Frederick Lois Riefkohl

Infobox Military Person
name= "Frederick Lois Riefkohl"
born= birth date|1889|2|27
died= September death year and age|1969|1889
placeofbirth=Maunabo, Puerto Rico
placeofdeath= Brevard County, Florida


caption= Rear Admiral Frederick Lois Riefkohl The first Puerto Rican to graduate from the United States Naval Academy
allegiance= United States of America
branch=
serviceyears= 1911-1943?
rank=
battles= World War I, World War II
awards= Navy Cross Navy Distinguished Service Medal Purple Heart

Rear Admiral Frederick Lois Riefkohl (February 27, 1889–September 1969), a native of Maunabo, Puerto Rico, was an officer in the United States Navy and the first Puerto Rican to graduate from the United States Naval Academy and to be awarded the Navy Cross. The Navy Cross is the second highest medal, after the Medal of Honor, that can be awarded by the U.S. Navy for heroism or distinguished service. He was a World War I Navy Cross recipient who served as Captain of the USS "Vincennes" during World War II.

Early years

Born and raised in the town of Maunabo, Riefkohl was the son of Luis Riefkohl and Julia Jaimieson. His older brother was Rudolph W. Riefkohl, a Colonel in the United States Army Corps of Engineers, who was the first Puerto Rican to receive a "tombstone promotion" of Brigadier General after his death, which technically made him the first Hispanic brigadier general in the United States Army. After he graduated from high school, Riefkohl received an appointment on July 5, 1907, from Beekman Winthrop, the U.S. appointed governor of Puerto Rico from 1904 to 1907, to attend the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland. In 1911, he became the first Puerto Rican to graduate from the Academy. [ [http://www.cohrs.de/gene/riefkohl/pedigrees/2a.html Descendants of Otto Julius Riefkohl] ]

During World War I, Lieutenant Riefkohl served as Commander of the Armed Guard of the USS "Philadelphia" and on August 2, 1917 he was awarded the Navy Cross for engaging an enemy submarine. The Navy Cross is the second highest medal that can be awarded by the U.S. Navy and is awarded to members of the U.S. Navy or U.S. Marine Corps for heroism or distinguished service. [ [http://64.70.201.125/valor/0_NC/03_ncross_wwiUSN_chron.html WWI US NAVY Recipients of The Navy Cross] ]

Navy Cross citation

Riefkohl, Frederick L.

"Lieutenant, U.S. Navy

"Armed Guard, U.S.S. Philadelphia

"Date of Action:August 2, 1917

"Citation:

World War II

Upon the outbreak of World War II, Riefkohl, who was the Captain of the USS "Vincennes", was assigned to the Fire Support Group, LOVE (with Transport Group XRAY) under the command of Rear Admiral Richmond K. Turner's Task Force TARE (Amphibious Force) during the landing in the Solomon Islands on August 7, 1942.On August 9 1942, the Northern Force, which consisted of the USS "Vincennes", USS "Quincy" and the USS "Astoria", found themselves just off Guadalcanal. Riefkohl commanded this force. Rear Admiral Victor A. Crutchley, the commander of the Northern Force, left with his flagship HMAS "Australia" to meet with the top brass without notifying Riefkohl.

Japanese Admiral Mikawa of the Japanese Navy decided to make a surprise attack on the American ships, leading to Battle of Savo Island. He first destroyed an Australian cruiser, then the USS "Chicago" before going after the USS "Vincennes". Riefkohl was summoned up to the bridge and believed that a minor skirmish was taking place with some ship. When the Japanese ships turned on their searchlights, Riefkohl mistook them for the American ships from the Southern Force and asked them over the radio to turn off their lights because enemy vessels might be near. The Japanese answered the message with a fusillade of shells and torpedoes.

Riefkohl ordered a starboard turn, but torpedoes hit and exploded, destroying both engine rooms. The USS "Vincennes" fired back and may have hit the "Kinugasa", a Japanese cruiser. The "Vincennes" received 85 direct hits and Riefkohl ordered his men to abandon ship. The sailors manned the life rafts and the "Vincennes" rolled over and went down with 342 men still aboard. Riefkohl was presented a Purple Heart for the wounds which he received. [cite web|url=http://archiver.rootsweb.com/th/read/PUERTORICO/1999-07/0931655867|title= Puerto Rico L-Archives]

Rear Admiral Riefkohl wrote in an epitaph: "The magnificent "Vincennes", which we were all so proud of, and which I had the honor to command since April 23, 1941, rolled over and then sank at about 0250, August 9, 1942, about 2½ miles [5 km] east of Savo Island . . .sic Solomons Group, in some 500 fathoms 900 m of water." [cite web|url=http://www.usswashington.com/dl05au42.htm|title=World War II Plus 55]

Rear Admiral Frederick Lois Riefkohl died in Brevard County, Florida in 1969 and was buried with full military honors in the United States Naval Academy Cemetery of Columbarium. He was married to Louisa Gibson Riefkhohl (1902–1974) and did not have any offspring. [cite web|url=http://www.usna.edu/cemetery/PDF%20Files/Section%206/1129-%20Riefkohl,%20F.%20L.pdf|title=United States Naval Academy Cemetery of Columbarium|format=PDF]

Awards and recognitions

Among Rear Admiral Frederick Lois Riefkohl's decorations and medals were the following:

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ee also

*Puerto Ricans in World War II
*List of famous Puerto Ricans - Military
*German immigration to Puerto Rico
*Puerto Rican recipients of the Navy Cross

Notes

External links

* [http://www.usswashington.com/dl05au42.htm World War II plus 55]
* [http://www.cohrs.de/gene/riefkohl/pedigrees/2a.html Riefkohl]