DeWitt Coffman

DeWitt C. Coffman
Born	(1854-11-28)November 28, 1854 Mount Jackson, Virginia
Died	June 27, 1932(1932-06-27) (aged 77) Jamestown, Rhode Island
Allegiance	United States
Service/branch	United States Navy
Years of service	1876–1918
Rank	Vice Admiral
Battles/wars	Spanish–American War World War I

DeWitt C. Coffman (28 November 1854–27 June 1932) was a United States Navy admiral. He served in the Spanish–American War and World War I.

Life and career

Coffman was born at Mount Jackson, Virginia, 28 November 1854. He graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1876.

Coffman served in monitor Terror during the Spanish–American War, and received the Distinguished Service Medal as Commander, Battleship Force 2, Atlantic Fleet, during World War I.

He retired as Rear Admiral on 28 November 1918, and was advanced to Vice Admiral on the retired list on 21 June 1930. He died at Jamestown, Rhode Island, on 27 June 1932.

Namesakes

U.S. Navy Lieutenant Commander A. S. Snow named Coffman Cove in Alaska after Coffman in 1886.

The U.S. Navy destroyer escort USS Coffman (DE-191), launched in 1943, was named in Coffman's honor.

Gallery

• Coffman is standing fifth from the left in this 7 August 1928 photograph of retired U.S. Navy rear admirals and other retirees at Rear Admiral Spencer S. Wood's home in Jamestown, Rhode Island.
  Coffman is standing fifth from the left in this 7 August 1928 photograph of retired U.S. Navy rear admirals and other retirees at Rear Admiral Spencer S. Wood's home in Jamestown, Rhode Island.

References

•  This article incorporates text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. The entry can be found here.