Henry Kent Hewitt

Henry Kent Hewitt (February 11, 1887 – September 15, 1972)

Early career Hewitt served aboard in the Great White Fleet's circumnavigation of the globe from 1907–1909. His sea duty continued as a division officer aboard and executive officer of the destroyer . In 1913 he was promoted to lieutenant, married Floride Louise Hunt (1887–1973), and began three years of shore duty as a Naval Academy mathematics instructor. He returned to sea in 1916 commanding the yacht in the Caribbean. Hewitt was awarded the Navy Cross commanding the destroyer escorting Atlantic convoys during World War I. His citation reads:

Hewitt was an instructor of electrical engineering and physics at the Naval Academy from 1919 to 1921 before returning to sea as gunnery officer aboard . After spending three years at the Naval War College in Newport, Rhode Island, he commanded Destroyer Division Twelve with the battle fleet from 1931 to 1933. He then chaired the Naval Academy mathematics department for three years while the Naval Academy developed the Keuffel & Esser Log Log Trig slide rule. He returned to sea commanding the cruiser and transported President Franklin D. Roosevelt to the Pan-American Conference at Buenos Aires following the 1936 elections.

Flag rank during World War II Major General George Patton with Rear Admiral Hewitt aboard USS Augusta, off the coast of North Africa, November 1942. Hewitt was promoted to rear admiral in 1939, and commanded Atlantic Fleet Task Groups in neutrality patrols and convoys from 1941 until becoming Commander, Amphibious Force, Atlantic Fleet, in April 1942. This force, also called Task Force 34, became the U.S. component of the Operation Torch landings in November 1942. Hewitt was then assigned as Commander, U.S. Naval Forces, Northwest Africa Waters or COMNAVNAW. His flagships included while he commanded American naval forces at the Naval Battle of Casablanca, while he commanded the western task force during the invasion of Sicily, and while he commanded all Allied amphibious forces during the invasion of Italy and later Anzio landings and invasion of southern France.

Hewitt was awarded both the Army and Navy Distinguished Service Medals for his part in the invasion of North Africa. The Navy Distinguished Service Medal citation reads:The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting the Navy Distinguished Service Medal to Rear Admiral Henry Kent Hewitt (NSN: 0–5819), United States Navy, for exceptionally meritorious and distinguished services to the Government of the United States, in a duty of great responsibility, as Commander of the United States Naval Forces which escorted and supported the United States Army Forces in successful landings and occupation of certain objectives in French Morocco from 7 November 1942 to 15 November 1942. By his careful and exhaustive planning and his able and efficient conduct of escort and coverage of United States Army landing forces, Rear Admiral Hewitt contributed greatly to the successful accomplishment of one of three major objectives in the occupation of North Africa.

Hewitt was married to the former Floride Hunt until his death. They had two daughters.

Honors and awards Navy Cross with one gold award starNavy Distinguished Service Medal with one gold award starArmy Distinguished Service Medal with one oak leaf clusterNavy Expeditionary MedalDominican Campaign MedalWorld War I Victory Medal with one bronze service starAmerican Defense Service Medal with Atlantic "A" deviceAmerican Campaign MedalEuropean-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with four bronze service starsWorld War II Victory MedalKnight Commander of the Order of the Bath (United Kingdom)Legion of Honor, rank of Grand Officer (France)Croix de Guerre, 1939–45 with one bronze Palm device (France)Order of the Southern Cross, degree of Commander (Brazil)Grand Cross of the Order of Orange-Nassau (Netherlands) Order of Kutuzov (1st class) (Soviet Union)

There is a display of Admiral Hewitt's orders, decorations and medals at the United States Naval War College Museum in Newport, Rhode Island.