Gilbert C. Hoover
![]() | This article may require copy editing for grammar, style, cohesion, tone, or spelling. (January 2018) |
Rear Admiral Gilbert C. Hoover | |
---|---|
![]() | |
Birth name | Gilbert Corwin Hoover |
Nickname(s) | "Gil" "Da" |
Born | 25 July 1894 Columbus, OH |
Died | 8 January 1980 East Providence, RI |
Buried | Bristol, RI |
Allegiance | ![]() |
Service/ | ![]() |
Years of Service | 1916-1947 1951-1956 |
Rank | Rear Admiral |
Commands | Destroyer Division 25, USS Helena (CL-50) |
Battles/wars | World War I World War II • Battle of Coral Sea • Battle of Midway • Battle of Cape Esperance • Guadalcanal Campaign |
Spouse(s) | Martha Smith, Mabel Dumbell |
Children | Gilbert Jr., Katherine, Ann |
Rear Admiral Gilbert Corwin Hoover (July 25, 1894 – January 8, 1980) was a United States Naval officer from 1916-1947. He served in both world wars, was involved in the early stages of the development of the Atomic Bomb, and managed the Atomic Energy Commission's Boulder facility as a civilian contractor. He was awarded the Navy Cross three times.[1]
Early life
Hoover was born July 25, 1894 in Columbus, OH to Fredrick Maynard Hoover (1868-1930[2]) and Eliza Florence Kinnear Hoover (1876-1955[3]).[4] His parents came from a prominent family, and they had ancestors from Kingston upon Hull.[citation needed] Due to his love of the ocean, Hoover attended the United States Naval Academy and graduated in the Class of 1916.
World War I
After graduation Hoover was assigned to the battleship USS Wyoming (BB-32), undergoing dockyard work in New York, around March, 1916.[5] Wyoming returned to service on June 26 and was involved in maneuvers off the Virginia Capes for the remainder of the year.[6]
Hoover was promoted to Lieutenant (junior grade) on January 1, 1917 eight days before Wyoming left New York for Cuban waters. She left Cuba March 27 and was cruising off Yorktown, VA when the US declared war on Germany.[7] Wyoming left the Chesapeake Bay area on November 25 for Scapa Flow. She arrived on December 7, joining the 6th Battle Squadron (United Kingdom).
Hoover was promoted to Lieutenant on January 2, 1918.[8] After months of drilling, Wyoming escorted a convoy to Stavanger, Norway, patrolled the North Sea, and covered a minelaying operation.[9] During this time there were multiple false reports of U-boat sightings. She became Rear Admiral Hugh Rodman's flagship after USS New York (BB-34) was damaged after hitting a U-boat. On November 21 Wyoming and 370 warships met the German High Seas Fleet for surrender. Afterwards she met up with the SS George Washington, which was carrying president Woodrow Wilson to the Paris Peace Conference, along with 9 other battleships and 28 destroyers off Brest, France.[10] Wyoming then returned to Britain, and then on to New York on December 25.[11] In a roster from December 26, Hoover is listed as having been in European waters for 12 months.[12]
Interwar
On October 1, 1939 Hoover, by then a Commander, was noted as being assigned "Experimental Section" under the Bureau of Ordnance, headed by Rear Admiral William R. Furlong.[13]
World War II
On October 1, 1941 Hoover's signal number was 632.[14] He was commander of Destroyer Division 25, part of Destroyer Squadron 13 led by Captain L.H. Thebaud and Lt.Cmdr. H.C. Robinson. Division 25 included USS Woolsey (DD-437) (flagship), USS Ludlow (DD-438), USS Edison (DD-439), and USS Bristol (DD-453). Squadron 13 was part of Flotilla 3, which in October was part of Task Force Four of the Atlantic Fleet.[15][16]
After the attack on Pearl Harbor, Hoover was transferred to the Pacific as a destroyer division commander in Task Force 17.5 guarding the carriers USS Yorktown (CV-5) and USS Lexington (CV-2).[17] The ships under his command were: USS Morris (DD-417), USS Anderson (DD-411), USS Hammann (DD-412), USS Hughes (DD-410), and USS Russell (DD-414). During May, 1942 Hoover was involved in the Battle of the Coral Sea.
His command became Task Group 17.4, a destroyer screen (also including USS Gwin (DD-433) in addition to 17.5) for Yorktown during the decisive Battle of Midway in early June. Hammann and Yorktown were the only American ships to sink during the battle.[18]
Captain Hoover took command of the St. Louis-class light cruiser USS Helena (CL-50) on September 25, 1942.[19] Helena took part in the battles of Cape Esperance and Guadalcanal.
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/19/Flag_in_St._Michael%27s.jpg/220px-Flag_in_St._Michael%27s.jpg)
Later life
Hoover retired from the navy in 1947.[20] In 1951, he returned to government service as a civilian official at the Atomic Energy Commission's Sandia Base in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Following this, he became manager of the AEC's facility in Boulder, Colorado. He returned to Bristol in 1956.[21] Hoover died January 10, 1980 at the Hattie Ida Chaffee Nursing Home in East Providence at the age of 85.
Personal life
Hoover served as a vestryman and warden of St. Michael's Episcopal Church in Bristol and donated a flag from Task Force 17 which is on display today. He was a member of the American Society of Metals, Army-Navy Legion of Valor, National Sojourners, Sons of the American Revolution, Chevy Chase Club, the Hope Club, the Bristol Yacht Club, and was a Mason.[22] His first child, Gilbert Corwin Jr., was born 1924 in Washington D.C. to Hoover's first wife, Martha Smith. Gilbert Jr. went on to graduate from Brown University and become an officer in the Navy. Hoover's two daughters were born to his second wife, Mabel Dumbell.
See also
- http://valor.militarytimes.com/recipient.php?recipientid=20527
- http://www.usshelena.org/hoover.html
- https://www.facebook.com/pg/Gilbert-C-Hoover-352474184804545/posts/?ref=page_interna
- http://www.thisweeknews.com/content/stories/bexley/news/2010/06/09/kinnear-became-household-name-in-north-columbus.html
References
- ^ "Valor awards for Gilbert Corwin Hoover". valor.militarytimes.com. Retrieved 2017-04-20.
- ^ "Frederick Maynard Hoover". geni_family_tree. Retrieved 2017-06-16.
- ^ "Elizabeth Florence "Eliza" Hoover". geni_family_tree. Retrieved 2017-06-16.
- ^ "hoover1". www.usshelena.org. Retrieved 2017-04-20.
- ^ "Battleship Photo Index BB-32 USS WYOMING". www.navsource.org. Retrieved 2017-04-20.
- ^ "USS Wyoming (BB-32)". Wikipedia. 2017-01-22.
- ^ "Wyoming III (Battleship No. 32)". www.history.navy.mil. Retrieved 2017-04-20.
- ^ "Battleship Photo Index BB-32 USS WYOMING". www.navsource.org. Retrieved 2017-04-20.
- ^ "Wyoming III (Battleship No. 32)". www.history.navy.mil. Retrieved 2017-04-20.
- ^ "SS George Washington". Wikipedia. 2017-03-12.
- ^ "USS Wyoming (BB-32)". Wikipedia. 2017-01-22.
- ^ "Battleship Photo Index BB-32 USS WYOMING". www.navsource.org. Retrieved 2017-04-20.
- ^ Svonavec, Stephen. "Bureaus, October 1, 1939". fleetorganization.com. Retrieved 2017-04-20.
- ^ Svonavec, Stephen. "US Navy - Commanders by Signal Number,October 1, 1941". fleetorganization.com. Retrieved 2017-04-20.
- ^ Svonavec, Stephen. "US Navy - Atlantic Fleet Organization by Task Force 1941". fleetorganization.com. Retrieved 2017-04-20.
- ^ Svonavec, Stephen. "US Fleet - Atlantic Fleet, October 1, 1941". fleetorganization.com. Retrieved 2017-04-20.
- ^ "hoover1". www.usshelena.org. Retrieved 2017-04-20.
- ^ "Battle of Midway". Wikipedia. 2017-04-20.
- ^ "Cruiser Photo Index CL-50 USS HELENA - Navsource - Photographic History of the U.S. Navy". www.navsource.org. Retrieved 2017-04-20.
- ^ "hoover1". www.usshelena.org. Retrieved 2017-04-20.
- ^ "hoover1". www.usshelena.org. Retrieved 2017-04-20.
- ^ "hoover1". www.usshelena.org. Retrieved 2017-04-20.
- Wikipedia articles needing copy edit from January 2018
- 1894 births
- 1980 deaths
- United States Navy officers
- United States Navy admirals
- American military personnel of World War I
- American military personnel of World War II
- United States Navy World War II admirals
- United States Naval Academy alumni
- Recipients of the Navy Cross (United States)
- People from Columbus, Ohio