no damage to his own vessel. During the Battle for Leyte Gulf on 25–26 October 1944, he inflicted heavy damage and destruction upon capital ships of the Japanese fleet in a bitterly fought, decisive engagement. Captain Ingersoll's inspiring leadership and the valiant devotion to duty of his command contributed in large measure to the outstanding success of these vital missions.[30]

During the extremely dangerous Typhoon Cobra of December 1944, aircraft on Montereys hangar deck broke loose and wrought destruction as they slid across the deck while the ship rolled heavily, igniting a fire. Urged to abandon ship by United States Third Fleet commander Admiral William F. Halsey Jr., Ingersoll exhibited determination to save Monterey in ignoring the order as he directed his crew – which included future U.S. U.S. President Gerald R. Ford – to extinguish the fire and displayed excellent seamanship in saving the ship.[31] [32] Ingersoll relinquished command of Monterey on 28 January 1945.[28] In March 1945, he took up duties as Commandant of Midshipmen at the U.S. Naval Academy.[5] [33]

Post-World War II

After World War II, Ingersoll remained commandant of midshipmen until 1947.[5] Future U.S. President Jimmy Carter was a midshipman at the academy during his tenure.[34] On 2 November 1945, the United States Senate confirmed his promotion to the temporary rank of rear admiral,[35] with a date of rank backdated to 9 March 1944.[36] In 1947 he became commander, Fleet Air Wing 2, and in December 1947 he became chief of staff and aide to the Commander-in-Chief, U.S. Pacific Fleet.[37]

By January 1950, Ingersoll was Director of Strategic Plans in the office of the Deputy Chief of Naval Operations for Operations.[38] [39] He remained in that position as of May 1951,[40] but by May 1952 he was the Assistant Chief of Naval Operations for Operations.[41]

Ingersoll returned to sea as the commander, Carrier Division Four, then in June 1953 became chief of staff and aide to the Commander-in-Chief, United States Atlantic Fleet.[42] Promoted to vice admiral on 7 September 1955,[5] he was commander of the United States Seventh Fleet from 19 December 1955 to 28 January 1957,[43] also serving as commander, United States Taiwan Defense Command, from December 1955 to July 1957.[44] Ingersoll received the Distinguished Service Medal for his Seventh Fleet and Taiwan Defense Command tour, the citation reading in part:

...as Commander SEVENTH Fleet and Commander United States-Taiwan Defense Command from December 1955 to June 1957...Under his leadership the SEVENTH Fleet was maintained at a high state of combat readiness as a stabilizing element in the Far East. As Commander United States-Taiwan Defense Command, Vice Admiral Ingersoll was directly responsible for carrying out United States policy in cooperation with the Chinese nationalist government in the defense of Taiwan.[45]

Ingersoll became the 31st President of the Naval War College in Newport, Rhode Island, on 13 August 1957, bringing a broad background in post-World War II planning and leadership in unified commands to the college. During his presidency, he oversaw the changeover of the college's wargaming from manual to computerized processes,[46] [47] and on 13 November 1958, the Naval Electronic Warfare Simulator (NEWS) was commissioned in Sims Hall.[48] He also served on the Civil War Centennial Commission while at the college, beginning in the autumn of 1957.[49] His presidency concluded on 30 June 1960.[46] He received a gold star in lieu of a second award of the Distinguished Service Medal for his tour at the college, the citation reading in part:

...while serving as President, United States Naval War College, from August 1957 to July 1960. Under his astute direction, the Naval War College has maintained a special and proper emphasis upon naval power within the concepts of national strategy and has recognized and incorporated into the various curricula the implications of the rapid technological advances and Cold War requirements.[50]

Personal life

Ingersolls first marriage was to the former Josephine Springman (d. 1964), with whom he had a son, Stuart H. "Mike" Ingersoll II, and two daughters, Mary Josephine and Sally Ann. He later married Elinore Dorrance Hill (d. 1977).[34]

Death

Ingersoll died on 29 January 1983 at the Naval Regional Medical Center in Newport, Rhode Island.[1]

Decorations

Navy Cross citation

His official Navy Cross citation reads:[51]

General Orders: Bureau of Naval Personnel Information Bulletin No. 345 (December 1945)

Action Date: August 29 - October 30, 1944

Name: Stuart Howe Ingersoll

Service: Navy

Rank: Captain

Company: Commanding Officer

Division: U.S.S. Monterey (CVL-26)

Citation: The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Navy Cross to Captain Stuart Howe Ingersoll, United States Navy, for extraordinary heroism and distinguished service in the line of his profession as Commanding Officer of the Light Aircraft Carrier U.S.S. MONTEREY (CVL-26), in the face of tremendous enemy opposition during action against enemy Japanese forces off Formosa during the period 29 August 1944 through 30 October 1944. When the MONTEREY came under heavy Japanese aerial attack while bolding penetrating the hazardous waters off Formosa on 13–14 October, Captain Ingersoll fearlessly held his courage and, hurling the full fighting strength of his planes, despite terrific odds succeeded in blasting a number of hostile aircraft from the sky with no damage to his own vessel. During the Battle for Leyte Gulf on 25–26 October 1944, he inflicted heavy damage and destruction upon capital ships of the Japanese fleet in a bitterly fought, decisive engagement. Captain Ingersoll's inspiring leadership and the valiant devotion to duty of his command contributed in large measure to the outstanding success of these vital missions and reflect great credit upon the United States Naval Service.

Ribbon bar

Here is vice admiral Stuart H. Ingersoll's ribbon bar:

Naval Aviator Badge
1st RowNavy Cross
2nd RowNavy Distinguished Service Medal w/ gold starLegion of Merit w/ gold star and "V" DeviceNavy Commendation Medal w/ gold star
3rd RowWorld War I Victory Medal w/ Escort ClaspAmerican Defense Service Medal w/ Atlantic ClaspAmerican Campaign Medal
4th RowEuropean-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal w/ one service starAsiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal w/ two bronze service starsWorld War II Victory Medal
5th RowNational Defense Service MedalPhilippine Liberation Medal w/ two starsOrder of the British Empire

References

External links

Notes and References

  1. http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GSln=ingersoll&GSfn=stuart&GSmn=h&GSby=1905&GSbyrel=before&GSdy=1960&GSdyrel=after&GScntry=4&GSob=n&GRid=70881339&df=all& Adm Stuart Howe Ingersoll (1898-1983) Find-A Grave Memorial
  2. https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015036626185&view=1up&seq=704 Register of the Commissioned and Warrant Officers of the United States Navy and Naval Reserve Force, National Naval Volunteers, Marine Corps, Medical Reserve Corps, and Dental Reserve Corps, January 1, 1918, Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office, 1918, p. 268.
  3. https://www.usna.com/news/wwi usna.com U.S. NAVAL ACADEMY DURING WORLD WAR I
  4. https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015036626169&view=1up&seq=664 Register of the Commissioned and Warrant Officers of the United States Navy and Marine Corps, January 1, 1921, Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office, 1921, pp. 130–131.
  5. https://navy.togetherweserved.com/usn/servlet/tws.webapp.WebApp?cmd=ShadowBoxProfile&type=Person&ID=674039 togetherweserved.com Ingersoll, Stuart Howe, VADM
  6. https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015036626391&view=1up&seq=112 Register of the Commissioned and Warrant Officers of the United States Navy and Marine Corps, January 1, 1922, Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office, 1922, pp. 102–102.
  7. https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015036626391&view=1up&seq=548 Register of the Commissioned and Warrant Officers of the United States Navy and Marine Corps, January 1, 1923, Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office, 1923, pp. 100–101.
  8. Hopkins III (DD-249) . 20 July 2015 . 5 January 2020.
  9. https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015036626383&view=1up&seq=139 Register of the Commissioned and Warrant Officers of the United States Navy and Marine Corps, January 1, 1924, Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office, 1924, pp. 120–121.
  10. Sicard (DD-346) . 3 March 2016 . 5 January 2020.
  11. https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015036626375&view=1up&seq=116 Register of the Commissioned and Warrant Officers of the United States Navy and Marine Corps, January 1, 1926, Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office, 1926, pp. 110–111.
  12. https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015036626375&view=1up&seq=806 Register of the Commissioned and Warrant Officers of the United States Navy and Marine Corps, January 1, 1927, Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office, 1927, pp. 108–109.
  13. https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015036626367&view=1up&seq=658 Register of the Commissioned and Warrant Officers of the United States Navy and Marine Corps, January 1, 1929, Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office, 1929, pp. 100–101.
  14. https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015036626359&view=1up&seq=678 Register of the Commissioned and Warrant Officers of the United States Navy and Marine Corps, January 1, 1931, Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office, 1931, pp. 98–99.
  15. https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015036626342&view=1up&seq=108 Register of the Commissioned and Warrant Officers of the United States Navy and Marine Corps, January 1, 1932, Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office, 1932, pp. 100–101.
  16. https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015036626334&view=1up&seq=104 Register of the Commissioned and Warrant Officers of the United States Navy and Marine Corps, January 1, 1934, Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office, 1934, pp. 94–95.
  17. https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015036626326&view=1up&seq=80 Register of the Commissioned and Warrant Officers of the United States Navy and Marine Corps, July 1, 1936, Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office, 1936, pp. 74–75.
  18. https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015036626326&view=1up&seq=780 Register of the Commissioned and Warrant Officers of the United States Navy and Marine Corps, July 1, 1937, Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office, 1937, pp. 70–71.
  19. Yorktown III (CV-5) . 31 December 2015 . 5 January 2020.
  20. https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015036626318&view=1up&seq=76 Register of the Commissioned and Warrant Officers of the United States Navy and Marine Corps, July 1, 1938, Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office, 1938, pp. 68–69.
  21. Book: Roberts . Michael D. . Dictionary of American Naval Aviation Squadrons, Volume 2, Chapter 3, Section 12: Patrol Squadron Histories for 2nd VP-91 to VP-133 . Naval Historical Center, Department of the Navy . 2000 . Washington, D.C. . 363–365 . 2014-02-26.
  22. https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015036626318&view=1up&seq=808 Register of the Commissioned and Warrant Officers of the United States Navy and Marine Corps, July 1, 1939, Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office, 1939, pp. 64–65.
  23. https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015036626300&view=1up&seq=72 Register of the Commissioned and Warrant Officers of the United States Navy and Marine Corps, July 1, 1940, Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office, 1940, pp. 66–67.
  24. https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015036626300&view=1up&seq=856 Register of the Commissioned and Warrant Officers of the United States Navy and Marine Corps, July 1, 1941, Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office, 1941, pp. 54–55.
  25. Morison, Vol. I, p. 85n, pp. 85-86.
  26. https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015036626284&view=1up&seq=41 Register of the Commissioned and Warrant Officers of the United States Navy and Marine Corps, July 1, 1943, Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office, 1943, p. 31.
  27. https://valor.militarytimes.com/hero/20549#165540 Military Times Hall of Valor Stuart H. Ingersoll Legion of Merit
  28. http://www.navsource.org/archives/02/26co.htm NavSource Online: Aircraft Carrier Photo Archive USS MONTEREY (CV-26) (later CVL-26 and AVT-2) Commanding Officers
  29. Morison, Vol. VIII, p. 413.
  30. https://valor.militarytimes.com/hero/20549#20688 Military Times Hall of Valor Stuart H. Ingersoll Navy Cross
  31. Morison, Vol. XIII, pp 70, 80.
  32. http://ww2db.com/battle_spec.php?battle_id=79 World War II Database: Typhoon Cobra
  33. https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/local/1983/02/03/stuart-ingersoll-84-6/c51cab8a-a4f7-4787-a133-e3e4ac10e114/ Whitaker, Joseph D., "Stuart Ingersoll, 84," washingtonpost.com, February 3, 1983 Accessed January 7, 2020
  34. http://www.condit-family.com/ps56/ps56_492.html conditfamily.com Person Sheet
  35. https://books.google.com/books?id=OH1JDU-Rr0MC&q=Stuart+H.+Ingersoll&pg=PA10359 Congressional Record Proceedings and Debates of the 79th Congress First Session Volume 91—Part 8, October 19–November 28, 1945, Washington, D.C.: United States Government Printing Office, 1945, p. 1945.
  36. https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015036626979&view=1up&seq=881 Register of the Commissioned and Warrant Officers of the United States Navy and Marine Corps, July 1, 1947, Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office, 1947, p. 16.
  37. https://books.google.com/books?id=7_gJAAAAIAAJ&q=Ingersoll&pg=RA2-PA42 "Flag Rank Orders," All Hands, January 1948, p. 42.
  38. https://books.google.com/books?id=hmBGAQAAMAAJ&q=Ingersoll&pg=RA4-PA24 Anonymous, "66 Navy Admirals Are Pilots," Naval Aviation News, January 1950, p. 24.
  39. https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GOVPUB-CS1-67e2527d7a3fd03c1e8e93696f7c8b2d/pdf/GOVPUB-CS1-67e2527d7a3fd03c1e8e93696f7c8b2d.pdf United States Civil Service Commission, Official Register of the United States 1950, Washington, D.C., Government Printing Office, 1950, p. 167 Accessed January 11, 2020
  40. https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GOVPUB-CS1-4950c59871c79c5c929442353e86ffd6/pdf/GOVPUB-CS1-4950c59871c79c5c929442353e86ffd6.pdf United States Civil Service Commission, Official Register of the United States 1951, Washington, D.C., Government Printing Office, 1951, p. 149 Accessed January 11, 2020
  41. https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GOVPUB-CS1-67a8874c42d844f5c5ea6ba4181d24ff/pdf/GOVPUB-CS1-67a8874c42d844f5c5ea6ba4181d24ff.pdf United States Civil Service Commission, Official Register of the United States 1952, Washington, D.C., Government Printing Office, 1952, p. 151 Accessed January 11, 2020
  42. https://dpml.providence.edu/islandora/object/islandora%3A3856/datastream/OCR/view Anonymous, "ClnCLant Aide Relieved," Quonset Scout June 2, 1953, p. 4 Accessed January 11, 2020
  43. Marolda, p. 386.
  44. https://history.state.gov/historicaldocuments/frus1955-57v23p1/persons United States Department of State Office of the Historian: "Foreign Relations of the United States, 1955–1957, Japan, Volume XXIII, Part 1", List of Persons.
  45. https://valor.militarytimes.com/hero/20549#94528 Military Times Hall of Valor Stuart H. Ingersoll Navy Distinguished Service Medal
  46. http://www.nwc.navy.mil/about/pastpresidents.aspx Past Presidents page at the Naval War College official Web site
  47. Naval War College Illustrated History and Guide, pp. 14-15.
  48. Hattendorf, p. 24
  49. Cook, pp. 31, 138.
  50. https://valor.militarytimes.com/hero/20549#99555 Military Times Hall of Valor Stuart H. Ingersoll Navy Distinguished Service Medal
  51. Web site: Stuart Ingersoll - Recipient -.