James H. Sands

Infobox Military Person
name = James H. Sands
lived = 12 July 1845 - 26 October 1911
placeofbirth = Washington, D.C.
placeofdeath = Washington, D.C.


caption =
nickname =
allegiance = United States
serviceyears = 1859-1907
rank = Rear Admiral
branch = United States Navy
unit = Superintendant of the United States Naval Academy
battles =
awards = twice advanced in grade for gallantry

Rear Admiral James Hoban Sands (12 July 1845 – 26 October 1911) was an officer in the United States Navy during the American Civil War and eventually became Superintendant of the United States Naval Academy.

Naval career

Son of Rear Admiral Benjamin F. Sands, he was born in Washington, D.C.. Sands was appointed Acting Midshipman in the United States Naval Academy on 25 November 1859. During the American Civil War, he served in "Tuscarora", "Juniata", and "Shenandoah" and, in the years which followed, in "Hartford" and "Richmond".

Ordered to the Naval Observatory in 1869, he returned to sea duty, on the Asiatic Station, a year and a half later. From October 1873 to April 1875, he served in the Hydrographic Office. Duty in "Minnesota" and "Iroquois" followed; and, in 1884, he returned to Washington, D.C., for duty at the Washington Navy Yard.

During the 1890s, he commanded "Monongahela"; served as equipment officer at the Boston Navy Yard; commanded "Columbia" and "Minneapolis"; and served as Governor of the Naval Home Squadron at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Detached from the latter in 1901, he became a member of the Retirement Board and assumed its presidency in 1902. Commissioned Rear Admiral the same year, he served as Commandant of the Philadelphia Navy Yard, League Island, Philadelphia, from May 1902 to April 1903; commanded the Coast Squadron until 1905; then assumed duty as Superintendent of the Naval Academy. Further duty on the Retirement Board and as President, Naval Examining Board, followed; and, in July 1907, he transferred to the Retired List.

Post-retirement

Rear Admiral James Hoban Sands died in Washington, D.C. on 26 October, 1911.

Family

Sands was a devout Roman Catholic and his influence was effective in creating a tolerance for Catholics and others of various faiths at the Naval Academy and within the military services. Sands was married to Mary Elizabeth Meade, who came from a famous Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, family and she became a convert to the Catholic faith.

They had one son and two daughters. The son, William Franklin Sands, became United States Minister to Guatemala, and the two daughters, Clara and Hilda, became Religious of the Sacred Heart.

Source: * [http://www.arlingtoncemetery.net/jhsands.htm Arlington National Cemetery Website – James H. Sands]

Honored in ship naming

Two ships were named USS "Sands" for Sands and his father, Benjamin F. Sands:

* "Sands" (DD-243/APD-13), a "Clemson"-class destroyer, commissioned in 1920

* "Sands" (T-AGOR-6), an oceanographic research ship, placed in service in 1965

Reference

*

ee also

List of Superintendents of the United States Naval Academy