Stuart H. Ingersoll

Ingersoll as a rear admiral and United States Naval Academy Commandant of Midshipmen during a visit by President Harry S Truman on 16 November 1946. Left to right are Truman, Academy Superintendent Vice Admiral Aubrey W. Fitch, presidential physician General Wallace Graham, Secretary of the Navy James Forrestal, Ingersoll, Fleet Admiral William D. Leahy, and Presidential press secretary Charlie Ross. Stuart Howe Ingersoll (June 3, 1898 – January 29, 1983) 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. Appointed from Maine to the United States Naval Academy at Annapolis, Maryland, he was admitted to the school on 19 July 1917. The United States 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. On 4 March 1917, the United States Congress 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. — graduated after only three years, on 3 June 1920,

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. After Cassin was decommissioned in 1922, he transferred to the destroyer , which operated from Constantinople in the waters of the Ottoman Empire during his tour. 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. 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. He transferred to the destroyer in 1925. Ingersoll reported to Naval Air Station Pensacola in Pensacola, Florida, on 1 August 1925 for aviation training. 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 He left the squadron that year to serve aboard the battleship ,

Ingersoll reported for duty at Naval Support Activity Hampton Roads at Naval Air Station Norfolk in Norfolk, Virginia, on 28 July 1929. Detaching from Langley in June 1933, he returned to Naval Air Station Norfolk on 29 June 1933 for another tour there. He returned to the fleet on 26 July 1935, beginning a tour with Bombing Squadron 5B (VB-5B). He was promoted to lieutenant commander on 1 July 1936, then fitting out at Newport News Shipbuilding and Drydock Company in Newport News, Virginia. He detached from Yorktown prior to her commissioning, and on 30 September 1937 he assumed command of Patrol Squadron 18 (VP-18), 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, was redesignated Patrol Squadron 13 (VP-13) on 1 July 1939, and was redesignated Patrol Squadron 26 (VP-26) on 11 December 1939.

Ingersoll left the squadron in July 1940 and began a tour with the Bureau of Aeronautics in Washington, D.C. Advanced to the temporary rank of captain on 20 June 1942, Ingersoll had shore duty at Naval Air Station Anacostia in Washington, D.C., from 1942 to 1943,

On 10 April 1944 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 the Battle of Guam in July–August 1944,

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. Ingersoll relinquished command of Monterey on 28 January 1945.

Post-World War II

After World War II, Ingersoll remained commandant of midshipmen until 1947. On 2 November 1945, the United States Senate confirmed his promotion to the temporary rank of rear admiral, with a date of rank backdated to 9 March 1944. 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.

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

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. Promoted to vice admiral on 7 September 1955, also serving as commander, United States Taiwan Defense Command, from December 1955 to July 1957. 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.

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, and on 13 November 1958, the Naval Electronic Warfare Simulator (NEWS) was commissioned in Sims Hall. He also served on the Civil War Centennial Commission while at the college, beginning in the autumn of 1957. His presidency concluded on 30 June 1960.

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).

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: