Louis R. de Steiguer

Infobox Military Person
name=Louis R. de Steiguer
lived=March 18, 1867 - April 20, 1947


caption=As Commandant of Portsmouth Navy Yard, at launching of submarine S-10, December 9, 1920.
nickname=
placeofbirth=Athens, Ohio
placeofdeath=Washington, D.C.
allegiance=
branch=United States Navy
serviceyears=1889-1932
rank=Admiral
unit=
commands=U.S. Battle Fleet
battles=Spanish-American War
World War I
awards=Distinguished Service Medal
relations=
laterwork=

Admiral Louis Rodolph de Steiguer (March 18, 1867 - April 20, 1947) was an officer in the U.S. Navy. He was Commander-in-Chief of the U.S. Battle Fleet from 1927 to 1928.

Early career

Born in Athens, Ohio on March 18, 1867 to Judge Rodolph de Steiguer and Mary Carpenter de Steiguer, he was descended from Judge Silvanus Ames, a prominent citizen of southern Ohio. [http://www.progenealogist.com/athens/amestownship.htm Ames Township] ] He was appointed to the U.S. Naval Academy from Ohio in 1885.citation
title = Register of the Commissioned and Warrant Officers of the Navy of the United States and of the Marine Corps to January 1, 1903
publisher = Government Printing Office
place = Washington, D.C.
year = 1903
url = http://books.google.com/books?id=0M1eMpPtLgcC&pg=RA2-PA206&dq=%22de+steiguer%22+navy#PPA26,M1 ] Graduating in 1889, he served his naval cadet cruise aboard the new steel cruiser "Atlanta", which sailed with the Squadron of Evolution to Europe, the Mediterranean, and Brazil before returning to New York in 1890.citation
first = Gerald E. | last = Wheeler
title = Admiral William Veazie Pratt, US Navy
publisher = U.S. Government Printing Office (Naval History Division, Department of the Navy)
place = Washington D.C.
year = 1974
url = http://books.google.com/books?id=paggAAAAMAAJ&q=william+pratt+wheeler&dq=william+pratt+wheeler&pgis=1 ] He was commissioned ensign on July 1, 1891 and served in various assignments ashore and afloat, including tours aboard the "Vulcan" and aboard the "Montgomery" during the Spanish-American War.citation
title = Register of the Commissioned and Warrant Officers of the United States Navy and Marine Corps to January 1, 1899
publisher = Government Printing Office
place = Washington D.C.
year = 1899
url = http://books.google.com/books?id=UNR4PX6MeSQC&pg=PA24&lpg=PA24&dq=steiguer+training&source=web&ots=gU4nkQ2f7M&sig=LWpjCG63f1Ph5Q5LntRtfAq36yk#PPA24,M1 ] Promoted to lieutenant commander in 1905, he was Supervisor of New York Harbor from December 9, 1905 to August 30, 1906; was in charge of the Fifth Lighthouse District in 1911; commanded the "Panther" through 1913; was acting commandant of the Norfolk Naval Shipyard from September 25, 1914 to January 4, 1915; and commanded the battleship "Kearsarge" in 1916. [http://www.nnsy1.navy.mil/History/SYCOMM.HTM Norfolk Naval Shipyard former commanders] ] citation
first = Dean R. | last = Heaton
title = Four Stars: The Super Stars of United States Military History
place = Baltimore
publisher = Gateway Press
year = 1995 ]

During World War I he served as chief of staff of the Third Naval District before reporting as captain of the battleship "Arkansas", which was stationed with the American dreadnaught squadron operating with the British Grand Fleet.citation
title = The Victory At Sea XI: Transporting Two Million Americans to France
first = Rear-Admiral William Sowden | last = Sims
periodical = The World's Work
volume = XL
number = 3
date = July, 1920
page = 305
url = http://books.google.com/books?id=smGvFSfe_FoC&pg=PA305&dq=%22lr+de+steiguer%22 ] After the war, de Steiguer was Hydrographer of the Navy from July 1921 to December 1921. Promoted to rear admiral, he was commander of the First Naval District, including the Portsmouth Navy Yard, from June 1923 to 1925. [http://www.history.navy.mil/library/guides/rosters/first%20naval%20district.htm First Naval District commanders] ]

Fleet command

In June 1925, de Steiguer returned to sea as Commander Battleship Division Four (COMBATDIV 4), with flagship "New Mexico", and the following summer he was promoted to temporary vice admiral as Commander Battleship Divisions, Battle Fleet (COMBATDIVS), with flagship "West Virginia".citation
first = Clark G. | last = Reynolds
title = Famous American Admirals
place = Annapolis
publisher = Naval Institute Press
year = 1978 ] On September 10, 1927, de Steiguer assumed the temporary rank of full admiral as Commander in Chief Battle Fleet, United States Fleet (COMBATFLT), with flagship "California".citation
title = Annual Reports of the Navy Department: Report of the Secretary of the Navy for the Fiscal Year 1927
publisher = U.S. Government Printing Office
year = 1928
url = http://books.google.com/books?id=Eb3EBxuJmbEC&dq=%22lr+de+steiguer%22&q=%22September+10%22&pgis=1#search ]

Following his tour as Battle Fleet commander, de Steiguer "fleeted down" to his permanent rank of rear admiral and served as commandant, Brooklyn Navy Yard from July 2, 1928 to March 18, 1931. [http://www.columbia.edu/~jrs9/Navy-Yard-Org.html Brooklyn Navy Yard former commanders] ] He retired in 1932.

Legacy

He was awarded the Distinguished Service Medal for his World War I service as chief of staff of the Third Naval District and as captain of the USS "Arkansas".citation
title = The Navy Book of Distinguished Service
first = Harry R. | last = Stringer
publisher = Fassett Publishing Company
place = Washington, D.C.
year = 1921
page = 24
url = http://books.google.com/books?id=qsoLAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA24&dq=desteiguer&lr=#PPA24,M1 ] The oceanographic research ship "De Steiguer" (AGOR 12) is named for him. [http://www.nvr.navy.mil/nvrships/details/AGOR12.htm De Steiguer (AGOR 12)] ] He became a member of the Ohio University chapter of Phi Delta Theta in 1887.citation
first = Leland Coppock | last = Speers
title = The Fighting Phis
periodical = The Scroll of Phi Delta Theta
volume = XXXIV
number = 5
page = 439-450
date = May, 1910
url = http://books.google.com/books?id=uQUTAAAAIAAJ&pg=RA1-PA442&dq=%22steigeur%22+navy#PRA1-PA442,M1 ]

De Steiguer was a legendary disciplinarian and martinet.citation
title = Admiral Jerauld Wright: Warrior Among Diplomats
first = David M., Jr. | last = Key
page = 88
publisher = Sunflower University Press
place = Manhattan, Kansas
year = 2001 ] His flag secretary, future four-star admiral and chief of naval operations Robert B. Carney, described de Steiguer as a tremendously ambitious man with a "lousy disposition". Captains of other ships in the division would consult Carney to gauge de Steiguer's mood before approaching him. Carney recalled his own association with de Steiguer as fraught with "constant pressure, irascibility, criticism, and unpleasantness". Carney eventually marched into de Steiguer's cabin, snapped, "Admiral, I just want to tell you I think you are a goddamn rotten son of a bitch," and stormed out. After failing to retrieve Carney via Marine orderly, de Steiguer visited Carney's cabin in person, said, "Sonny, you've been working too hard. You and I are going ashore," and took Carney on an epic drinking binge. Carney ultimately concluded that his three years with de Steiguer had been a valuable experience, but not one he would have chosen to repeat.citation
first = Betty Carney | last = Taussig
title = A Warrior for Freedom
publisher = Sunflower University Press
place = Manhattan, Kansas
page = 42-43
year = 1995 ]

De Steiguer died in Washington D.C. on April 20, 1947. He is buried in Arlington National Cemetery with his wife, the former Katherine Constable. He had no children. His funeral instructions made two requests of his former flag secretary: that Carney lead the funeral cortege, and that he have de Steiguer buried with his hindquarters facing the Pentagon. Carney honored both requests.

Dates of rank

*Midshipman - March 17, 1885
*Passed Midshipman - 1889
*Ensign - July 1, 1891
*Lieutenant, Junior Grade - November 22, 1898
*Lieutenant - March 3, 1899
*Lieutenant-Commander - July 1, 1905
*Commander -
*Captain -
*Rear Admiral -
*Vice Admiral - summer 1926
*Admiral - September 10, 1927

Footnotes