| William Adger Moffett | |
|---|---|
| October 31 1869 –April 4 1933 (aged 63) | |
 Commander William A. Moffett |
|
| Place of birth | Charleston, South Carolina |
| Place of death | off the coast of New Jersey |
| Allegiance |  United States of America |
| Service/branch |  United States Navy |
| Years of service | c. 1886 – 1933 |
| Rank | Rear Admiral |
| Commands | USS Chester (CL-1) Great Lakes Naval Training Center USS Mississippi (BB-41) Bureau of Aeronautics |
| Battles/wars | Spanish-American War * Battle of Manila Bay U.S. occupation of Veracruz, 1914 World War I |
| Awards | Medal of Honor Distinguished Service Medal |
William Adger Moffett (31 October 1869 – 4 April 1933) was an American admiral notable as the architect of naval aviation in the United States Navy.
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Biography
Born in Charleston, South Carolina, he graduated from the United States Naval Academy in 1890. He was on the USS Charleston for the Battle of Manila Bay during the Spanish-American War. He received the Medal of Honor for his captaincy of the USS Chester in a daring and dangerous night landing in 1914 at Veracruz, Veracruz, Mexico. (See also United States occupation of Veracruz, 1914). In World War I, he was commander of the Great Lakes Naval Training Center near Chicago, and there established an aviator training program. While commanding the battleship Mississippi (1918–1921) he supported the creation of a scout plane unit on the ship. Although not himself a flyer, Moffett became known as the "Air Admiral" for his leadership of the Navy's Bureau of Aeronautics from its creation in 1921. In this role, he oversaw the development of tactics for naval aircraft, the introduction of the aircraft carrier, and relations with the civilian aircraft industry. By adroit use of public relations, he maintained support for naval aviation against Billy Mitchell, who favored putting all military aircraft into a separate air force. Moffett was also an advocate of airships; he lost his life on the Akron when the airship went down off the coast of New Jersey in 1933. He is buried in Arlington Cemetery, alongside his wife Jeanette Whitton Moffett. Their son William A. Moffett, Jr. was also a Navy admiral.
Medal of Honor
Rank and organization: Commander, U.S. Navy. Entered service at: Charleston, S.C. Born: 31 October 1869, Charleston, S.C. G.O. No.: 177, 4 December 1915. Other Navy award: Distinguished Service Medal. Citation:
- For distinguished conduct in battle, engagements of Vera Cruz, 21 and 22 April 1914. Comdr. Moffett brought his ship into the inner harbor during the nights of the 21st and 22d without the assistance of a pilot or navigational lights, and was in a position on the morning of the 22d to use his guns at a critical time with telling effect. His skill in mooring his ship at night was especially noticeable. He placed her nearest to the enemy and did most of the firing and received most of the hits.
Namesake
- The USS Moffett (DD-362) was named for him.
- The naval air station that he helped establish near Sunnyvale, California was renamed Moffett Field in his memory soon after his death.
See also
| United States Navy Portal |
- List of Medal of Honor recipients
- Bureau of Aeronautics
- Naval aviation
- U.S. Occupation of Veracruz, Mexico, 1914
External links
- Moffett bio at Arlington Cemetery
- William A. Moffett at Find A Grave Retrieved on 2007-12-12
References
- Edward Arpee, From Frigates to Flat-tops: The story of the life and achievements of Rear Admiral William Adger Moffett, U.S.N. "The Father of Naval Aviation" October 31, 1869-April 4, 1933. (Published and distributed by the author, 1953).
- William F. Trimble, Admiral William A. Moffett: Architect of Naval Aviation (Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian Institute Press, 1994)
