- Edward Walter Eberle
Infobox Military Person
name = Edward Walter Eberle
lived =17 August 1864 - 6 July 1929
placeofbirth = Denton, Texas
placeofdeath = Washington, D.C.
caption = Admiral, USN
nickname =
allegiance = United States of America
serviceyears = 1885-1928
rank =
branch = U.S. Navy
unit = Superintendent of theUnited States Naval Academy and thirdChief of Naval Operations
battles = Spanish-American War World War I
awards =Edward Walter Eberle (
17 August 1864 - 6 July 1929) was anadmiral in theUnited States Navy , who served as Superintendent of theUnited States Naval Academy and thirdChief of Naval Operations .Early years
Born at
Denton, Texas , Eberle was reared atFort Smith, Arkansas . He entered the Naval Academy on28 September 1881 and graduated on5 June 1885 .U.S. Navy service
Following the two years of sea service -- spent in screw
sloop s-of-war "Mohican " and "Shenandoah" and in steamer "Ranger" -- then required before commissioning, Eberle was promoted to ensign on1 July 1887 . Brief duty inWashington, D.C. , in the late summer and early autumn preceded his reporting to "Albatross" on22 November 1887 to begin three years of duty in thatFishing Commission steamer.Following leave from
22 November 1890 to28 January 1891 , he received instruction in new developments in naval ordnance at theWashington Navy Yard while awaiting orders for sea duty. Here, he demonstrated an interest in and an aptitude for naval gunnery which ever after was central to his career.On
20 March , he reported to "Lancaster" and, in the veteran screw sloop-of-war, steamed across theAtlantic andIndian Ocean s to theFar East . A year and a half later, while still in the Far East, he was transferred to the sailing sloop-of-war "Marion" to close out this tour of duty in Asiatic waters. He returned to theUnited States in the summer of 1894 and reported for duty at the Naval Academy on20 August .In the waning days of this service at Annapolis, Eberle's commission as lieutenant, junior grade, arrived on
12 June 1896 , only to be followed a week later by orders sending him across the continent toSan Francisco where "Oregon" (Battleship No. 3) was being completed.panish-American War
Eberle reported for duty on
10 July , five days before the newbattleship was first placed in commission; and he was placed in charge of her forward gun turret. "Oregon" was still operating along the Pacific coast in the spring of 1898 when Congress declared war onSpain ; and she promptly won great renown by her race south fromPuget Sound toCape Horn and then north to theCaribbean to join American forces blockadingCuba .Eberle distinguished himself during the
Battle of Santiago de Cuba by the outstanding performance of his turret in its duel with Spanishcruiser "Cristobal Colon" and, later, in its bombardment of Spanish troop concentrations atCaimanera .From this time on, Eberle reportedly enjoyed the favor of powerful officers in the Navy. His promotion to lieutenant came on
3 March 1899 , some three months before he was detached from "Oregon" and transferred to "Baltimore" in which he served as flag lieutenant of the Asiatic Squadron. Late in the summer, Eberle returned to Annapolis to become aide to the superintendent of the Naval Academy. Besides carrying out the duties of that position, he busied himself in studying ordnance and in writing manuals for the use of guns and torpedoes and for the operation of wireless communication by warships.A year in "Indiana" (Battleship No. 1) on training duty ended in September 1902 when Eberle became aide to the commandant of the
New York Navy Yard . Six months later, he was named Rear AdmiralAlbert S. Barker 's flag lieutenant; and, during this two-year tour with the Commander in Chief of the Atlantic Fleet, he won his commission as a lieutenant commander.Eberle received a number of choice assignments: instructor at the
Naval War College , executive officer of "Louisiana", commandant of the San Francisco Naval Training Station with collateral duty as commanding officer of "Pensacola". During the latter tour, he was promoted to commander on15 December 1908 .World War I
He earned a captain's commission which arrived on
1 July 1912 . He attended the short course at the Naval War College in 1913; and command of "Washington" and, later, of theNaval Gun Factory at Washington, D.C., preceded Eberle's appointment as Superintendent of the Naval Academy on 1 September 1915. After overseeing the Academy during the period ofWorld War I when the need for officers brought the problems of acceleration, he left Annapolis on30 January 1919 to command the battleship divisions of the Atlantic Fleet.On
30 June 1921 , Eberle took command of the Pacific Fleet. Some two years later, on17 July 1923 , he became Chief of Naval Operations and held the office until relieved by Admiral Charles F. Hughes on14 November 1927 . During the years he held this post, he reportedly fought to minimize the adverse effect upon the Navy of arms limitations negotiations and from Congressional thrift, hurried the completion ofaircraft carrier s "Lexington" and "Saratoga", and upheld the Navy's right to maintain its own air arm.After relinquishing the duties of Chief of Naval Operations, Eberle served on the General Board until he retired.
Retirement
Eberle retired from the U.S. Navy on
9 August 1928 and died in Washington, D.C. on 6 July 1929.Namesakes
The ships, USS "Admiral E. W. Eberle" (AP-123) and USS "Eberle" (DD-430), were named in his honor.
References
:DANFS
ee also
List of Superintendents of the United States Naval Academy
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.